Attorney Olivia Kay Mote

About Olivia Kay Mote

(also known as Olivia Mote)

Attorney Olivia Kay Mote is a people person in every sense. She finds joy in making genuine connections and is grateful that her profession allows her to connect and serve for a living. It is a privilege to collaborate in seeking solutions, tapping inner strengths, and opening new chapters. A zealous advocate for her clients, Olivia draws on her compassion and a sharp mind to seek solutions.

Olivia handles a variety of family law issues, including divorce and separation, child custody, child placement, and child support. Before joining Sterling, Olivia assisted clients in a broad range of legal matters as a general practitioner at Laffey, Sebranek, Auby & Ristau, S.C. She represented individuals, small businesses, and financial institutions with skill. Focusing on family law at Sterling, her time in general practice helps her to see a more complete legal picture and identify challenges and opportunities for family law clients.

Each client experiences their case and their engagement with the court system differently. To provide top-notch legal services, Olivia takes the time to learn her clients’ stories and to truly hear her clients’ goals for family and self. She helps clients understand the law so they can make informed decisions. Olivia seeks to serve as a thoughtful, creative resource as clients choose a path forward that makes sense for them.

Initially, Olivia’s career followed the path of an academic. An undergraduate degree in Religious Studies and Political Science quickly led to a master’s degree in Comparative Religion. Liberal arts education made her a world traveler, giving her the opportunity to study in Spain, Morocco, London, Turkey, Egypt, and Lebanon. She taught comparative religion for Miami University after completing her M.A.

It was academic interest that led Olivia to attend the University of Wisconsin Law School. However, the more she learned about the law, the more she was drawn to a hands-on approach. Her work in the UW Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic and as a law clerk made it clear to her that private practice would be professionally and personally rewarding.

Olivia credits her study of religion and politics with enhancing her skills as a family lawyer. Examining life’s big questions has expanded her capacity for empathy and her ability to navigate conflict with care and patience.

A transplanted Hoosier from Union City, Indiana, Olivia considers Wisconsin her adopted home. She and her husband, Trent, who is also an attorney, live in Madison with their character of a dog, Ruby (named for a Rolling Stones song). She is also a member of the First Unitarian Society of Madison and finds meaning in that community, including by learning and engaging in the work of antiracism and co-facilitating a “Coming of Age” program for 9th graders.

An enthusiastic cook, Olivia enjoys collecting cookbooks, recreating the dishes she first tasted abroad, and hosting dinner parties. She equally enjoys visiting the many wonderful restaurants in her neighborhood. You may also find her on a walk in one of Madison’s beautiful parks or competing fiercely with her husband in a game of Yahtzee or backgammon at a nearby brewery.