Splitek excels at simplifying complicated cases

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Matthew Splitek regularly deals with complex cases in his commercial-litigation practice at Quarles & Brady LLP.

For him, that’s part of the fun.

“What I enjoy most is taking complicated problems and helping our clients solve them in a way that makes the most sense,” said Splitek, who works out of Quarles’ Madison office. “I really enjoy taking complicated disputes and distilling them down to what matters.”

Unlike many lawyers, Splitek didn’t follow the traditional course of starting law school after finishing his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin. Instead, he taught English for five years in both China and Mexico.

“I went to China as a precursor to what I thought would be a doctorate in English literature. That turned out to not be for me,” said Splitek, who graduated from Yale Law School after returning to the United States. He then returned to Madison where he was a clerk for two years for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Shirley Abrahamson.

After that experience, he settled into his commercial litigation practice at Quarles. There he specialized in class-action and intra-company disputes, including shareholder lawsuits and disputes concerning corporate governance.

Greg Everts, a partner at Quarles & Brady, praised Splitek’s work on complicated cases, including one involving a telecommunications client and a rooftop equipment lease.

“Matt has a strong intellect and terrific judgement, which allow him to quickly find the core of even the most complex legal issue and marshal the facts, both orally and in writing, in a way that most strongly supports the client’s argument,” Everts said.

Splitek is taking on pro bono cases for the Domestic Abuse Intervention Services legal clinic in Madison, as well as the Legal Aid Society of Wisconsin. In 2014, he was inducted into the Wisconsin Pro Bono Honor Society, which honors lawyers who distinguish themselves by providing at least 50 hours of qualifying legal service in a single year to people in need.

“I treat my pro bono cases just like every other case and find the time to work on them,” Splitek said. “The work is very meaningful.”