Deadman finds his labor of love in helping people

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Bruce Deadman found his calling while he was a summer intern during law school.

“I was with a firm that did union representation work and I just loved the people aspect of it,” said Deadman, an attorney with Davis & Kuelthau’s office in Green Bay. “I love working with the people and how much variety there is.”

Deadman helps clients with employment laws and regulations, representing employers in a variety of cases, including labor negotiations, discrimination defense, wrongful discharge, contract disputes and wage-and-hour issues.

Throughout his career, Deadman has seen a lot of changes in labor law, especially — in his viewpoint — that the government is “unduly interfering.”

“The view of federal agencies in regards to the environment of small business is very troubling,” he said. “In regards to changing the minimum wage and those proposals, it’s been frustrating. There seems to be no balance between regulators wanting to advance their agenda and the needs of small businesses.”

Before he decided to attend law school, Deadman considered a role in the ministry, but decided he would rather be a “spiritual attorney rather than a shrewd minister. I think I made the right choice. The part of law I’m in — labor law — is very political and can be challenging, but it is very, very interesting.”

Deadman is also an expert on Wisconsin’s concealed-carry law and helping employers, business owners and school districts understand what their options are regarding the fairly new law. “It can be complex and you have to get it right and it’s something that’s very new,” he said.

These days, Deadman said he’s keeping a close eye on the National Labor Relations Board to see what its next action may be regarding the attempt by Northwestern University athletes to form a union. The NLRB denied the players the right to form or join another union.

“That was a surprise based on what I had seen earlier. It’s cases like that keeps you going and makes the work fascinating,” he said.

Wisconsin Law Journal: What makes your work important to you?
Bruce Deadman: Bringing a little order and balance to the workplace, sticking up for the rights of ‘Joe Normal’ employers in light of the increasing burdens being imposed on them from all sides, and being able to actually help a troubled person work through a tough situation.

WLJ: Who is your hero in the legal field?
Deadman: Probably John Adams. He never got the credit he deserved as a true Founding Father and co-author of the Declaration of Independence, plus he was a darned good trial lawyer, father and husband. Also my friends and colleagues, Adrian Ulatowski and Tom Schober, because they do the right thing — always.

WLJ: What do you do outside of work to deal with stress from the office?
Deadman: My wife would tell you ‘too much’ and she’s probably right. I play trombone and euphonium in several music groups, including the Allouez Village Band, the Bay Area Big Band, The New Dixie Ramblers, and the Northwoods Brass. I hunt a lot, fish a little and read a fair amount. I’ve been a local, state and national leader of Ducks Unlimited, am an active Rotarian and try to help out at church as much as I can. I’m also active in the Bar’s Lawyer Assistance program. We have six grandkids to boot who I need to see more of.

WLJ: What’s one thing many people get wrong about what you do?
Deadman: I work hard to see to it that the law makes people’s lives simpler, not more complicated. That’s one reason I’m not real tolerant of lawyer jokes anymore because I feel pretty strongly that we are in a helping profession and that’s the role the vast majority of us play.

WLJ: What’s your favorite memory from law school?
Deadman: That’s easy. The many exploits of the DU (Denver University) Social Club and its founder, Chris Cross. That’s really truly his name. He stood on the steps of the law school the first week of school handing out autographed copies of ‘Sailing’ along with an invitation to the first of many, shall we say, off-hours symposiums. Regrettably, he wasn’t the Christopher Cross, but he has become a very respected Colorado jurist.

WLJ: Is there a certain case that stands out to you?
Deadman: Way back in the day I did a lot of civil defense work and got tossed into a huge PI case on about a week’s notice. Halfway through the trial, all the other defendants settled out and there I was. I put in the defense — and won. Not fun, but memorable.