RISING YOUNG LAWYER – Jesse Byam-Katzman – Foley & Lardner

Listen to this article

Since joining Foley & Lardner five years ago, Jesse Byam-Katzman has established himself as a go-to litigator. Byam-Katzman is a business litigation lawyer and member of the firm’s Business Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice. His work includes litigating contracts, distribution and franchise, and trade secret and copyright disputes in both state and federal court. He also has experience conducting internal investigations and representing clients in connection with government investigations and enforcement actions.

His general business acumen has allowed him to successfully work and develop relationships with clients spanning different industries, particularly those in the manufacturing and financial services industries.

Asked what he enjoys most about his job, Byam-Katzman said it’s the competition and collaboration.

“As cliche as it may sound, working as a team to achieve favorable outcomes for our clients, whether it be through a dispositive motion, trial or settlement, is the most enjoyable part of my practice,” he said.

As technology continues to evolve, managing and leveraging electronic discovery has become a larger challenge.

“Although rewarding, developing strategies to distill what can be millions of electronic records exchanged in discovery into a cogent and concise story poses unique challenges,” he said.

Though Byam-Katzman has lived in Milwaukee for nearly a decade, he grew up in Brooklyn in a Caribbean neighborhood that borders an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood. He was raised by his mother, a public school teacher, and his father, a transit workers’ union employee. He took an early interest in ice hockey and later played at the collegiate level for Lawrence University in Appleton.

Byam-Katzman points to these experiences as providing a strong foundation to understanding the needs and perspectives of different populations, which he says has helped him greatly throughout his career.