Jay’s practice focuses on auto and truck accidents, slip/trip and fall cases, dog bites, sexual misconduct, and nursing home negligence. Drawing on 15 years of experience as an ordained pastor, his is a client-centered approach that focuses on listening to hurting people and finding ways to maximize their recovery and healing as they seek justice in an often unjust system.
Jay joined Cannon & Dunphy because of its long tradition of smart lawyering working on cases that have helped change the law in Wisconsin to benefit injured people.
Jay has achieved significant results for clients who fell on snow-covered steps, slipped in wet restaurant bathrooms, crashed when their car had a mechanical failure, suffered major burns from an overheated heating pad, sustained dental injuries from a foreign object hiding in their food, and every kind of auto accident imaginable.
Jay has won at trial against insurance companies who refuse to accept that clients with previous injuries could have life-altering aggravations of those injuries because of someone else’s bad acts.
Client Testimonials:
Rachel: “Impeccable work!! I give my highest recommendation to Jay McDivitt, Cannon & Dunphy, for any personal injury case! I tremendously appreciated their elite level of ethics, respect for clients, trauma-informed approach, honorable response in the face of abhorrent ethics from opposing counsel, extra-mile approach to assisting with aspects of a complex case and client’s personal safety, as well as the kind, empathetic, and personable manner in which they treat clients like human beings, while also balancing honesty, integrity, hard facts, and assisting in the navigation of difficult choices for best outcomes, flawlessly! Even when other firms would let some details fall on clients to clean up after settlement, Jay went above and beyond to live out the Golden Rule! I changed firms, midway through my case, then wound up in a 2nd accident, not quite 5 years after the 1st. Jay handled both cases, got best outcome results, wrapped it all up in far better timing, with a far better overall experience, and moving to Cannon & Dunphy was the BEST choice I could have made, in the past 6 years. Who journeys with you in the absolute worst times in your life matters. If you want the BEST, you’ve found it here!! I’d choose them all over again!!”
Amanda: Jay McDivitt did an excellent job handling our case when my husband and I were injured. His top priority was taking stress off of our plates while we healed, and even called to check up on us throughout that process. He was very efficient, and made sure we understood the process and what choices we had in it. Overall, the experience was great even though we were dealing with something awful.
Tawnee: Jay and Christine were a wonderful team. They really worked to advocate for us and keep us updated on every step of the way. I am eternally grateful for their representation and help!
Barbara: My husband and I were in a car accident which involved 3 vehicles. We were very overwhelmed with the insurance companies contacting us. We contacted Cannon & Dunphy and met with Attorney McDivitt. He was very knowledgeable. He put us at ease explaining things so we understood them. Everyone in the office was friendly and helpful. We had a very positive experience and good outcome with our case. We would recommend Cannon & Dunphy.
Michael: My Attorney Jay was excellent. He always kept me up to speed with what was going on with my case. I didn’t have to call him unless I had a question or needed something. At the end, I was satisfied with my results. Thanks Jay. You were great.
Heidi: Jay was an amazing lawyer and did a great job handling our car accident case. He was very professional, knowledgeable, and well spoken throughout the entire process. He kept us informed every step of the way and made sure we understood everything that was happening. Thanks to his hard work and dedication, we won our case! I would highly recommend Jay to anyone in need of an excellent and trustworthy attorney.
John: I was in a bad car accident where a drunk driver with no insurance, blew a stop sign and hit my car about 50 mph. I sustained 9 fractured ribs, a right tibia plateau fracture, and a totaled car. I called Cannon & Dunphy and worked with Jay McDivitt, a very nice guy but a tough negotiator dealing with my insurance companies. Jay and his paralegal, Chris, always answered my calls and voicemails promptly. They did a great job handling the medical bill details and got a very good settlement.
Vanessa: My experience with this law firm and Jay McDivitt was truly awesome. They were always available to me whenever I called and they made sure I stayed in the loop. If you’re looking for quality and experience these are the lawyers for you.
Jacky: Attorney McDivitt was knowledgeable, professional and thorough—very easy to work with.
