Scott D. Soldon

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Growing up in a “blue-collar kid” in Cudahy, attorney Scott D. Soldon got an early appreciation for the working man.

His father was a member of the Steel Workers Union and spent more than 40 years at Bucyrus-Erie Co. in South Milwaukee. Soldon followed him and worked third shift while attending Marquette University.

By the time he graduated Northwestern University Law School in 1978, Soldon had a clear vision of which area he wanted to practice in. Though he worked part-time with a union firm while at Northwestern, it was his personal experience and watching his father work, which convinced him to pursue a legal career in labor and employment law.

“Even going back to college, I was thinking about it,” said Soldon of Previant, Goldberg, Uelmen, Gratz, Miller & Brueggeman, SC, in Milwaukee. “I saw what unions were able to do for people and the lift that they got in the standard of living and people like my dad were able to provide well for the family.”

For the last 29 years, all with Previant, Soldon has relished the fight between union and management and trying to assist the individual members.

“I like representing the people,” said Soldon. “I find that to be the most satisfying part of the practice.”

Soldon also enjoys the “social justice” aspect of his practice in that he can champion the idea of decency for employees and not allow them to be “stepped on by employers.” He has witnessed the ugly side of the business firsthand.

“My dad was on strike for a long time, once almost for six months, so I saw the good and the hard parts of it all,” said Soldon. “There is a segment of the practice which is involved in defending the unions as well. It’s comes with the territory, but it’s not as much fun.”

When not in negotiations, Soldon likes to escape in a good mystery novel, but his five children compete for his free time as well. With two of his four daughters and his one son in college, Soldon is always on the go.

“My girls outnumber me, and family keeps me pretty busy,” said Soldon. “I try and take time and get out of the mindset of what 10 things I have to be doing at this minute, but it’s not always easy.”