January 8, 2021

 

Dysart Taylor Cotter McMonigle & Montemore, P.C. is proud of the long and distinguished career of attorney Don R. Lolli, who has announced his retirement, effective December 31, 2020.

Don, who joined the firm in 2003, has spent the past 46 years diligently working to identify clients’ legal issues and ensure they are resolved. He has always had a desire to find resolutions for clients in commercial, business and personal disputes through negotiation, mediation, arbitration or litigation.

Learn more about Don’s upcoming retirement in his Retirement Spotlight:

 

What do you remember about the day you took the bar exam?
“I took the bar exam in Jefferson City and then we all gathered at the local Columbia pub after we finished. For dinner, I went out with my now wife and my now in-laws. I had just started dating my wife and it was actually the first time I met her parents, who eventually became my mother-in-law and father-in-law. If I were to sum the day up in a few words – excitement and exhaustion.”

What was the first “big case” you worked on alone/as the lead?
“I have to give that some thought because this was many years ago. There are several but this one sticks out because it was actually close to where I grew up – within a half-hour – and while I didn’t know them, the clients knew my family and they needed help. He was a retired railroad employee, a blue-collar employee of some kind, who had lost his savings due to a shady investment opportunity with what turned out to be a telephone boiler room solicitation company, which has long gone out of business.

“I was sympathetic and so I did research on this and found out that this company was following shady practices throughout the country. I filed the case in St. Louis Federal Court and we had a jury trial and eventually succeeded in securing the return of all of his investment, plus other damages. I went on to help other clients pursue the company in court throughout the country. The company eventually was forced out of business. That case was meaningful to me in many ways. I don’t like people who take advantage of other people, especially companies that prey on retirees or senior citizens. I was proud to secure a win for them.”

What’s your best memory of working at Dysart Taylor?
“There is professionalism and collegiality at Dysart, including attorneys and staff; I was proud to work there.”

If you could give only one piece of advice to law students, what would it be?
“I would tell them – and this is just me saying it; it’s not a quote from any famous person – but do the right thing and you will succeed. That doesn’t just apply to law students, but I think most anyone. I believe legal careers are guided by what you do in life and vice versa.”

What, if anything, will you miss most from practicing law?
“I will miss the fast pace of work; I enjoyed that. Also, I was always learning something. I’ve been doing this for more than 46 years and I’ve learned something every day. I enjoyed the client and attorney relationships I made.

“And again, I will miss helping people with their problems. I got a lot of satisfaction from that and tried to help as many people as possible. I was fortunate to have varied types of matters over the years, which exposed me to new and different learning experiences.”

What are you looking forward to most in retirement?
“I’ve got five grandchildren and they are located in Kansas City, St. Louis and Chicago, so we will get to spend a lot more time with them. My wife is also retiring this year – she’s a med-tech at Truman Hospital – so we have a lot of plans to visit family and friends, and to travel more. Our plans for Paris were canceled because of the pandemic so we have some catching up to do. I am going to take up golf again and maybe pick music back up. I played the alto saxophone in high school and I’ve always wanted to learn to play the guitar.

“And, even though I’m retired, I really became a lawyer to help people. It sounds kind of cliché, but that was my goal. And I’d like to continue that in retirement, helping those who need help, either, you know, somehow on a voluntary basis or in some capacity.”