Jody L. Usow

I hired Jody to defend against a petition for a restraining order that my ex-wife unjustly sought against me. She's very good at preparing clients for trials, so that they will get a good sense of what will happen before it happens. If you are nervous about courtroom proceedings, she's the attorney for you. The day of the hearing the judge threw us a curve ball and changed the focus of the hearing. Although Jody was prepared to argue something entirely different, she was able to quickly think on her feet and get the case dismissed. She will argue your case aggressively. I would recommend her to any of my friends.

I went to Attn. Usow to divorce my husband, who is abusive. She asked and quickly determined that me & my son needed other actions first to ensure our safety. That just blew me away. It's amazing how she figured out the situation immediately and knew the exact response. My questions were answered with obvious expertise, confidence and humanity! She gave me advice that went above and beyond. She won't be vague or sugar coat anything. One single consultation gave me an incredible boost in confidence. Knowing the strength of my case and the legal options available to me, that all confirmed that me & my son would escape from the abuse and live a happy life in the future. She was also flexible, when our schedules didn't match, to make it work via phone call.

The reason we chose to have Jody represent me was because we wanted a female due to the nature of the case, but also because she was versed in criminal and DV matters. This greatly helped in my situation. Jody was extremely professional, intelligent, and trustworthy. She was also caring and non-judgmental. It felt like she had my best intentions in mind not only as a client but also a person. I would highly recommend to anyone. She got me the outcome that I wanted.

Jody Usow is a straight to the point, no-nonsense fighter! She made sure that the law worked for me in a situation that it normally does not. When dealing with other attorneys she dictated the pace & scope of the conversations. Jody gets the job done!

I contacted Jody about a DUI. She took the time to explain the process in great detail at our first meeting. She was prompt in getting the municipality to move the process along and was successful in getting one charge dropped and the limit the time of another sanction.

My case was a very complicated case trying to protect my young daughter from abuse. I went through several family law attorneys (five in total!) that lacked the know how or skills for the challenge and instead tried to convince me that I had already done everything I could to protect her. By the time I came to Jody, my child's situation seemed very bleak. I was emotionally drained and feeling almost hopeless, but Jody turned things around completely by the time we reached our final trial. Jody was always straight forward, never one to tell me what I wanted to hear but what I NEEDED to hear keeping me focused on what mattered most. She is savy, tough, clearly we'll versed in family law and has a great presence in the court room. My child is finally safe now because of Jody's fearlessness and dedication.

I cannot begin to thank Jody for all of her hard work and dedication to helping kids - I think that’s the thing that sets her apart! What I could have never predicted was that in this process, my parents and I really came by some big time healing. While I won't speak on their behalf, I think my parents would agree that they could never have even known how much WE needed this healing, this relief and this better understanding of one another. It was also the first time I was able (meaning get the words out of mouth in real time) to be transparent with them about my ex and his behavior. I asked them to view that as insight into our son’s understanding of the world and the job of a father, and they in turn learned a lot about their grandson. When your dad is dying, that's not little. It's everything. When you're using up your inheritance, this was not a little choice for any of us. We all now wholeheartedly agree that we did the right thing by hiring Jody. This gives my dad peace of mind that when he is no longer with us, his grandson is better protected. This was worth every penny. We are learning to accept that we can't save or protect my son’s heart from his dad, but we can say collectively as a family that this is the best plan (legal agreement) for him given all these crummy circumstances outside our scope of control. Jody is the person responsible for that. Jody knew the attorneys and the parties (yes me!) better than I can explain. Jody listened to me even when I was so angry with my son’s dad or at the law that I could spit nails while actively grieving. And there's something else - I am no longer afraid of the big bad wolf. I listened to every droplet Jody said in our initial phone call. And I did the work she asked me to. While life with my ex will never be over, his cord around my neck is gone forever. I will never, ever, ever be able to express my gratitude to Jody fully.

Jody is a wonderful attorney; tough, knowledgeable and a great communicator. She made the entire process easy to understand, provided timely updates and pertinent advice during negotiations. She exceeded all my expectations, especially with the final settlement. The best attorney to advocate to for your interests in a difficult time. Thank you, Jody!

