WHD’s DiCastri helps clients navigate bankruptcy issues

Listen to this article

Working on bankruptcy cases provides Frank DiCastri with an opportunity to see other aspects of the law besides those just involving insolvency.

“On any one bankruptcy case, you may need to deal with some real estate law, contracts or something else. It’s all encompassing and very interesting,” said DiCastri, leader of Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek’s business restructuring, creditors’ rights and bankruptcy team. “My work is all about making a difficult situation less bad, whether it’s going through bankruptcy or guiding creditors through a difficult time.”

In his practice, DiCastri represents debtors, financial institutions, creditors’ committees, trustees, and secured and unsecured creditors in various insolvency proceedings.

“The business insolvency community is small in Milwaukee, so you work a lot with the same group of people over and over again, and they are a good group,” he said.

DiCastri said both of his parents played a role in his career choice.

“While I was an undergrad my mom told me I’d be a good lawyer, so I gave it a shot and the rest is history,” he said. “My dad was a banker and I learned a lot about business and general insolvency from him, so bankruptcy work seemed a good fit.”

Besides working on bankruptcy and creditor rights cases, DiCastri also handles commercial litigation cases as well, including contract disputes and cases with ties to insolvency issues.

“I spend a fair amount of time in court, whether it’s state court for receiverships or federal court for bankruptcy matters,” he said. “The goal is to always keep the work interesting, and I think I’ve been able to craft a practice that does just that.”

Wisconsin Law Journal: What makes your work important to you?
Frank DiCastri: It’s another way to help people, which is truly satisfying.

WLJ: Who is your hero in the legal field?
DiCastri: Robert Binder, my former partner at Foley & Lardner. Bob is no longer practicing, but I learned much from him during our short time together. He was a great writer, excellent strategist and a true trial lawyer.

WLJ: What do you do outside of work to deal with stress from the office?
DiCastri: My four boys take me away from work, mentally and physically. And I love soccer, futsal and fishing.

WLJ: What’s your favorite memory from law school?
DiCastri: My Indian law class with Richard Monette. I found the class and Professor Monette fascinating.

WLJ: Is there a certain case that stands out to you?
DiCastri: State v. Janssen (1998). I was Justice Jon Wilcox’s judicial law clerk, and we wrote the Supreme Court opinion striking down Wisconsin’s flag desecration statute on overbreadth grounds. I still remember working on the opinion on a Sunday, late in the court’s term, and it happened to be Flag Day. I had the window open and a band was playing patriotic music right outside my window. I felt terrible about the result, and I still do, but it was the right constitutional decision.