Daniel Rottier

Madison - Daniel A. Rottier passed away unexpectedly on January 3, 2025. Dan was a talented and highly accomplished lawyer whose accolades could fill this newspaper. Much more than that, however, he was a singularly remarkable father, husband and friend.

Dan grew up on a farm in West De Pere, Wisconsin. His childhood on the farm shaped the man he would become, instilling in him exceptional discipline, humility and integrity—and providing a lifetime’s worth of anecdotes to amuse his children. Dan attended St. Boniface Elementary School and the all-boys’ Catholic high school, Abbot Pennings.

After high school, Dan enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Madison and spent a semester studying at the United Nations in New York City. Dan graduated with an honors degree in English and continued on to the University of Wisconsin Law School, graduating in 1976. Following three years of general practice, Dan joined the Habush law firm in the year it was founded, 1979. Only 11 years later, he had tried 100 jury trials and was the youngest fellow inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. In 1992, he was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers. He was the first attorney to receive Trial Lawyer of the Year twice by the Wisconsin Association for Justice. In 2009, Dan was invited into the membership of the Inner Circle of Advocates, a group limited to the top 100 plaintiff trial lawyers in the United States.

Throughout his career, Dan successfully resolved a number of a high-profile cases, including taking on Big Tobacco, litigating the largest lawsuit ever prosecuted in the state of Wisconsin, resulting in a master settlement totaling over five billion dollars. Although he primarily practiced in Wisconsin, Dan’s career brought him in front of judges in 18 other states, as well as the United States Supreme Court, where he successfully argued Molzof v. United States.

In 1997, Dan married the love of his life, Frankie Kirk, in a small ceremony in their backyard. Together they raised three boys. Dan and his wife loved spending summers on their boat touring Lake Mendota, playing Rummy on their porch, and walking the trails at their cabin with their two dogs, Liliana and Luciano. As proud Madison Northsiders, the pair spent many nights at their favorite Northside establishments, Lola’s and the Tip Top Tavern. They enjoyed frequent walks throughout their neighborhood, Dan with his trademark Stetson and cane, stopping to talk to new people every time.

Dan was an avid traveler and made it a priority to include his children whenever possible. Some favorite trips include Vietnam, The Bahamas, France, and most recently two weeks in Japan this past October. Dan was also a lover of theater, both stage and screen and shared this passion with his kids from a young age. Trips to New York for Broadway musicals and recommendations for old westerns and war movies certainly made for well-rounded children. Most recently, on the day after Christmas, he took his family to see A Complete Unknown. He loved it.

Frankie will forever miss Dan’s beautiful red curly hair, her card-playing partner with the unrivaled intellect, and the man who always had her back. His sons will always remember their role model, miss his jokes that made mom scoff, and treasure the memories made on their many trips, especially their annual fishing trip to Wollaston Lake Lodge in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Dan is survived by his wife, Frankie Kirk, and three wonderful sons: John Kirk Walsh (Alice Kirst), Derek Kirk Rottier, and Jake Kirk Rottier; brothers Abe Rottier and Ken Rottier; sisters Dottie Rottier and Nancy Rottier. He was preceded in death by his parents Josephine Vanden Heuvel and Alphonse Rottier; sisters Carol Rottier and Helen Rottier; and brother Jerry Rottier.

A memorial service for Dan will be held Sunday, January 12, 10am - 12pm at Ryan Funeral Home, 2418 N. Sherman Ave, Madison.

We end with a quote from Dan’s favorite musician, Warren Zevon:

“We’ll never know ‘till we try,
to find the other side of goodbye”

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation services

2418 N Sherman Ave

608-249-8257