Jody L. Usow

Jody is smart, down to earth, extremely intelligent, and very very good at her job. I knew my relationship wasn't in the best place, but I did not realize I was soon going to be in a battle for my house and most importantly my children. I wasn't sure how to go about finding the correct lawyer. I did... the normal googling and had several consultations. My consultation with Jody really stood out. I could tell she was genuine and most importantly to me she had this passion about fighting for me to help me get what was fair and what I deserved. It was obvious from a short conversation just how knowledgeable she was. I knew I wanted Jody and her team to represent me. Right from the beginning she helped break down the laws so they were easier to understand and she helped guide me through the process. There was a point where I was fearful of being removed from my own house for no explainable reason. I was not in a great place. Jody took the time to send multiple emails attempting to keep me calm and level headed. She helped show me the bigger picture and really helped guide me through these tough times. I can't even explain how stressful certain moments of this process were, but again Jody had a way about her to keep me moving forward. She was 100% dead on with everything that she told me and all of the pointers that she gave me. It is extremely apparent how much experience that she has and how good she is at looking into every aspect of each and every situation. She caught numerous things in the financials and data that I sent her that would benefit me. I could go on and on with how good Jody is and how much she helped me out. There is just something different about her. She has an inner fire or passion that is hard to describe. The best way I can put it is, she will fight and most likely get for you everything that you deserve. I did also want to say that her paralegal Nick is a great guy as well. I believe Jody was mid trial when I called in after finding out some terrible news of what my wife was trying to pull over on me, and Nick had great words of wisdom and was able to get feedback very quickly from Jody as well. I just can't say enough good things about these two. They helped me out so much with everything, I am extremely grateful to have had them by my side through one of the most trying moments of my life. Thank you Jody and Nick!

Leaving a review for a law firm that helped secure and solidify the future for me and my children is a passionate process for me. When you are going through the most difficult time in your life, it’s overwhelming to have to make decisions relating to your separation or divorce. It’s intimidating to... have child custody paperwork and meetings that impact your children in the present and future world in which they must adjust. It goes without saying that it is vital to attain counsel you can trust. Jody Usow is a dynamic lawyer with a wealth of knowledge vital for operating in the world of divorce and child custody in Wisconsin. I learned fast that Jody has an organic process that alleviates the intimidating process of divorce. My initial consultation with Jody took place at a time where I was emotionally unstable and intimated by fast approaching court appearances and deadlines. Jody does not spend time with the minutia that exists between parties, but on a staunch conviction that the facts and realities of your current situation will be the foundation of your approach for the entirety of the process. I found this approach to be effective in the divorce process itself, and for me personally. One of the most exceptional traits that Jody has in her arsenal is the ability to find the things in your life that you thought futile or irrelevant, and maximizing their significance as they apply to the terms of the divorce. This unique skill set is a testament to years of experience litigating in the state of Wisconsin and working closely with families to meet their needs. Jody communicates effectively with you - explaining your options. Jody communicates promptly and respectably with your spouses attorney, something I appreciate to this day as it has a lasting effect on the relationship between parties. I found Jody to pe particularly pleasant to deal with in the areas of property division, maintenance and child placement. Jody uses an eclectic blend of skills that made for a particularly effective representation of a father that spent most of his time caring for kids. The relationships that Jody has developed in her years of practicing family law proved critical in the process involving our children. A guardian ad litem was made part of the process and we were able to effectively communicate with her and make known the challenges surrounding our situation. It was evident to that Jody was exceptionally respectful and sensitive when it came to this, and once she felt like the GAL would help to investigate and represent the best interest of the children, that is what we did. The world is evolving at an incredible rate and views on divorce are always changing. The word ‘divorce’ has such an unpleasant vibration, and the stigma around it is real. But for me, I will always remember that in the most trying time of my life, I had a lawyer that genuinely focused on my divorce and made me and my family a priority. I was more than thrilled with the placement of the children. In the end I found the alimony agreement reached to be reasonable and effective for all parties, and the property division was fair and efficient. One year after my divorce is when I am really able to see the range of effectiveness Jody Usow has had on the lives of both me and my children. Every single aspect of the divorce has proven to have been navigated in a responsible way that put everyone in a position to be as happy and successful as possible. There are indisputable challenges for both spouses when the process of divorce takes place, and I could not be more passionate about recommending Jody Usow to anyone in the Greater Milwaukee Area that is proceeding with the process. Jody operates with a particular level of civility and advocacy that allows for a safe and responsible process.

I initially hired Jody to assist with a temporary restraining order case I was facing where my child’s mother over exaggerated an argument and lied to police to get the TRO. Jody stepped in last minute literally the day before, heard my story, met me at court and represented me for the hearing. The... TRO was granted but Jody being the realist she is, let me know going into the hearing that it would likely be granted and why. Even then I appreciated her honesty and willingness to represent me on such short notice. After the TRO hearing my child’s mother decided she did not want me to see him so I continued to work with Jody with the goal of getting 50/50 custody and placement. Jody has proven to be a beast in the court room at every hearing we’ve had. She is very professional, down to earth, respected by the court and she knows her stuff! Her assistant Nick is just as awesome! We all worked together to accomplish the end goal and they were both very professional, nonjudgmental, and willing to educate me every step of the way. Nick even took the time to call and find out officers were in office, and ride his bicycle to the district to serve them for a court hearing the next day because they had not been able to be reached or served. I enjoyed working with Jody and her staff especially with this all being new to me, she would always answer my very long emails or phone calls in a timely manner, she worked with my family members/friends who were helping me with testifying or confirming information, and she understood how important it was to me to be apart of my sons life and have him be apart of my family and his siblings lives. She took time to educate me on what was happening throughout the entire custody battle and was patient with me when I did not do my part in a timely manner. At the end of my case, I got everything I wanted 50/50 placement and custody, even with the mother having representation and even with the TRO in place- which was a blessing in disguise because Jody fought for the mother and I to have court ordered communication through Our Family wizard where everything is documented for lawyers or the court to be able to access with no way for parents to delete information. Jody has been a huge blessing to me and my family and was worth every penny! Even after my case closed she followed up, gave me great advice and encouraged me to reach out to her if needed. I highly highly recommend and she will be the first name I give to anyone going through any family court disputes.

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 p...arents 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.

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.