The death of a very good friend can be tough enough; even more so when that friend is someone you have known and worked closely with for decades, since law school.
Raymond M. Dall’Osto, Marquette 1977, is a partner with Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP, Milwaukee. His practice focuses in federal and state white-collar and criminal defense, defense of regulatory enforcement investigations, civil litigation, personal injury, employment, constitutional rights, and environmental matters. He is a Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation.
As young lawyers, then experienced litigators, we would brainstorm often, analyze evidence, research, and debate the law and the best defense – how to effectively frame and present our arguments, both to a jury and in negotiations with prosecutors.
From early on, we handled tough and complex cases together, often with difficult clients who demanded much. And we always gave our clients our care, empathy, and best efforts.
We worked damn hard and cared greatly about each of our clients and their families and businesses, no matter what their circumstances. We were quietly proud of what we did, of the quality of our work, and of the results we achieved.
We were always brothers in the struggle. Our close working relationship continued when we became law firm partners, and ultimately, the “old lions,” successfully managing the firm along with our fellow partners, through COVID and other difficult times.
We cared about each other throughout, and about the lawyers and other firm employees and their families. We did our best to preserve the firm and its good reputation.
That good friend and brother was my law partner, Pat Knight.
Our unstated motto was that one’s actions and good works speak louder than words. We practiced law together and saw our families and careers grow on similar tracks.
Pat and I tried to effectively deal with the highs and lows of life and the changes to and challenges of the practice of law at the end of the 20th and into the 21st century.
It was never easy to be a criminal and white-collar defense attorney and it has gotten tougher. Pat always approached life and the law with deep insight and a sharp, but never cruel, sense of humor and quick wit, which was unparalleled.
He could quickly identify and puncture the bubble of pretension and hypocrisy. Pat always told it straight, to his clients and to his colleagues, in an empathetic and effective way.
As often happens in life, sickness and death can come too early. A year after his wife’s death, Pat faced his own health challenge from cancer and recently passed away.
He bravely faced the disease, continued working, and held his children and grandchildren close. He was stoic to the end and still retained his inimitable sense of humor.
What Pat was and how he lived and comported himself is an excellent example for all of us to emulate. I say goodbye to Pat, but not the spirit he brought to this world.
We all face loss in death. But we always remember what friends and loved ones taught us, and the lessons we learned together. That’s how we honor them, and how we move forward without them.
Ray Dall’Osto (right) with law partner Patrick J. Knight, 1954-2025.
» Cite this article: 98 Wis. Law. 64 (December 2025).
