Milwaukee, WI—For Alex Flynn, who has been named one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Wisconsin, a love of the law was inspired by a love of history.
“I have my undergraduate degree in history, and I have always been fascinated with societal attitudes and the attraction to totalitarian government,” Flynn told laws.com in a recent interview. “It is against extreme ideologies and societal desires exploited by politicians that the individual stands.”
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Flynn's passionate defense of people accused of crimes has earned many accolades and led to appearances as a legal analyst on TruTV. He believes that defending people regardless of what they have been charged with is the principled thing to do: “There are a number of factors that go into the decision to take on a client, but the crime charged or the conduct involved is almost never a factor. Nothing any individual can do is anywhere near as dangerous as the collective power of the government and state.”
Flynn's love of history is reflected even in where he chose to locate his practice. At the offices for Alex Flynn & Associates, even the walls have stories.
The “spite house,” located at 1223 N. Prospect, was the result of a feud between 19th century neighbors. Jason Downer, a judge and newspaper editor, owned a Gothic Revival house just down the street from the house where Flynn's offices are today. Downer's neighbor, Francis Hinton, built a house next door that blocked Downer's view of Lake Michigan and a nearby park.
Because no building codes existed that made it illegal for the Hintons to block Downer's view, Downer took matters into his own hands. He bought the lot next to the Hintons' house, then built a spectacular Queen Anne residence with walls so close to his neighbors that they couldn't possibly see the lake.
Today, the spite house is home to a legal practice dedicated to defending people charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to homicides. Some of these cases have involved defendants whose crimes or professions led to media attention. “I have been involved in notable cases involving politicians, clergymen, and many others,” Flynn says. “My advice would be to never speak at length to the media about the details of a case while it is pending. Be prepared with a concise quip, like: 'We deny any wrongdoing, and will ultimately prevail in court.'”
According to Flynn, the biggest problem facing criminal defendants today is “public fear, and the politicization of criminal statutes.” Flynn believes that many problems that are currently treated as criminal offenses—for example, drunk driving and drug use—“are fundamentally public health problems, yet we deal with these issues primarily through criminal legislation and public health concerns are an afterthought.”
Flynn says that young criminal defense attorneys or those thinking of entering the profession should “borrow the Nike slogan: 'Just Do It!’ Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Be yourself. Respect the jury. Never forget that you are doing a tremendous public service just by being there and making the prosecution satisfy its burden of proof.”
To learn more about Alex Flynn and Alex Flynn & Associates, click here.