Jody and Nick are an amazing team! They are professional, knowledgeable but also empathic and personable. Jody represented me on two cases. My divorce dragged on for years even though we were ready to come to a reasonable agreement with the other party within months of the initial filing. She didn’t hold back on bluntly telling me “you can’t do that” or “that’s not how it works” when I was misguided - but she did the same when my ex’s filings intimidated me unnecessarily. When yet a new filing or demand scared me, she could explain in simple terms why I didn't have to worry. Thanks to her many years of experience, she knows the law and workings of the court thoroughly and also has good professional relationships with other lawyers and court officials. So I was constantly reassured and had correct expectations set - expectations that were exceeded when the final order was made! I’ve told many people that my lawyer was many times more beneficial for my mental health than my therapist, friends and family combined :) To be fair, we had a blundering opponent - who basically told the judge that his feelings should trump the law - but Jody and Nick’s assistance in navigating the years of filings and demands was invaluable regardless. It also helped that I had an organized archive of emails, documents, screenshots. For example, when Jody would discuss two possible responses to yet another filing, I could quickly send relevant documentation to decide on our response. On her part, she was fast and efficient with no needless meandering - always to the point, always on top of the case. I feel incredibly grateful for her to have represented me.

Jody was absolutely amazing through a stressful and difficult circumstance. She is straightforward and will tell it how it is so you know what to expect, while still being kind and compassionate the whole way. Other law firms agreed to help me but then decided they couldn't later due to some international complications. Jody, on the other hand, got the job done exactly as she said she would. Nick was wonderful as well, and I would recommend this law office in a heartbeat to anyone going through a similarly difficult experience.

Attorney Usow is amazing. She’s very professional, very smart, and very tough in court. If you hire attorney Usow she will save your case and grant you victory. I highly recommend her. She’s the absolute best.

After 20 years of committed support and having finally paid off all lingering debts (guess who's), my wife said she needed her independence. She asked for a divorce, moved out, and hired a "Best of Milwaukee” lawyer. I soon learned her definition of independence included my pre-marital inheritance assets (breaking our prenuptial), long-term spousal maintenance, and minimal involvement raising our teenagers. As an idle professional with college degrees, she insisted her new low-paying job was good enough for the court to use (in setting my spousal payments). I obviously had a serious problem and was facing a messy divorce. I needed good legal representation. I am so thankful I chose Jody Usow as my counsel. Having her in my court made all the difference. Afterwards I had the stability I needed to raise my kids and the financial means to do so. Thank you, Jody. You were awesome! Notables when observing Jody in action: 1. Incredible courtroom presence and tact. Jody purposefully addressed the Judge at the exact moment a “highlight item” needed to be considered (almost always with a good outcome) 2. Responsive – Anything I asked by email received a response within 24 hours and she was available by phone for quick questions and pressing needs. 3. Well-Prepared and On-Time Always: In court, in opposing council meetings, and in 1-on-1 phone/video calls 4. Thinks “Outside the Box” – She helped assemble an unorthodox divorce resolution that was acceptable to all 5. Strategic and Forward-Thinking – Jody always had my back and kept me “in the know”, rational, and proactive throughout the process. 6. Cost – Jody is certainly not inexpensive, but she was careful to avoid unnecessary costs and used practicality to reduce billable tasks throughout my case 7. Simplified/Common-Sense Approach – She helped me understand and face the reality of my situation and the likely outcomes for different scenarios 8. Mediation-Leaning – Jody helped avoid forcing court decisions when she felt something could be resolved in dealing 1-on-1 with my spouse 9. Collaboration – Jody worked with my wife's lawyer to open/bypass several “locked door” issues 10. Great Listener – Jody took time to gather all case details and know me as a person. She understood my greatest concerns, all situational issues, and my goals for a final outcome.

Jody and Nick were very responsive providing assistance that was very timely and helpful to resolve my concerns. They are very much appreciated!

If I would have hired Atty. Jody Usow to start with, my son would be sitting in my lap now. I've spoken with multiple other attorneys with little to no positive effect on my case. Atty. Jody Usow cuts straight to the point with simple plain facts pertaining to the issues at hand. She was quick to keep me focused, informed, and on track as in these times can often be confusing and emotional which can lead to some very costly, negative mistakes left to the less experienced attorney. I feel if I would have found her guidance through counsel earlier, it would have saved me a lot of time, energy, stress, and unnecessary financial strain getting the job done properly the first time. Proper legal counsel is imperative to a successful and fair outcome. Atty. Usow and I spoke for a consultation. Her direct, assertive, and straight to the point demeanor would have been instrumental to a fair and positive outcome in my case. Simply put, you get what you pay for. If you want a just and fair outcome, Hire Atty. Jody L. Usow. I truly wish that I had. I would have my son in my arms right now.

She was super helpful throughout this whole process as this whole experience as it was new to me. She always had my back on what I wanted and supported me throughout this whole process. This led to a huge win in a long fought Domestic Abuse Restraining Order case. It's such a relief to know that I have this protection now and can't thank her enough!