Murphy Desmond attorney at home with the Fine print

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While at a law firm handling litigation cases, Roy Fine was asked to help out on some business transactional work.

“I enjoyed it so much that I never looked back,” said Fine, an attorney in the Appleton office of Murphy Desmond.

Fine’s legal practice focuses on business transactions, real estate, finance, estate planning and probate.

“With transactional work, I feel like I am helping people accomplish their goals,” he said. “I enjoy helping clients get where they want to go.”

And unlike litigation work, business transactions take place in a more cooperative setting, which Fine said he enjoys.

Through the years, Fine has witnessed several industry changes, with the biggest being an increase in the amount of paperwork.

“Everything is more formalized and contracts are more detailed,” he said. “What was a standard three- or four-page contract 30 years ago is now 10 or 12 pages.”

Fine works with large and small clients. For start-ups and medium-sized businesses, he provides business planning, help with trademarks, contract negotiations, buy-sell agreements, real estate matters and more. With larger companies and family owned businesses, Fine provides guidance for leadership succession or helps businesses find new owners.

“I have a lot of repeat customers and business transactions is one of those areas where if you do a good job, clients come back,” Fine said.

In addition to transactional work, Fine also focuses on estate planning, which he said more people need to do.

“You don’t need to be wealthy to have an estate plan,” he said. “You just want to plan ahead to make things easier for your family later on.”

Wisconsin Law Journal: What makes your work important to you?
Roy Fine: I find it very satisfying to be able to advise clients as to the best course of action after assessing the facts and applying the law to the situation. As a transactional lawyer, the right decision is often a judgment call, and that’s where I think an experienced attorney has the most value.

WLJ: Who is your hero in the legal field?
Fine: Vernon Molbreak was a general practitioner in Madison who took me on as a law clerk and then as a lawyer. He had been a World War II pilot in the Pacific and he practiced with a zeal and passion I admired. Plus, he had all the skills a lawyer should have in that role — he was personable, engaging, persuasive, he had a thorough understanding of the law, and he had a strong sense for the business aspects of the practice of law.

WLJ: What do you do outside of work to deal with stress from the office?
Fine: Outside the office I have entertained myself for the last 30 years playing in the Fox Valley Symphony. When I moved to the Fox Valley in 1986, I saw an ad for an audition, which I was fortunate to win. I play the trombone and it’s been extraordinary to see the musical growth in the orchestra over the years.

WLJ: What’s one thing may people get wrong about what you do?
Fine: People seem to think that since I changed jobs and am now with Murphy Desmond, my entire practice moved to the firm’s main office in Madison. In fact, I continue to have a significant Fox Valley practice in Murphy Desmond’s Appleton office.

WLJ: What’s your favorite memory from law school?
Fine: My favorite memory from law school doesn’t relate to one specific incident, it’s more of a general sense that I got from my classmates about how earnest they were about their studies. The students in my class seemed genuinely interested, engaged and all-in about studying the law, which I think is a credit to them and to the UW Law School.

WLJ: Is there a certain case that stands out to you?
Fine: I feel very privileged to have worked for a start-up company in the pet products industry that grew from a modest financial base to acquiring several other related companies, to establishing accounts with major retailers such as Wal-Mart and PetSmart, and finally to being sold to one of the industry leaders in the category.