Tomczyk gets concrete results from often invisible efforts

Listen to this article

Debby Tomczyk balances the tangible and intangible in her practice. A shareholder at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, Tomczyk specializes in business law and real estate, which she says provides here with an uncommon means of tracking her own success.

“It’s something you can touch and feel,” she said. “I can look out my window and see things I was involved in.”

But those concrete results stem from efforts that are not readily visible, such as the long hours she spends in negotiations and public hearings, said Jerome Janzer, CEO of the firm, adding that Tomczyk’s tireless attention to detail helps secure success.

“She would run through a wall for her clients,” he said, “and they know it.”

Tomczyk said she enjoys working with stakeholders, who might include opponents to a development proposal. The goal is to find a solution that works for all parties without sacrificing her client’s best interests.

“At least you can speak with them with credibility,” she said, “and both know at the end of the day you both want a proper and fair process, even if you don’t want the same product.”

Tomczyk also welcomes an opportunity to help a client deal with the political and public relations sides of a proposal, she said, and wants to help bring order to procedures that can become chaotic.

Beyond being an asset to her clients, Janzer said, Tomczyk is a valuable resource for younger attorneys at the firm. “People naturally view her as a mentor,” he said.

She serves as head of the firm’s recruiting and diversity committees, he said, and is generous with her time. She helps younger attorneys understand and develop knowledge and abilities that are related to parts of legal practice that aren’t covered in depth during law school. Among the subjects touched on, for example, are the realities of building relationships with clients.

“She has an unwavering commitment to obtaining the best results for her clients and for the people that she works with,” Janzer said.

Tomczyk added that she feels gratified when an attorney she has helped later passes on the lessons learned to younger colleagues. The rewards are similar when she has successfully counseled a client.

“I guess there’s no better feeling than helping individuals create opportunities for their families and their business associates, their employees,” she said, “and being able to be a part of that emergence of a greater opportunity makes you feel like you’ve made the world a better place.”