Zarzynski passes his expertise to the next generation

Listen to this article

Jeffrey Zarzynski easily remembers the first time he was in court working on a trial: It was his fourth day on the job.

“I was thrown into the fire,” said Zarzynski, who now heads The Law Offices of Schiro and Zarzynski in Milwaukee. “I kept thinking it would have been better for everyone if someone had mentored me before going through that.”

Since then, Zarzynski — who has now practiced law for more than 30 years — has done what he can to help new attorneys by walking them through trial procedures. He has helped bring along countless attorneys, many who still call him today when they have questions.

“I take a lot of pride in sharing my skills and what I have learned,” Zarzynski said.

Matthew Falk is one of those lawyers. Zarzynski helped prepare Falk for his first big jury trial and later walked him through post-trial motions.

“The amazing thing is that Jeff was not my boss. I did not work for him,” said Falk, the owner of the Falk Legal Group. “He wanted to help me because he liked me and wanted to help me be a better lawyer.”

Zarzynski said he likes litigation because it allows him to help people who are in need.

“I enjoy human interaction and providing my clients a skill they don’t have themselves — the ability to receive compensation after they have been injured,” he said.

Although Zarzynski acknowledges most cases are settled before going to trial, he stressed the importance of always being prepared.

“The insurance companies know if you are not prepared, so you need to always be ready to go to trial,” he said. “You need to research your client’s injury, talk with the physician and talk with your client about everything that happened. So many of my clients feel burdened because they are incapacitated by their injury, and I am happy to provide them with some relief from what they are going through.”

Zarzynski’s work on a case can last for several years.

“I sometimes get involved right after an accident, but it may be awhile before it is fully understood — the extent of the injuries — and that’s needed before going to trial,” he said. “I just want to be there for my clients and walk them through a very complicated process.”