Longtime produce industry attorney Lewis P. Janowsky died June 13 of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 64 years old.

Mr. Janowsky was one of the founding partners of Rynn & Janowsky, a Newport Beach, CA, law firm that specializes in PACA law and other business issues in the produce industry.

Born and raised in Newark, NJ, Mr. Janowsky graduated from SUNY at Buffalo with a bachelor’s degree in English before receiving his law degree from Chicago-Kent Law School in 1977. Lewis P. Janowsky

Mr. Janowsky began his law career prosecuting criminal cases in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in Illinois. Eventually, he’d had enough of the cold weather and packed up all of his worldly possessions into a 1967 Plymouth Barracuda and U-Haul trailer, and relocated to Southern California.

Settling in Los Angeles, Mr. Janowsky passed the California Bar Exam in the summer of 1980, and shortly thereafter took a job as a staff attorney in Orange County for Western Growers Association, where he represented growers and shippers of fresh produce in labor and employment related matters. 

In 1986, Mr. Janowsky, along with fellow WGA attorney Patricia Rynn, established the law firm of Rynn & Janowsky. His co-workers said he “has been a tireless advocate for our clients with a brilliant legal mind, and an ever-present dry sense of humor. He could always be counted on to keep the attorneys and staff at the firm on their toes.”

As one of the two founding partners of Rynn & Janowsky, he was directly involved in many of the early federal court decisions that established and expanded shippers' PACA trust rights, which have become so vital to the produce industry. He also maintained and cultivated his expertise in labor and employment law, providing advice and guidance to employers across a wide range of industries.

Mr. Janowsky conducted numerous seminars on employment-related issues and successfully litigated a multitude of employment disputes. He represented employers and produce companies in labor and commercial litigation disputes, in both federal and state courts throughout the United States, arguing before the California Supreme Court on several occasions, as well as the California Courts of Appeal, and the U.S. Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit.

Mr. Janowsky enjoyed traveling, spending time with family and loved ones, and critiquing the latest movie releases. He was active in several professional and community organizations.

“We will never forget Lew, our loyal friend and mentor,” noted a statement from his legal partners. “His genuine love of the law, his work ethic and his notable advocacy skills set a high standard within the firm and he will be sorely missed.”

Patricia Rynn was traveling back from a family vacation to attend the services and was not immediately available for comment on her longtime law partner’s death.