Marek brothers retire law firm in Montgomery

Marek Law Office & Tax Service ended a long continued service for the Montgomery area on June 30, spanning 50 years from 1975-2024.

William Marek, a 1969 New Prague High School Graduate, initially thought he wanted to be a high school teacher in math or science. He started his college education as such at Mankato State University.

“It didn’t take me too long to realize I didn’t like math or science teachers that much,” W. Marek said. “This was the Vietnam era, spring of 1970, the administration at some of the schools decided to close early. The teachers told him it was up to students whether or not they had a final exam.” W. Marek says he argued with one of his teachers saying that they already had weekly exams so there wasn’t a reason to have a final. W. Marek said, “That teacher said, ‘Have you ever thought of being a lawyer?’ The lightbulb went off!”

W. Marek consulted with his advisor on the best course of action to study law, and they agreed he should attend the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. He transferred to the University of Minnesota then to obtain an undergraduate degree in political science, which gave him a chance to take some undergraduate law courses to get his feet wet. He graduated with his undergraduate degree in the spring of 1973.

There was no rest though, he went right back to school that fall to start his Juris Doctor degree there at the University of Minnesota Law School. “I figured if I left school, it would be hard to go back.”

W. Marek said that he wrote three lawyers, one in each town of New Prague, Montgomery and Le Center, in the spring of 1974 looking for work in a law office — anything he could do to get started. “Joe Pany was the only one to write me back. He said he didn’t need anyone, but I was welcome to stop by and say hello,” W. Marek said.

He set up an appointment ahead of time with Pany. Walking into Pany’s law office in Montgomery, Pany said, “What the hell are you doing here?” W. Marek said he was a little confused, and Pany had mistaken him for his son-in-law from Phoenix. Once they got past the humorous confusion, Pany asked him what he wanted to do there, since he would be a first year intern with no skills. W. Marek replied, “I just want to learn what its like to be a lawyer.” Pany told him that he’d pay him $3.75 an hour wage to be a legal assistant and he accepted.

W. Marek said that within two weeks Pany was asking him what he was doing after law school and that he should come work for him. During the summers coming back working full-time and part-time during the school year, he said, “Joe and Ruth Pany, they got to be like a second set of parents. Going to their house on holidays, the Lakeside Supper Club for dinner. At the end of that first summer, he gave me an unexpected $500 bonus.”

A short couple years later, graduating Cum Laude in 1976, W. Marek followed up on that offer and joined Pany’s practice. W. Marek thought that he really couldn’t interview anywhere else, given the opportunity Pany had afforded him, even though many of his friends at school were interviewing at large law firms in the Twin Cities. “It was a good thing,” said W. Marek. “The people here were my type of people. I had a real loyal client base when I was here.”

W. Marek bought out Pany’s practice in January 1981, and Pany retired. He said Pany said, “I want you to be successful. Buy the building and buy the equipment. I don’t need anymore. I don’t need the money.”

Attorney Rick Lea worked with W. Marek for the first years of owning the business, practicing from December 1980, before the purchase, to 1985. W. Marek’s brother, Scott Marek, was in kind of a transition period about that time and was attending William Mitchell School of Law in St. Paul and already in his third of four years in 1985. W. Marek said that S. Marek should work for him as a legal assistant and then join the practice as a lawyer after he is licensed.

S. Marek, a 1976 New Prague High School graduate, had already had a mechanical engineering degree, worked previously for Eaton Corporation in Eden Prairie and for the Wagner Corporation in Plymouth at the time he joined as a legal assistant in 1985 until he graduated law school in 1987, when he joined the practice as a lawyer.

Together the brothers served the greater community of Montgomery until the end of June 2024, and having various dedicated staff assisting them. W. Marek said that they looked to have another lawyer buy the practice in order to have a continuance of service, but they were unsuccessful in finding an interested buyer. W. Marek said he started notifying his clients personally early this year.

“Being an Eagle Scout, I wanted to get to 50 years, but I didn’t want to die at the desk. It was a personal milestone,” said W. Marek. “I have no big plans — golf a little more, ride motorcycle a little bit more, and enjoy my daughters and wife more.” Part of his decision to retire now was also because of changes in their software and the aspects of much of their business becoming completely electronic and computer orientated where he used to actually talk and get to know people — the social aspect.

W. Marek says he is very proud of having been a part of the community for so many years, being involved in many projects and organizations — including Kolacky Days, helping the auditorium being built in 1986 in the 1936 high school building, and more. “Doing volunteer things was fulfilling,” he said.

“I’m kind of soft-hearted, so being in a small town suited me. I disliked doing divorces, which were always a battle. I didn’t like the toxicity. So, I stuck to income taxes, real estate and wills. Scott was very helpful. I appreciate him being with me for that long,” W. Marek said. He says that he is also very appreciative of the staff he has had over the years that dedicated their time to them and their clients.

The building in which the firm stood, 205 1st Street South, has been sold and will be repurposed as another business.

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