Daniel Joseph Kolodziej

Daniel did an outstanding job representing me in a case against my employer. He is extremely knowledgeable and provided me with critical insight during every phase of the judicial process.

Mr. Kolodziej, handeled a matter for me with care, insight, professionalism and intelligence. He represented me and took my issue in the right direction with his wealth of experience! I am so grateful to have found him in my corner.,

Daniel Kolodziej was my attorney for an arduous 6 year battle with the Los Angeles Unified School District. During this time he was dedicated, motivated, and in full command. It was at trial and on appeal that his true gifts became fully apparent. For Education Law there simply is no better Education Trial Lawyer. Buttressed by the experienced and competent Trygstad, Schwab, Trygstad law firm, the qualities of ethics, honesty and truth pervaded Daniel's representation of my case. At trial and again at appeal, the truth was elicited and illuminated and in both instances Daniel prevailed. It is with full confidence and assurance that I recommend him to any teacher who has been falsely accused or wrongly scapegoated by a school district. When you need the Best, Daniel is the Best of the Best.

Mine was an uphill battle. And Daniel was not afraid to fight that fight. He is who you want and need by your side when the going will not be easy. As a veteran teacher, I first sought Daniel's counsel when something horrible had happened to me at my school site. He did his best to try to make it right. When things did not go as they should have, he counseled me, encouraged me, and stood by me, ultimately helping me bring a successful case. In the over three years that he fought for me, he was always insightful, diligent, available (an incredibly rare quality from what I hear), and spot-on with his advice. Daniel helped me get justice. While that may sound cliché, it's true. Without him, justice would not have been achievable. With him, it was. I can't recommend Daniel highly enough.

Daniel Kolodziej, as my attorney, helped me retain my teaching position with LAUSD. After my union, UTLA, abandoned me at the last moment (after 38 years of paying dues no less), I was so fortunate to find Daniel. He is not only an honest, no b.s. person but a formidable lawyer. He took the administrators to task for ousting me on trumped up charges and secured my return to the classroom. He is a 'warrior' for the underdog- an amazing alliance in the field of law.

Teachers who have been told that there is no hope for their case or felt like there was no way to stop the school system from miscarrying justice should turn to lawyer who is not only well qualified but understanding of the emotional roller coaster this process causes. I was falsely accused and my professional character was called into question. I was removed roughly from the school where I last taught I was put into “Teacher Jail!” I was distraught and met other teachers who were put there for a variety of trivial reasons. As time progressed, my emotions regarding these false accusations continued to be those of despair and anger. It seemed to me that I was being “rubber stamped!” These were the words that my representative told me one day after a “hearing.” I consulted other lawyers who bluntly told me that I had no case inferring that my case, complete with 11 “charges”, was completely unwinnable and to just accept the inevitable that was going to happen to me and my career. There didn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel for me until I met and signed up with Daniel Kolodziej to be my lawyer from the Trygstad Schwab and Trygstad Law Firm. After meeting with Daniel Kolodziej I immediately felt confident and hopeful because of the authoritative and intelligent manner in which he spoke. Never once did he express anything less than confidence in me, my innocence, and in my case. Mr. Daniel Kolodziej used every single resource available to him to investigate the outrageous claims including numerous interviews and still kept my updated on the progress of my case. His expertise in educational law was often very apparent in conversation and in his professional manner. He is very thorough, pays close attention to details and knows how to draw out the facts. He understood what an emotional time it was for me and was understanding of my frequent emails and never once was harsh to me. In court he was able to expose how the charges against me were inflated and essentially false and without merit. His demeanor is very professional and respectful towards the panel of Judges and opposing counsel. The points he made caused the district to see how wrong they essentially were in how they treated me. His expert skill and presentation was able to break through the misinformation fed by the school district and led the panel of diverse judges to reach a wise and unanimous decision. Mr. Daniel Kolodziej won my case against a school district. I am so grateful for his expertise, caring, insightful and encouraging “pep talks” to fight for my innocence and career. I am extremely appreciative that Trygstad, Schwab & Trygstad accepted my case and believed in me! In my eyes, Mr. Kolodziej is a man of strong ethics and dedication to his client. I will be eternally grateful for not only clearing my name, but most importantly for allowing me to feel vindicated and attempt to move on to a peaceful life after a torturous ordeal.

As an owner of an industry-leading company that distributes its products internationally, having insightful, creative and, when necessary, aggressive attorneys is an essential part of our company’s success. For over ten years, our company has relied on the services of Trygstad Schwab & Trygstad and, in particular, Daniel Kolodziej to ensure that our company complies with complex laws and to safeguard our intellectual property and business interests from assault by potential competitors. As our company has risen to the top of a very competitive industry, with the legal challenges that comes with that growth, Trygstad, Schwab & Trygstad has kept us protected. I recommend them unequivocally for anyone looking for sound advice and unrelenting legal protection, including for employment, trademark and other business concerns.

