Peltz blazes his own business path

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Joseph Peltz comes from a family of entrepreneurs.

Though he didn’t follow suit, the business litigation attorney at Friebert, Finerty & St. John SC in Milwaukee feels right at home in his related practice area.

“It’s such a broad practice area, which I like,” Peltz said. “Business litigation can cover a lot of areas and I’m always learning. I’m involved in trial work, appellate work and even cases involving municipal law.”

An understanding of what makes companies tick appears to run in the family. Peltz’s father helped grow a successful recycling company. His mother cofounded a bank in Milwaukee and founded a nonprofit community development financial institution. His oldest brother is the owner of a real estate development company and his sister owned a successful restaurant in San Francisco.

“I was always interested in politics and government growing up,” Peltz said, “and my family was in business so everything just fit together.”

Peltz interned at Friebert, Finerty & St. John after his second year at Marquette University Law School.

“I’m fortunate to have a number of great mentors here at the firm if something comes up that I haven’t seen before,” he said.

He also interned for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis B. Butler, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Wagner and at the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin.

Since graduating in 2007, he’s kept busy with the case research and writing he loves best.

“I love to dive right in,” he said.

More cases go to arbitration these days, he said, because “clients want their matters settled and litigation can take a long time and be costly.” Peltz has had just two cases go to jury trial in his seven years in practice.

The most common issue he deals with is breach of contract, which can be a major concern for his business clients.

“When an entity or person doesn’t do something they were supposed to do,” Peltz said, “that leads to a whole host of problems.”

Wisconsin Law Journal: What was your least-favorite class in law school?
Joseph Peltz: Accounting for Lawyers and Federal Income Tax of Individuals. However, shortly after law school, I married an accountant, which is somewhat ironic.

WLJ: What app can’t you live without?
Peltz: I try to stay current on the news and regularly refer to the Associated Press app on my phone.

WLJ: What famous person would you like to have drinks with?
Peltz: I’ve never really had a fascination with famous people. However, one person that I would love to have a drink with is my grandfather, Joe Peltz, who I was named after. I never met him, as I was born shortly after he passed away. After surviving the Holocaust, he moved to the U.S. with my grandmother and my father. I’ve heard such great stories about him and would love to have a drink with him. I’ve been told that his drink was a Black Russian.

WLJ: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Peltz: My fantastic family: my wife, Miriam, and our two adorable daughters, Mia (3) and Chloe (1 ½); running the Chicago Marathon a few years back with one of my closest college friends; and winning the Marquette University Law School Jenkins Moot Court Competition with my moot court partner.

WLJ: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Peltz: Telluride, Colo. I’ve been going there since I was a kid and love the skiing in the winters, and the festivals and hiking in the summers. After graduating from law school, my wife and I got engaged at the top of Bear Creek Trail in Telluride.

WLJ: What do you miss most about your childhood?
Peltz: Summer break was pretty amazing

WLJ: What activity could you spend hours doing outside of the office?
Peltz: Skiing. I lived in Colorado for six months in between college and law school and skied whenever I was out of work. I don’t think I could ever ski too much.

WLJ: What is your favorite activity to do in Wisconsin?
Peltz: I really enjoy getting outside during the winter with my kids and playing in the snow. I plan to get our oldest daughter on skis next winter. I’m really looking forward to that.

WLJ: Do you have a word or phrase that you tend to overuse?
Peltz: Fantastic