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On the write path: Clerkship sets Sacks’ love of litigation, writing in motion

On the write path: Clerkship sets Sacks’ love of litigation, writing in motion

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Jonathan Sacks (Staff photo by Kevin Harnack)
Jonathan Sacks (Staff photo by Kevin Harnack)

An internship and clerkship set Jonathan Sacks on a career journey.

“While in college, I interned for a trial judge and it really appealed to me,” said Sacks, an attorney with Mallery & Zimmerman’s office in Milwaukee, where his civil litigation practice focuses on commercial disputes, municipal law, employment and labor matters and school law issues. “I also clerked for a year for a judge in New Jersey, and being around litigators day in and day out helped convince me I wanted to focus on litigation.”

While Sacks became interested in litigation after seeing attorneys argue in court, he isn’t in court much these days. Instead, he researches and writes briefs and motions for clients.

“I really enjoy writing, so doing that research and writing now for clients is definitely something I enjoy,” Sacks said.

He also works with municipalities, educational institutions and businesses on how to avoid litigation.

“Staying out of court is the goal for many clients, so you counsel them on how to do that while giving them the information necessary to make the best decisions,” Sacks said.

After his clerk internship in Atlantic City, Sacks practiced law in the Philadelphia area, representing clients in commercial and civil litigation. But the graduate of Lawrence University in Appleton and his fiancé, who is from Wisconsin, made the decision to relocate to Milwaukee.

“The one thing I’ve noticed between practicing law in Wisconsin and in New Jersey is that you’re citing different cases, but you are doing the same thing,” he said. “For example, with employment law, you just need to be aware of what the law specifics are for that state. A big part of an attorney’s job is doing research and making sure you’re well informed as you counsel your client.”

Wisconsin Law Journal: What makes your work important to you?
Jonathan Sacks: I enjoy being a problem-solver for my clients. Helping my clients navigate through the waters of litigation matters is very rewarding. I strive to find creative solutions, whether it entails advocating on a client’s behalf in court or counseling a client to avoid litigation in the first place.

WLJ: Who is your hero in the legal field?
Sacks: My hero in the legal field is the Honorable Allen J. Littlefield with the New Jersey Superior Court, who I clerked for following law school. Judge Littlefield unexpectedly passed away last October. He was a tireless worker who deeply cared that every litigant walked away from the courtroom — win or lose — knowing that their voice was heard. Working with him for my first year as an attorney shaped the way that I practice today.

WLJ: What do you do outside of work to deal with stress from the office?
Sacks: I like doing anything outdoors from hiking, biking and fishing to playing soccer, softball and hockey. I also enjoy volunteering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Washington County and Riveredge Nature Center.

WLJ: What’s one thing many people get wrong about what you do?
Sacks: As a litigator, most people expect that I spend most of my time arguing in court. While that is one aspect of my job, most people would not know how much time I spend behind the scenes writing and developing strategies. I actually draw quite a bit from methods and techniques I learned in creative writing classes I took in college.

WLJ: What’s your favorite memory from law school?
Sacks: Winning my first real case while working in the law school’s clinic. It was a landlord-tenant dispute, and I was able to help my clients obtain a judgment against their landlord who had wrongfully withheld their security deposit. While there was not a large amount of money at stake, winning the case really helped the clients, especially in light of the fact that they had a newborn to care for. It was great to be able to apply what I had been learning in school while helping out people with limited means.

WLJ: Is there a certain case that stands out to you?
Sacks: Early in my career I worked on a case where our client’s father, who was struggling with a terminal brain tumor, had his savings misappropriated. I had to act quickly to come up with a strategy to recoup his losses and fortunately we were able to recover all of the money that had been taken. As a new attorney, it was very rewarding to be able to quickly learn a new area of law to help a client.

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