Jack DeWalt

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1973-2025

Remembering Jack DeWalt

Jack DeWalt was a gifted advocate and cherished friend whose wisdom, warmth, and integrity gave enduring shape to DeWalt, Chawla + Saksena, LLC and the broader family law community.

A founding partner of the firm, Jack envisioned a fun and creative environment in which to practice family, juvenile and tribal law, and viewed being a good partner as a true measure of success. He succeeded in all respects. Jack was the kind of partner who always put the needs of the firm and others ahead of his own, who was generous with his time and wisdom, and who filled our firm with friendship and laughter.

Jack brought this same positive approach to his work with clients and to the greater legal community. In his more than 20 years of practice, Jack helped countless clients resolve conflicts and build a more peaceful life for themselves and their families. As an attorney, Jack’s greatest satisfaction came from helping clients navigate complex family and juvenile law matters. He represented clients in numerous counties throughout the state of Minnesota, as well as in Wisconsin, federal court and five different tribal courts: Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Court, Mille Lacs Band Tribal Court, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux (Dakota) Tribal Court, Leech Lake Tribal Court and Sac & Fox Tribal Court.

Jack’s extraordinary impact was about much more than his legal expertise. He built bridges among parties, colleagues, and opponents, earning a reputation for principled negotiation, effective advocacy, tenacious courtroom skills, and steadfast ethics. Jack’s talent and dedication was recognized time and again: he was honored in the Minnesota Super Lawyers® Top 100 list for multiple years, received the Hennepin County Bar Association Family Law Professionalism Award in 2021, was named an MSBA North Star Attorney for his ongoing pro bono service, and was selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers® in Minnesota for Family Law.

A deep appreciation for the legal profession made Jack passionate about giving back through various professional organization and serving as a teacher and mentor to students and colleagues. He held key roles with the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Minnesota Chapter (AFCC-MN), including President, Secretary, Legal Counsel, and Board Member, and chaired committees devoted to collaboration and innovation in family law practice. At the legislative level, he advocated for legal reforms and grandparents’ rights. As an adjunct professor, he devoted himself to shaping the next generation of attorneys with integrity and compassion, passing along lessons of fairness and professionalism that will carry on far into the future.

Jack’s enduring values—true partnership, mentorship, devoted service, and a sense of community—continue to guide our firm in all that we do. He uplifted colleagues, supported clients, and gave back to the legal profession with generosity and humility.

Above all, we are inspired by Jack’s kindness and generosity, and the humanity he brought to every relationship and every challenge. His legacy remains woven into the culture of our law firm, and we will continue to honor Jack’s memory by striving for the compassion, excellence, creativity, tenacity and collaboration he exemplified.