Volume LIII - November 2023

OUR NEW PARTNER RYAN WISNESKI

Q & A with a DSK Partner

1. Can you provide a brief overview of your journey within the firm and how you arrived at this position as a partner?

My journey with the firm began rather unconventionally.  I attended law school out of state at Wake Forest but had the opportunity to interview with DSK for a summer law clerk position after my 2L year.  Unfortunately, I was not selected.  Despite this, I remained in contact with the firm and had the opportunity to work part time after I graduated law school while I was studying for the Florida Bar.  This gave me the opportunity to keep my foot in the door and I was subsequently offered a full-time position in the Orlando office, which began shortly after I took the bar exam. 

From there, the firm’s expectations and growth opportunities were made clear from day one and I knew that if I continued to work hard, meet and exceed the expectations set for me, and provide quality legal work, one day I would have the opportunity to become a partner.  Being provided with the opportunity to become a partner at DSK Law is the culmination of the hard work and dedication I try to bring to the office each day.

2. How do you plan to contribute to the firm's growth and development in your new role as a partner?

As a new partner, I am still learning the processes and committees that are in place here to keep everything running smoothly and provide our firm the ability to provide the best possible representation to our clients.  As I continue to develop into my new role, I look forward to working with new clients and working to expand our firm’s development of the bright young attorneys we have working here.

3. What are some of your favorite places you have traveled to, and what made those experiences memorable for you?

My wife and I love to travel, although with two (2) young boys our recent travels consist of shorter trips together or bringing the children along for the adventure.  Before we had children, we were able to take multiple trips to Europe to places like Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Fance. Spain, Italy, Croatia, & the Czech Republic.   Each experience has included great memories for different reasons; one of the best was experiencing Oktoberfest in Munich.  A couple of my favorite cities we visited are: Amsterdam, Netherlands & Florence, Italy.  Dubrovnik, Croatia is also stunning, and I’ll never forget the amount of stairs we had to climb to get back to our AirBnb at night.   

4. Can you share a bit about your family or any important relationships that have shaped your life?

I consider myself extremely blessed to have the upbringing I did and the strong familial relationship I have with my parents and my siblings is not only a factor but the foundation for the opportunities I have experienced.  My mother stayed at home with me and my three (3) younger siblings throughout our upbringing and my Dad is a CPA who modeled a strong work ethic while doing his best to balance his family responsibilities while moving up from employee, to partner, and eventually Owner of the firm he started with years ago.  Any success I am able to achieve can be directly attributed to the amazing family upbringing my parents created for me and my siblings.

5. Lastly, what advice or words of wisdom do you have for aspiring attorneys looking to follow a similar path to yours within the legal profession?

The areas of law are vast and interesting, as you begin your journey in the legal profession, come into every situation with an open mind and do not be afraid to experience new areas of law that you never intended on working in.  For me, it was only through my Trial Practice class my 2L year that I realized how much I enjoyed litigation which led me on the path I am on today; so experience as many areas of law and legal practice as you can.   As the days go by, not every day will be easy, but the right attitude can be a great tool.

Partner Bart Valdes attended the inaugural fundraiser for the Tampa Hispanic Bar Foundation. Mr. Valdes has been appointed as the Treasurer of the Foundation and also serves on its Board of Directors. The event was held to raise money for the Foundation’s mission to provide Florida law students scholarships each year. DSK Law is also a proud sponsor of the Tampa Hispanic Bar Association and the Tampa Hispanic Bar Foundation.

DSK Law is celebrating 5 years in Melbourne.

DSK Law was recently named a 2023 Top Workplace Winner by the Orlando Sentinel. Earning a Top Workplaces award is an honor especially because it comes authentically from our employees. Congratulations to our team who make DSK Law a top place to work. We are grateful to have received this award again this year!

Best Lawyers publicly announces the Fourteenth Edition of the Best Law Firms® rankings. Congratulations to DSK Law on being included in this elite and extremely impressive group.

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