Law Offices of Chris J Trebatoski, LLC
Lawyers
Chris J. Trebatoski
Business, Accident & Injury, Real Estate, Civil Rights, Civil Rights
About Law Firm
After 30 years of representing clients in a variety of disputes, we believe initial consultation and case evaluation may well be the most important work part of any representation. In that setting we can evaluate your case, and you can evaluate us. This is true whether you are an individual or company facing a first legal battle or if legal disputes are a repetitive part of doing business.
It is commonplace in the world of medicine for a patient to obtain a second opinion prior to surgery or undertaking a course of treatment. That process is not commonplace in the legal setting. We wonder why that is so. The process of obtaining a second opinion prior to the commencement of a trial can be viewed as an unnecessary additional expense. In addition many professionals view a second opinion to be nothing more than an opportunity to second guess. Neither has been our experience with second opinions. Several years ago a large client instituted a program where every case which was approaching trial would be evaluated by a lawyer that had nothing to do with the process that lead up to the trial. Far from being an unnecessary cost or a source for second guessing, the second opinions obtained resulted in the consideration of positions that had been rejected for one reason or another, presentation of witnesses or documents in different ways, and sometimes, lead to renewed settlement discussions based upon a re-evaluation of risk and reward. We are prepared to review cases approaching trials to give you a second opinion about your case. We will work with you and your lawyer as a team to help you obtain your goals.
We have worked with lawyers from all parts of the state and various parts of the country to establish co-counsel relationships when such relationships help to serve a client's needs or become necessary based upon unexpected events during the course of a representation. Whether the relationship is established at or near the beginning of a case or on the eve of trial or even after trial in the appellate process, we are ready to assist you and your lawyer. That can be a simple as serving as local counsel on matters to as complex as handling a trial or hearing on short notice. We believe that co-counsel relationships, when undertaken with the client's interest at the center of the relationship, are valuable tools which do not necessarily increase the cost of the proceeding but do bring the proper expertise to the process to improve the likelihood of a positive outcome.
It is commonplace in the world of medicine for a patient to obtain a second opinion prior to surgery or undertaking a course of treatment. That process is not commonplace in the legal setting. We wonder why that is so. The process of obtaining a second opinion prior to the commencement of a trial can be viewed as an unnecessary additional expense. In addition many professionals view a second opinion to be nothing more than an opportunity to second guess. Neither has been our experience with second opinions. Several years ago a large client instituted a program where every case which was approaching trial would be evaluated by a lawyer that had nothing to do with the process that lead up to the trial. Far from being an unnecessary cost or a source for second guessing, the second opinions obtained resulted in the consideration of positions that had been rejected for one reason or another, presentation of witnesses or documents in different ways, and sometimes, lead to renewed settlement discussions based upon a re-evaluation of risk and reward. We are prepared to review cases approaching trials to give you a second opinion about your case. We will work with you and your lawyer as a team to help you obtain your goals.
We have worked with lawyers from all parts of the state and various parts of the country to establish co-counsel relationships when such relationships help to serve a client's needs or become necessary based upon unexpected events during the course of a representation. Whether the relationship is established at or near the beginning of a case or on the eve of trial or even after trial in the appellate process, we are ready to assist you and your lawyer. That can be a simple as serving as local counsel on matters to as complex as handling a trial or hearing on short notice. We believe that co-counsel relationships, when undertaken with the client's interest at the center of the relationship, are valuable tools which do not necessarily increase the cost of the proceeding but do bring the proper expertise to the process to improve the likelihood of a positive outcome.
Hourly ($250-400/hour), Contingent (33-40%)
Notable Work
Cases
-Reep v. City of Milwaukee. Obtained a verdict on behalf of 225 homeowners in the Lincoln Creek, and Lincoln Park neighborhoods for Milwaukee for negligent maintenance of sewer flap gates allowing sewage to back up into basements. The trial followed a settlement with two other parties.
-Eppstein Uhen Architects, Inc. v. Indian Community School of Milwaukee, Inc. Obtained a verdict on behalf of an architectural firm in a dispute over the interpretation of an a design contract. The case was settled after the trial.
-Milwaukee County v. Mercer, Inc. Represented the Milwaukee County Pension Board in a actuarial malpractice case against one of the largest actuarial firms in the country. The case settled during trial for $45 million.
-Datatrac, Inc. v. Fiserv, Inc. Obtained a defense verdict in a case where a web-based developer claimed $10 million in damages for breach of an alleged merger agreement.
-State v. Hamdan, 2003 WI 113, Obtained a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision in the pro bono representation of a local small business owner striking down the then existing 105 year old concealed weapons law as unconstitutional.
-Kopke v. Hardrodt, 2001 WI 99, Obtained a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision that Wisconsin's long arm jurisdiction applied to an Italian company shipping that severely injured a Wisconsin truck driver. The case then settled with a multimillion dollar settlement.
Appeals
Representative Experience
Trials
Publications
Publications
-Lorman Education Services publication | Tax Exempt Organizations in Wisconsin | 2006
Speaking Engagements
-Tax Law Program | Ethical Considerations in Actions Before Tax Tribunals | 2008
-Tax Law Conference | Mergers and Acquisitions Gone Wrong: When Lawyers Get Sued | 2008
-Tax Exempt Organizations in Wisconsin | Not for Profit Corporate Governance | 2006