Trygstad Schwab & Trygstad, including Lawrence Trygstad, Daniel Kolodziej, and Shanon Trygstad, have been the rock my husband and I have leaned on when our legal rights have been threatened. Time and time again, TST has challenged those who have sought to take advantage of us and/or have violated our contractual or other legal rights. They have protected us from a variety of unscrupulous characters – including charitable groups, contractors, homeowners’ associations, tenants, business competitors, employees, airlines, car dealers, dentists, doctors, and travel agents. As a result of their efforts, they have repeatedly restored our lost money, obtained additional damages and attorney fees and, most importantly, upheld our personal principles to ensure justice is done and we are treated fairly. In sum, TST has always been there for us without hesitation and with excellent results.

I hope to inspire others in similar circumstances to not give up their careers and to stop school districts from abusing their powers. Knowing the facts of my own situation, I felt the district investigation would work out for the best and trusted that the process would work in my favor. My “teacher jail” situation proceeded with union representation, which was terribly inept. All of the thousands of dollars I paid in dues were returned with a revolving door of union volunteers that held my hand through the process with no action on my behalf. Nothing came from the procedural meetings with the district, except for stepping closer to an inevitable teacher dismissal. I then sought legal representation outside of the district. I interviewed and consulted with over 20 law firms, all coming to the same conclusion - the work required on their end would not match their potential financial investment. I then tried to take the matter into my own hands, representing myself with the assistance and support of my wife and other housed teachers. This process was exhausting, lasting over a year, resulting in me just wanting to move forward for the sake of my family and mental health. District representatives repeatedly suggested, at my dismissal meetings, that I resign, essentially offering nothing in exchange for a complete exoneration of the school district. I would never be able to hold them accountable for obliterating my career with their misactions, adding yet another blow to my weary optimism. The district is well versed to add insult to injury, wearing most teachers down who are too financially exhausted and besieged to continue to an OAH hearing. Once dismissed, there is no income, state unemployment denied, leaving many to give up at this point. But I chose to escalate my defense and appeal my case to an OAH hearing. And the district scaled up their attorneys - 3 of them at this point. I have to say that an OAH hearing is just like any other trial with loads of paperwork, deadlines, legal vocabulary, and submissions. My wife and I were in over our heads. As the trial date loomed closer, we realized that we would go down in flames not because my dismissal was merited, but because I lacked legal expertise. I chose to try once more to find an attorney who would listen to the details of my case in hopes of getting the representation I truly deserved, or simply go ahead with the resignation. I made an appointment with Dan Kolodziej, at Trygstad, Schwab & Trygstad. Finally, I encountered a professional with the skill and aptitude to quickly internalize the facts and subtle idiosyncrasies of my case. I left him boxes of paperwork, relevant to my case, to review. My determination would soon be rewarded by his years of legal experience. During the hearing, Mr. Kolodziej quickly established a positive rapport with the presiding judge, while tactfully marginalizing the opposing counsel’s endeavors. He was truly masterful at dissecting the opposition’s witnesses with precision and foresight, most of whom stood little chance when faced with his revealing and relentless questioning. The increasing number of charges against me didn’t give me hope that my case would ever see the light of day. However, Mr. Kolodziej clearly was wise to the district’s strategies and knew how to prepare and mitigate any damages. We spent many hours over many days preparing for the hearing, and long hours at the courthouse. Over the 13 day hearing, Dan was on his game - professional and considerate of my needs as a client as well as the concerns of my wife. I am eternally grateful to Mr. Kolodziej and his firm for fiercely defending my rights in and out of the courtroom. Because of him, I am able to bring closure to an especially painful chapter of my life. I unequivocally recommend anyone considering legal representation to consult him first because of his profound knowledge regarding employment and education related law.

My family had a very sensitive matter that required great trial skills and attention to details. Daniel is a first rate lawyer with excellent trial skills. He also attends to all the details. I would highly recommend this attorney to anyone looking for advocacy in any court or administrative hearing. In my opinion, it would be hard to find anyone superior.

I was exceptionally represented by Attorney Daniel Kolodziej. He went to bat for me concerning a work related matter with potential career altering implications . Per his know-how, care, concern, and due diligence, the matter was favorably resolved. Attorney Dan is an experienced attorney who also exhibits extreme humility. I am appreciative of his expertise and am grateful for his fortitude.