Ullysus: I was rear-ended by a large box truck that totaled my car, and I suffered a mild concussion. I chose Cannon & Dunphy S.C. to handle my case. It was as easy as making one visit to their Brookfield office. In a reasonable amount of time, I was called in to receive my settlement check. I highly recommend contacting Cannon & Dunphy for your personal injury cases.
Daniel: My child sustained an injury, and Jay McDivitt of Cannon & Dunphy was fantastic to work with in pursuing her case. They were clear and communicative throughout, always followed up and explained the process and steps clearly. They handled everything for us in pursuing a fair settlement, making the experience as painless as possible for us. We ended up with a fair settlement and were really glad we consulted with Cannon & Dunphy to support us.
Gerald: Hands down, Cannon & Dunphy is the absolute best choice for personal injury settlements. I had to fire my attorney after 3 yrs of delay, from a slam-dunk motorcycle crash in 2019. Jay McDivitt settled my case in three months. They also quickly settled with our Grandson for the same accident. Jay McDivitt always listened carefully and went to work with a sense of urgency. He is a great attorney!
Case Results:
$699,000 for the family of a teenager who was killed by a driver who got drunk at his girlfriend’s house with her parents’ knowledge.
$500,000 for a pedestrian with preexisting issues who was struck by a car in a parking lot.
$500,000 for a man with preexisting conditions who was injured in a semi vs. semi accident on the highway.
$444,000 for a man whose shoulder was permanently injured in a seemingly minor accident.
$425,000 for a woman with a permanent shoulder injury from a car accident who was advised by a different firm to accept a $17,000 settlement offer.
$400,000 for a woman who suffered a shoulder injury when an improperly installed rear differential failed while she was driving on the highway.
$350,000 for the family of a man with dementia who died after he rolled his wheelchair down an unlocked stairwell at a nursing home while unsupervised.
$374,238.73 at trial for a woman with significant preexisting conditions that were aggravated by a rear-end car accident. Defendants suggested $35,000 to the jury at trial.
$300,000 for a woman who had long-term injuries after a seemingly minor accident.
$185,000 for a man whose clavicle was broken when he was assaulted by a drunk stranger.
$180,000 for a woman who tripped on the sidewalk outside a medical facility and broke her arm.
$165,000 for a man who slipped on a wet floor in a fast-food restaurant bathroom.
$75,000 for a woman who was burned by an overheated heating pad in a hospital.
$68,500 for a woman who slipped on spilled wine at a grocery store and injured her neck and shoulder.
$65,000 for a teenage girl who was injured in a golf-cart accident, where several insurance companies denied coverage.
Jay helped shape the law on standard liability waivers with an appeal in a ski resort case. Jay has worked on cases that helped shift the law on the amounts that medical providers can charge to release patients’ medical records. Jay has secured personal payments from dog-owners whose insurance did not cover the injuries caused by their unleashed dogs. Most importantly, Jay works just as hard on cases that settle for as little as $5,000 as he does for cases that settle for $500,000 or more.
Jay is an ordained pastor who preaches and leads worship at congregations throughout the greater Milwaukee area. He serves on boards that help coordinate outdoor camping ministries and mentor new church leaders. He serves on the board of the Wisconsin Association for Justice. He helps coach high school mock trial teams and law school moot court teams. He has coached his kid’s soccer and baseball teams. He supports local candidates to help elect justice-seeking people to public office.
Jay started college as a musical theatre major and ended by graduating magna cum laude with a BA in Peace Studies from Luther College in Decorah, IA. He graduated magna cum laude with a Masters in Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. He graduated magna cum laude from Marquette Law School in 2021, where he earned high honors for 120+ hours of pro bono volunteer work, was published in the Marquette Law Review, won Best Brief, Best Oralist, and Champion in the Jenkins Moot Court tournament, and participated in a national moot court competition.
Jay’s greatest privilege and accomplishment is being the father of two teenagers who are getting ready to change the world, and being married to a brilliant spouse who is also an ordained pastor who serves a congregation in Wauwatosa. They live in Waukesha with a super cute dog named Jane Austen Goodall.