Timothy S. Trecek

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Milwaukee lawyer Timothy S. Trecek says he often works between 55 and 60 hours per week, so he constantly has to remind himself of his own advice on how to be a better litigator: Go home, spend time with your family, and volunteer.

It’s this “limited hours in a day” tightrope that Trecek attempts to balance daily. He’s involved in numerous volunteer activities at his children’s school, St. Alphonsus in Greendale. He teaches Advanced Trial Practice at Marquette University Law School, and for the past eight years has served on the Office of Lawyer Regulation District 2 Committee.

He also handles many product liability cases that require travel all over the country.

“As a busy attorney, you want to immerse yourself 120 percent in your job. But I think diversity of your time, efforts and interests enriches every aspect of your life,” he says.

“I’m a better trial attorney because I have a wife and kids. It helps me understand the ups and downs, the joys and tragedies of life, so I can really talk to 12 people on a jury.

Someone who’s an empty vessel — who has never experienced anything — will have a hard time talking to a jury and selling a case. So, to have a life outside being a lawyer, makes you a better a lawyer — although it’s kind of a catch-22.”

Clearly, it works for Trecek. In 2007, for example, he concluded Rocker v. USAA Casualty, representing a worker whose on-the-job injuries required knee replacements. Two different defendants initially prevailed on summary judgment. Trecek appealed, and the Court of Appeals certified the issue to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The high court reversed the trial court decision, and on remand the jury rendered a $1,078,000 verdict.

Further, in 2005, Trecek negotiated a $5 million settlement in Stephan v. We Energies for a worker who was badly injured from contacting power lines. In that same year, Trecek obtained three of the state’s top five reported settlements in Wisconsin Law Journal’s “Verdict & Settlement Reporter.” Trecek has also obtained a number of similarly-sized products liability settlements, which he cannot discuss due to confidentiality agreements.

He says, “I take pride in being able to level the playing field for everyday people who are battling powerful and well equipped interests, such as insurance companies and large corporations.”