Ronald J. Rutlin

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Ellen Rutlin always assumed her husband was a skillful lawyer. But it wasn’t until many years into their marriage that she witnessed Ronald J. Rutlin’s professional expertise, when handling their dispute with a contractor. Not long after he finessed the situation, their floor was redone, without threats, ill will or additional costs.

It’s no wonder Rutlin, of Ruder Ware, is an astute negotiator. For the past 33 years, he has practiced his craft as a labor lawyer.

After law school, Rutlin took a job with a firm that concentrated in the area, working mostly with public-sector clients. In 1977, he moved to Wausau. “I represented municipalities and school districts throughout central and northern Wisconsin. There were years I’d put over 40,000 miles on my car. It was an intense practice because I’d be at the office all day, and then put in another six or seven hours at night bargaining,” he recalls.

In the late 1980s, Rutlin began to gravitate toward the private sector. Nowadays, businesses make up about 80 percent of his clientele.

Rutlin’s job allows him to help create win-win situations.

For example, in 2004, Corenso North America, in Wisconsin Rapids, was considering closing. The manufacturer employed roughly 180 in the area. Rutlin led a series of negotiations with five unions, whereby the employees agreed to wage and benefit reductions, but also would be entitled to profit-sharing, should the company return to profitability.

Just three years later, not only has Corenso done that, and paid bonuses of over $10,000 to each employee who accepted the concessions. But also, it has generated enough dollars to convince the parent company to finance a $30 million rebuild of a paper machine that will significantly increase its production capabilities.

So, how does one become a savvy negotiator?

“When I graduated from law school, it was not unusual for me to be negotiating some 20 contracts at a time.

There was so much work out there, and you learn it by doing it. I made many mistakes, and frankly, I had some wily old union reps who, as a young lawyer, would pull me aside and give me advice. …

“It’s a lot of instinct. Every time, you learn something new. A lot of it is just getting to know whom you’re working with and against. Sometimes it’s easier to get something done with a softer approach, and other times you have to be more aggressive. It’s not a cookie-cutter type of practice. Every session brings unique issues and unique solutions. You usually start quite far apart, and eventually find a middle ground. There’s an old saying that, ‘a good contract is one that neither side is entirely happy with.’”

Rutlin says he’s part of a dying breed — there are fewer labor lawyers than in bygone years, as unions have diminished in power. Yet, there’s still a lot of bargaining happening, and these days, when Rutlin isn’t a part of it, he’s mentoring those who will take his place at the table.