By Collin Lueck
Editor
For Merrill native Dan Koblitz, a long road has led him to open his own law practice in his hometown. Koblitz Law Office, LLC, recently opened in the same building at 1105 E. Main St. as long-time Merrill attorney Craig Nienow, although the two practices are completely separate entities.
Koblitz Law Office specializes in estate planning, real estate transactions and business formations, such as LLCs. Koblitz is also open to providing guardian ad litem services for the elderly.
“It seems like the right thing for me to do right now,” Koblitz said. “I’m really excited about this. I’m looking forward to working with the people of Merrill and helping them with their estate planning needs. I hope to provide services that use the most reasonable methods and tools to protect assets and allow people to pass on their legacy.”
A 1989 Merrill High School graduate, Koblitz got a late start at higher education due to a stuttering problem. After high school, he went to work as a metal fabricator – a job that didn’t require a lot of speaking – for several years. Around the age of 30, he came to the realization that his stuttering had taken control of his life. His insecurities and self-consciousness related to his speech condition were preventing him from living the life he wanted.
“It can be a devastating condition,” Koblitz said. “For me, it held me back socially, academically and professionally.”
He started seeing a speech language pathologist who helped him regain his self-confidence – and just as importantly, helped him reconnect with his Christian faith. He soon enrolled in classes at UW Marathon County. He would finish his undergraduate studies at UW Madison, where he served on the Athletic Board and chaired the state Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
After graduation from UW Madison, Koblitz returned to Merrill and worked for Church Mutual for four years. He then went on to pursue a masters degree in Divinity and a Juris Doctor in Law from Regent University in Virginia, graduating in 2016. Koblitz then worked in corporate law at Church Mutual for the past two years before making the move to start his own practice.
Koblitz credits his faith for helping him find the path that ultimately led him to open his law office.
“It’s nothing short of a miracle, what I’m doing now compared to where I was,” he said. “I feel my faith provided me with the strength to help realize my abilities.”
Koblitz’s Law degree and his Divinity degree hang side by side on his office wall. For Koblitz, his Christian faith helps guide the decisions he makes in his law practice.
He also serves on the board of Rock World Ministry, a Christian organization that helps orphans in India.
“I feel I use my Divinity degree every day in my life,” he said. “I didn’t want to do law without the Divinity degree. I want to provide a comfortable environment for people to make decisions about their possessions and their legacy.”
Koblitz Law Office, LLC can be reached at 715-539-3311 or email [email protected].