Discovery with Dennis M. Melowski

My nickname is … The Polish Prince. Just kidding, I don’t have a nickname.

If you were in my office, you’d … probably have recently been arrested for drunk driving. And have a lot at stake.

My colleagues would be surprised to know that … I have qualified for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii six times, with a personal best time of 9:46:00.

The lawyer I most admire is … New York criminal defense attorney Benjamin Brafman, mostly because he gets a shout-out from Jay Z in the song “Welcome to New York City.” Is there a greater professional achievement than that?!

The quality I like most in a lawyer is … tenacity. I see too many doormats in my field.

My pretrial routine is … to get into a zone just like I would before a race. And listen to “What’s My Name?” by DMX. Repeatedly.

I can’t go a day without … working out. I do it, but I’m rarely happy about it. 

The SCOTUS decision I would overturn is … without question, Bush v. Gore. Imagine how different our world would be right now.

If I weren’t a lawyer I’d be … screwed! Not sure my particular skill set would translate well to another field.

When I was a newbie lawyer … I could be a bit of a hothead in court. I’ve gotten better. Marginally.

A different practice area that intrigues me is … personal injury. The opportunity for compelling closing arguments is very appealing. That, and eight-figure jury awards.

The talent I wish I had is … about an extra 5 mph on my fastball 25 years ago. I would’ve been in the MLB! According to me, at least.

My career high point (so far) was … winning former state Sen. Randy Hopper’s jury trial. No one thought we had a chance. No one.

My favorite song lyric is … NSFW! But give a listen to “Picture Me Rollin’” by Tupac, or “56 Bars” by T.I., or “0 to 100” by Drake and you’ll get an idea.

I get angry when … judges bend over backward to make results-oriented decisions. Happens far too often.

Nothing cheers me up like … being with my family. 

The movie line I quote most often is  … “I apologize for nothing.” – Coach Norman Dale, Hoosiers.
Drives my wife nuts!

My favorite word is … “acquittal.”

My least favorite word is … “guilty,” of course.

The most annoying thing about my job is … a four-hour drive to court in Eau Claire—in the middle of January.