Attorney Spotlight – Daniel A. Sievert

Daniel A. Sievert is an attorney that serves in Meissner Tierney’s transactional practice group. He advises clients in the areas of business and corporate transactions and taxation.

Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Delafield, Wisconsin which is roughly 30 minutes from downtown Milwaukee. It’s a beautiful area with many inland lakes and thus, is affectionally referred to as Lake Country.

What was your first job?
I officially started working at 15 for what is now the Prestwick Companies. They make, among other things, golf course furnishings out of hardened plastics that stand up to the weather. My illustrious role was to sweep the shop floor so the guys and gals on the machines had clean work areas.

Do you have any hobbies?
In the moments between my career, changing diapers and being a husband to an amazing wife, yes I try to have some hobbies and many of these involve being outside in some capacity. Before law school, I ran ultramarathons and though I don’t have the same amount of time anymore, I still try to run either the Ice Age 50k or the Kettle Fun Run in the spring/summer. Also, to break up the winter months, I ski the Birkebeiner up in Northern Wisconsin. And finally, I’ve been making raised cedar garden beds and an outdoor pergola so my wife and I can have some place to sit and relax outside during the summer months.

What is something on your bucket list?
I would love to attend a World Cup match and even potentially the final. I have been an avid U.S. soccer fan (please don’t mention 2018 to me) and am lucky that the United States, Mexico and Canada are hosting the 2026 men’s tournament.

Why did you become an attorney? Why did you choose your areas of practice?
I became an attorney because I love to work with complex issues that have such an impact on people’s lives. Being a transactional attorney gives me the opportunity to come along side closely-held businesses and be a value-added element to something that means so much to people.

What does a typical workday look like for you?
Each day over breakfast and multiple cups of coffee, I review local, national and tax specific news. Afterwards, I typically review emails and work through client specific projects. This could involve drafting a contract, reviewing an asset purchase agreement or even contacting a municipality over a zoning issue. Unless I have a project that does not involve much collaboration, I like to work from the office where I can engage the other attorneys and staff with questions and thoughts. Nine times out of ten, I am home for family dinner at 6:00 but will review client emails or project details after I have put my son to bed.

What is your biggest achievement, professional or personal?
I don’t think in terms of ranking my achievements because frankly, each day I’m able to wake up and be a husband to my wife and a father to my son is an achievement to me. There are moments in my professional career and personal life that are very meaningful to me but each day is an opportunity to be a blessing to loved ones.

What is your favorite thing about MTFN?
My favorite thing about MTFN is the shared mentality to exceed client expectations. So many people here have that owner mindset where we take ownership of the tasks beyond simply checking off the boxes which in turns produces a better end product for our clients.

What has been the most impactful advice you have received about practicing law?
While not law specific, the most impactful advice I have received has actually come from the movie Cool Runnings. The coach (played by John Candy) and the team captain are having a heart-to-heart where John Candy is trying to explain how his ultra-competitiveness lead to his decision to cheat resulting in his team’s disqualification from the Olympics. However, the team captain was still confused at how, even after previously winning a gold medal, the coach could not be satisfied with himself, to the point where he would be willing to risk it all. To this, John Candy replied, “ a gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you are not enough without it, you will never be enough with it.” This quote is so impactful to me because it refocuses my expectations of what practicing law will mean to me, and actually, by not carrying an expectation that it will validate myself, it allows me to love practicing the law even more.

Dan can be reached at das@mtfn.com. Learn more about our attorneys by visiting mtfn.com/attorneys.