Sweeney pursues law after starting career in pits

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The Edgerton native, a partner at Madison-based Axley Brynelson LLP since 2006, earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 1975. After college, he took a job at Martin Marietta Aggregates, where he assisted with the operation and design of about 120 sand and gravel pits and quarries in Iowa and Illinois.

“After gaining invaluable, hands-on experience, I then decided to return to the family sand and gravel business in Edgerton,” he said. “We inherited a Superfund site and, after working extensively with another Wisconsin law firm, I decided to pursue a law degree of my own.”

Making the switch from engineer to lawyer presented some challenges, however, Sweeney said.

“Attorneys and engineers both solve problems, but I would frequently defer to my engineering abilities when, as a lawyer, I needed to look at it from a legal perspective,” he said. “In fact, I once called an opposing party directly to help try to solve a problem, as you would do as an engineer. The attorney on the other side gave me an excellent lesson: attorneys only talk to other attorneys.”

But Sweeney’s past has indeed crossed with his present at Axley Brynelson, where he serves as co-chair of the firm’s Construction and Transportation Practice Group.

“Growing up in the sand and gravel business, and working in the aggregate business my entire life, instilled in me a great knowledge of the construction industry,” Sweeney said. “… The ability to apply my prior learning and hands-on training to my new tasks – that’s what I enjoyed.”

Sweeney is one of his firm’s top-billing attorneys, which is no surprise to partner Robert Procter.

“Buck is a leader in client relations and in the development of new clients because he lives the ideals of our firm,” he said. “We represent people, and we want our clients to feel that we treat them and respect them as people. Buck leads by example – client development is done best through building relationships with people.”

Sweeney said his approach is simple: “Exceed client expectations, and go above and beyond to ensure they receive desired results at a fair price. Uphold values of clear and frequent communication (respond within two hours, if not immediately), hard work, loyalty, aggressive representation and critical thinking when it comes to developing solutions. Most importantly, make your clients feel valued.”