Barret is a litigation partner located in DeWitt’s Madison office. He has a diverse practice, focusing primarily on complex business disputes and labor and employment litigation. Barret provides skilled representation to his clients in state and federal courts, as well as before various administrative agencies.
He has handled a wide array of general commercial litigation matters. He assists companies with the diverse and evolving legal problems they may face, including shareholder/partnership disputes, contract issues, indemnification, collecting on unpaid accounts, landlord/tenant, theft of company information, and insurance coverage issues, to name a few.
His labor and employment practice consists primarily of representing employers in hiring, firing, wage and hour, and discrimination litigation. Barret also works with employers to develop best practices in order to avoid such disputes. He has significant experience litigating the enforceability of non-compete, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements.
Barret takes pride in providing effective, timely and efficient representation to his clients. Clients have described him as approachable, relatable and able to convey complex legal issues in a manner that can be easily understood. When not in the office, Barret spends his free time with his wife, chasing after their two children and dog.
Clients
Barret provides skilled representation throughout the court system of Wisconsin. He also routinely practices in the Western and Eastern Districts of Wisconsin and the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Additionally, he routinely helps shareholders advise and represent construction companies in a variety of areas, including: contract disputes, indemnification issues, bid process, lien rights, and collecting on unpaid accounts. His labor and employment practice focuses on protecting companies’ confidential information, non-compete disputes, and wage and hour issues. His practice also includes guiding landlords through the eviction process and helping businesses collect on outstanding accounts.
Client Recommendations
“Barret has helped me on more than one occasion resolve some landlord/tenant and collection issues. He has resolved these with positive results in an effective, timely and professional manner. I highly recommend Barret and his law firm, and I will use him again in the future if need be.” – John McGrady, Vice President (Dean Realty Group, Inc.)
Notable Representations
- Successfully argued in front of the Wisconsin Supreme Court to end giving deference to agency’s conclusions of the law in Tetra Tech EC, Inc. v. DOR. The court agreed with his arguments and its decision received national attention in reversing its nearly half-century practice of deferring to state administrative agencies’ interpretations of the laws the agencies are responsible for enforcing.
- Successfully represented a construction company as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against another construction company alleging, among other claims, breach of contract, unjust enrichment and misrepresentation.
- Represented a Wisconsin electronics company that skillfully obtained an injunction against a former employee from using its confidential information. The suit involved allegations of unfair competition, tortious interference with business expectancy and theft.
- Represented a construction company as a plaintiff against a sub-contractor involving indemnification and insurance coverage issues.
- Aided several nursing homes to obtain and collect on judgments throughout Wisconsin.
- Successfully defended a dairy company from a wrongful refusal to rehire claim.
- Regularly assists contractors and design professionals with respect to lien rights.
- Successfully defended real estate developer on breach of contract and foreclosure on bond claims.
- Assisted a construction company in an arbitration proceeding related to alleged design defects.
- Successfully represented engineering company on breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and related claims.
- Routinely assists construction and design professional companies with respect to collection matters.