Aide turned attorney lands spot on board of directors

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Thirteen years into his career, Drew Cochrane said he still draws on his pre-law experience as a legislative aide.

“When people read the statutes and they wonder how in the world they are so convoluted and ill-defined, I think I have a better sense of how they got that way,” said Cochrane, who worked as an aide in Madison for two years before going to law school. “I don’t know if it helps me, but I think I have a better idea of how they ended up that way.”

Figuring it all out is part of what Cochrane enjoys about his practice as a commercial, corporate and labor litigator at Stafford Rosenbaum LLP.

“I still really like the law, and I love going to court,” he said. “I like trial work. I like helping people. I like having a client thank you when you get a good result.

“I think there’s a lot of good stuff that comes out of it.”

The stress can be hard to manage, however.

“I think that’s the most challenging part of the job,” he said.

But, Cochrane said, spending time with his wife, Gretchen, and his kids – Josh, 10, and Maggie, 7 — helps balance the intensity of his legal work. Cochrane also values the time he spends coaching kids’ baseball and volunteering at church, on the local school board and as a member of city of Madison’s ethics committee.

“People get so focused on billable hours,” he said. “We should connect with the community.”

Wisconsin Law Journal: What is the best part of being an attorney?
Drew Cochrane: It’s being able to help people and kind of the satisfaction you get from being able to help someone with a tough problem.

WLJ: If you could trade places with someone for a day, who would it be? Why?
Cochrane: I would be the second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, because Ryan Sandberg was my favorite player growing up. And playing baseball every day would be the greatest job in the world. Although the current second baseman is pretty good, so I feel bad kicking him out. Maybe we could move him to third.

WLJ: What was your most useful law school course? Why?
Cochrane: I took pre-trial advocacy, and because it was practical. So much of law school is theory and critical thinking stuff, which is all important and necessary. But having some actual practical training in how to litigate a case was very helpful.

WLJ: What was your least favorite course in law school? Why?
Cochrane: I got my worst grade in equal employment law, which is funny because it’s a great big part of what I do, but it wasn’t my least favorite. For my least favorite law school course, I’m going to go with contracts — just too much theory and not enough practical.

WLJ: If you could develop one CLE course for credit, what would it be about?
Cochrane: I’d do some sort of business of the law course dealing with fee agreements and clients relationships and running a law firm. Considering I was recently named to our firm’s board of directors, that’s been on my mind.

WLJ: What do you consider your biggest achievement to date and why?
Cochrane: Professionally speaking, I think being elected to our firm’s board of directors at 39 is my biggest achievement. Our firm can trace our history back 100 years. It’s a medium-sized firm with a good reputation for the leadership. To trust me with that is a huge honor. It’s a big deal to me

WLJ: What is the one luxury item you cannot live without?
Cochrane: My boat. That’s an easy one. You can’t live in Madison and not have a boat. It should be a rule.

WLJ: What do you miss most about your childhood?
Cochrane: I miss having no responsibility.

WLJ: What is the first concert you attended?
Cochrane: AD/DC (at) Alpine Valley. I don’t think my parents really wanted me to go. I was 15, and I had just moved right in the middle of high school from Stevens Point to Crystal Lake, Ill. They didn’t want me to go, but they felt bad about moving me in the middle of high school so they let me go.

WLJ: Finish this sentence: Happiness is …
Cochrane: I’m gonna say spending time with my wife and kids.