Search for truth drives Godfrey & Kahn’s Johanningmeier

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For Josh Johanningmeier, it all comes down to facts.

Johanningmeier, an attorney with Godfrey & Kahn in Madison, said that whether he’s working on a product liability or an employment case, what happened and when is key to the case.

“The subject matter is different in the cases I handle, but they all have facts at their heart,” he said. “They are all evidence related, and as an attorney you need to uncover the facts in the case.”

And as Johanningmeier uncovers the facts, he’s also learned that flexibility is important.

“You test a product in a liability case and the result reveals something unexpected,” Johanningmeier said. “Or you do a deposition with a witness and he says something you completely didn’t expect. You need to be nimble as you deal with the twists and turns of the cases. When that stuff happens, you need to change your approach.”

Uncovering facts in cases can involve going through boxes and boxes of papers or an extensive electronic search of documents. Both methods take a lot of time.

“The cost of discovery has gone up astronomically,” Johanningmeier said. “I think that has led to a lot less cases making it all the way to trial.”

Since he started practicing 16 years ago, Johanningmeier said he’s definitely noticed a decline in the number of product liability cases that make it to a jury trial.

“There’s definitely been that change, and cost is a main concern.”

Johanningmeier also works with a lot of experts who can help explain how a certain product works in different situations.

“I really enjoy the investigative process,” he said.

Emotions run high with both product liability cases where someone may have had a loved-one injured or killed as well as in employment cases where the plaintiff feels wronged.

“You really need to be sensitive and respective of the plaintiff in these cases,” Johanningmeier said. “The people suing have a lot of emotional investment so you need to keep that in mind in your approach. Although if you know they’re lying, then you can get more aggressive.”

Wisconsin Law Journal: What career would you have pursued if you hadn’t become an attorney?
Josh Johanningmeier: Political science or history professor.

WLJ: What song gets heavy rotation on your iPod?
Johanningmeier: A long playlist of hits from the ’80s.

WLJ: What was the last book that you read?
Johanningmeier: ‘The Heart of Everything That Is,’ a biography of Red Cloud.

WLJ: If you could have drinks with anyone, who would you choose?
Johanningmeier: Chris Farley

WLJ: What do you miss most about your childhood?
Johanningmeier: Virtually unlimited time for leisure reading.

WLJ: What was the first concert you attended?
Johanningmeier: Def Leppard

WLJ: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you pick?
Johanningmeier: I would be more patient.

WLJ: If you could live anywhere, where would you pick?
Johanningmeier: Montana

WLJ: What is your favorite activity to do in Wisconsin?
Johanningmeier: Skiing with my family.

WLJ: What activity could you spend hours doing outside of the office?
Johanningmeier: Hunting and target shooting.