David W. Croysdale

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Since his days at Jackson High School in Michigan, one thing David W. Croysdale excelled at was debate, so it only seemed natural that he would one day become a lawyer.

“We achieved a lot of success with state championships and such, so I guess I figured from that point forward, I would be an attorney,” said Croysdale, 66, a partner at Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP, in Milwaukee.

For the last 41 years, Croysdale has put his debate skills to good use as a labor and employment attorney.

From chief spokesman for the retail food industry in the 1980s and ’90s to negotiating collective bargaining agreements, he has given his vocal chords a workout throughout the last four decades.

Prior to joining Michael Best in 1985, Croysdale worked for a small firm in Milwaukee and began his career with Foley & Lardner as a summer associate practicing labor law “during the Milwaukee Braves lame-duck season” in 1965.

When he began, the employment law practice as it is known now was almost nonexistent, Croysdale said. He estimated that since he began practicing, the union movement has decreased from 30 percent of the private sector to about 8 percent.

“The labor part of our practice has decreased significantly and is now replaced by employment law practice, which includes not only defending against various employment discrimination cases, but also executive and managerial severance negotiations,” said Croysdale.

But he still has a certain affinity for collective bargaining and cited his representation of the retail foods industry in 1980s and ’90s as a career highlight. He counted both Sentry Markets and Kohl’s Food Stores among his clients.

“There was a time where every labor contract both with the meat cutters and the retail clerks was negotiated and I was the chief spokesman for the industry,” said Croysdale.

He recently expanded his practice to serve as counsel for a business in California, one which is run by a former debate teammate at Jackson High.

“It’s a unique situation and not really something I sought out, but a good fit,” said Croysdale.

Though his practice has evolved, Croysdale has no plans to retire despite the appeal of his six grandchildren or his beloved Michigan Wolverines.

“I’ve got no plans at all to phase down as long as I still have my A-game and my health,” said Croysdale, noting there’s nothing else he’d rather be doing.