Timothy Trecek
President | Habush Habush & Rottier S.C.
Timothy Trecek is a product liability, personal injury and trucking accidents trial lawyer and president of Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Admitted in Wisconsin; J.D., Marquette University Law School (1993).
Meet Timothy
Contact
Suite 2300
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Timothy S. Trecek is a personal injury trial lawyer and president of Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has been with the firm since 1995 and leads its 33 attorneys. He is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
In 2020, as lead trial counsel, Trecek obtained a $38.1 million verdict against Hyundai Motor Company for a defectively designed seat back and head restraint system. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals upheld the verdict in November 2022, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court denied review in February 2023. The firm describes it as the largest single-plaintiff compensatory award in Wisconsin history. In 2026, he also obtained what the firm calls the largest award in state history for negligent infliction of emotional distress.
His earlier results include a $16 million award in 2011 for eight scaffold workers injured in a dust explosion at the We Energies Oak Creek plant and a $6 million award in 2009 for a client injured in an accident with a semi-trailer truck. He has handled cases involving automobile defects, construction accidents, truck and motorcycle crashes, brain injuries and serious burn injuries.
The Wisconsin Association for Justice named Trecek its Robert L. Habush Wisconsin Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2011 and 2020. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates and has taught Advanced Trial Practice at Marquette University Law School since 2005.
Experience and Expertise
Qualifications
Timeline
- Marquette University, B.S. (1990)
- Marquette University, J.D. (1993)
- Certified Civil Trial Specialist, National Board of Trial Advocacy
Practice Areas
- State Bar of Wisconsin
- American Bar Association
- American Association for Justice
- Wisconsin Association for Justice
- The Inner Circle of Advocates
- Summit Council
- American College of Trial Lawyers (Fellow)
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- Litigation Counsel of America (Senior Fellow)
- International Society of Barristers (Board of Governors)
- American Bar Foundation (Fellow)
- Motorcycle Injury Trial Lawyers Association
- Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee (Board of Directors)
- Robert L. Habush Wisconsin Trial Lawyer of the Year, Wisconsin Association for Justice (2011, 2020)
- Litigation Counsel of America Tommy Malone Outstanding Verdict Award
- Wisconsin Super Lawyers (every year since 2006)
- Top 10 Wisconsin Super Lawyers (2016, 2018-2025)
- Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year, Plaintiff Product Liability (2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2024)
- Best Lawyers in America, Personal Injury Litigation and Product Liability Litigation, Plaintiffs (since 2011)
- Wisconsin Law Journal Leaders in the Law (2008)
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Lawyers
- AVVO rating 10.0
- $38.1 Million Verdict: In 2020, as lead trial counsel, Trecek obtained a $38.1 million verdict against Hyundai Motor Company for a defectively designed seat back and head restraint system. The verdict was upheld on appeal.
- $16 Million Award: In February 2011, Trecek obtained a $16 million award for eight injured scaffold workers in a dust explosion at the We Energies Oak Creek plant.
- $6 Million Award: In 2009, Trecek obtained a $6 million award for a client injured in an accident with a semi-trailer truck, the third largest reported award in Wisconsin that year according to the firm.
- Largest Emotional Distress Award in Wisconsin: In 2026, Trecek obtained what the firm describes as the largest award in state history for negligent infliction of emotional distress, including an upfront payment and a lifetime payout of over $47 million.
- Finn's Rule School Bus Safety Initiative: Settlement for the family of a young boy killed by a school bus included a nationwide driver-training initiative, "Finn's Rule," that up to 130,000 school bus drivers will receive.
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