Real estate lawyer still enjoys blazing trail

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When Sarah O. Jelencic began her career at Foley & Lardner more than 25 years ago, very few women were practicing real est

When Sarah O. Jelencic began her career at Foley & Lardner more than 25 years ago, very few women were practicing real estate law.

As she grew in the profession, though, she took an active part in encouraging more women to enter the field.

In nominating Jelencic for a Woman in the Law award, Foley associate Jennifer Devitt wrote, “Despite the economic downturn, Sarah is as busy as ever and she continues to represent one of the largest residential developers in Southeastern Wisconsin in an industry that is still dominated by men. There isn’t anything that she hasn’t been able to accomplish when she sets her mind to it, and she makes it look effortless. She is a force to be reckoned with and is a true trailblazer both as an attorney and as a mentor/hero.”

For seven years, she served on Foley’s national recruiting committee, three of those as Chair, and in 2009 was awarded Foley’s Carl Hitchner Mentor of the Year Award.

She also serves on the firm’s national steering committee, which puts together programs on training and marketing for women associates.

In recent years, Jelencic’s labors have resulted in some of Wisconsin’s high profile developments, including the University Club Tower, one of Milwaukee’s most luxurious residences, and Cathedral Place, a mixed-use building in Milwaukee with premier office space, retail and condominiums.

Since the economic downturn, much of her work has focused on restructuring deals for banks and borrowers.

She is also the real estate counsel and a member of the Board of Directors of Journey House, a non-profit organization that uses a holistic, self-help philosophy to revitalize neighborhoods throughout Milwaukee. In that capacity, Jelencic also worked with Milwaukee Public Schools to build Bradley Tech High School.

She is also co-chair of another non-profit, the Milwaukee chapter of the Urban Land Institute, an organization that provides leadership in reinvigorating Milwaukee.

She is also a former member of the board of directors for Wisconsin Commercial Real Estate Women.

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