Gregory J. Cook

Greg Cook trained under Austin W. Kivett, a veteran of both world wars and a gentle soul who taught basic truths of trial practice.  Knowing what to do in front of a jury and when to do it requires experienced hands.  Great trial attorneys must practice their skills constantly to understand their special strengths and weaknesses in the eternal battle to touch the hearts and minds of jurors, all while seriously searching for the truth.  A trial is an impressive process when it is done right. A trial attorney can sense when it is being done correctly.  Cook is far from the best trial attorney, even after 152 trials he learns new things and still makes mistakes.  The best skill an attorney can have is to listen and learn all the time, especially from judges (who know the most about how a jury thinks and decides).  Learning that "less is more", knowing when to stop, avoiding the desire to argue too much, too long, too strenuously.  Handling the key aspect of any case is the interrogation of the witness.  There is an art to direct exam, a way to make it interesting and attention worthy.  There is a greater art to cross examination.  To be human with a hostile witness, to know how to obtain the truth from a reluctant or even devious witness, to make that interesting without being laborious.   In today's information age, the critical factor is to be brutally honest about both the strengths and the weaknesses of a case. No case is perfect. Considering that he represented insurance companies for over 30 years, then plaintiffs for 17 years, Cook feels he knows how both sides of the aisle think. And knowing how the opponent thinks is like knowing the next chess move. Currently Cook concentrates on cases involving first party insurance coverage issues (including bad faith) related to fire, hail, windstorm, and other catastrophic losses, as well as catastrophic personal injury including wrongful death. Cook has tried cases to verdict in state and federal courts in Wisconsin and Illinois.  He tried ten cases to verdict which eventually reached the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. He has tried cases in 38 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. His experience was recognized when he was inducted into ABOTA in 2008.  Cook has a strong desire to impart his experience to younger attorneys, both within and without his firm.  He mentors when he can and he has participated other presenters in numerous seminars.