I had the privilege to work with Robert on a legal matter for a shared client. Robert was the consummate professional. His passing, recently learned, was shocking and unfortunate. My heartfelt and  sincere condolences to all of Robert's family and friends.

We knew Rob through our friends Klaudia and Radek. Before we met him we felt like we already knew him and Mary Jean because of all the great stories Klaudia  and Radek shared with us. Through out the years we spent time together during Christmas, Klaudia and Radek’s wedding, birthday parties and many other events. Rob was such a wonderful person, always so full of live and great energy. Fun person to be around and there was never a dull moment with him and Mary Jean. We will truly miss him. 

I am Fred Levy. I was privileged to work with Robert at Olshan, from which I have been retired some years. Robert was great to work with — a smart, savvy highly ethical litigator and fun to boot. I regret losing touch after Robert left Olshan with Rafael who was a fine, developing young lawyer who I’m sure learned much from Robert.  My condolences to family, friends and all who miss him. 

There are so many great things to say about Rob that I don’t even know where to begin. I have known Rob almost half my life. He and Mary Jean (and animals) have not only been wonderful friends, supporters and advisors, but had also become family. I have tons of wonderful memories of Rob during my summer holidays in New York when I was a teenager, my sisters’ weddings in Poland( where he truly demonstrated his Polish heritage) and during my college years. He and Mary Jean were always welcoming to my friends and invited them into their home and their world. Many images of Rob flash through my mind - of him reading The New York Times, showing off his German skills, nattily dressed in his elegant suits, and his love for polish bigos and Indian cuisine.

Rob was an extremely positive person and had a dry sense of humor. He was always helpful and felt deeply for others. He gave us many priceless advices and shared knowledge of his experiences with us. Rob was also a true travel lover and had a genuine interest in various cultures including (my adopted) Indian culture. He was so excited where he found out I’m going to marry into a Indian family and couldn’t wait to celebrate with us in India, as he was always present at all the important moments of our lives. 

Rob, your passing has left a deep hole in our hearts although you are always present in our thoughts and conversations. Please watch us from above and know that we will never forget about you. Till we see each other again 

Rob was my attorney, then became my client and later turned into a special friend. I met and retained Rob in 2010 for a qui tam case and then for a business contract dispute few years later. He not only helped bring successful outcomes in both cases but went on to hire me for one of his major qui tam cases for research and litigation support services. 

I ended up testifying last June as an expert witness in a federal trial and he was so impressed by my work that he encouraged me to market my expertise, wrote a glowing reference letter, and started referring me to other qui tam attorneys. He did all this without ever hinting that I owed him any special favor. 

In the last year or so, our friendship became personal and special when we started meeting for “business lunches”.  He loved spicy Indian food, and he became an enthusiastic and willing companion with me in exploring cuisines from different parts of India. At each lunch meeting, we would then spend two to three hours in free-flowing and wide-ranging discussions about anything and everything, including personal matters. 

He was a super lawyer with keen intellect and impeccable integrity with awe-inspiring dedication to clients’ interests. I was amazed at how much personal interest he took in his two young interns’ career, which was in line with his interest in encouraging and helping people around him. He was very observant and a great listener.  All communications with him, including emails and phone conversations, bore hallmarks of his personality: succinct, clear, honest, and they reflected positivity and a supple mind. It’s only after he passed away that I realized that he was the only person designated as VIP on my iPhone for over 10 years. 

He lived a remarkable life and enriched my life in more ways than I can count. I do and will continue to miss him for his decency, generous spirit, warmth, and friendship. 

May he rest in peace, and my deepest condolences to Mary Jean and his family.


I’m so shocked and deeply saddened that 
Robert suddenly left this world. 
I only knew him about 11 years. 
Apart from being my attorney I deeply felt Robert was also my friend. 
I just wished that I got to know  him and 
Mary Jean much better. 
I was truly impressed with his love for his cats and doggies, home, and profession. 
I always admired his shirts, ties, suits,
and  decor in the house. 
Robert was very fortunate to have 
Mary Jean by his side. 
His professional dedication, research, and 
hard work to seek Justice in the Courts
for his clients and their claims are great!
Robert was not just a “Super Lawyer”.
Robert was also a “Lawyer’s Lawyer”!!
Robert Sadowski’s legacy will always 
shine and inspire many others for 
many many decades to come!
Robert, I miss you!
God Bless You Forever and Ever!!




Rob, I miss you so much. There is no day that goes by that I don’t think about you.  You were my best friend.  Until we meet again. Sleep in peace my bestie. 

Love you always Javy. 

Due to lives "getting busy" and being separated by geography, I didn't keep in touch with Rob as much as I would have liked.  However, whenever we did talk or see each other,  there was instant connectivity.   He will always be one of my best friends.   Rob was a major influencer in getting me started with downhill skiiing, progressing from slopes in WI and the UP and then to Aspen.... and then in Austria & Italy.   Whenever I see a Saab 99, think of Rob, also!  I felt bad that I didn't add this memory earlier but with each attempt, I just started crying.   I know this page should be a celebration of Rob's life and I have indeed learned more about him and his accomplishments.... but I somehow would be remiss to not mention how deeply sad I am  to have lost such a very special friend.  I will always regret not keeping more in touch yet will try to learn a lesson as well.  As a result, I have reached out to several friends from the past from whom I've inexplicably drifted away,   I've attached a pic of of me and Rob with my brother in the middle....  our senior year at UW!    

Due to lives "getting busy" and being separated by geography, I didn't keep in touch with Rob as much as I would have liked.  However, whenever we did talk or see each other,  there was instant connectivity.   He will always be one of my best friends.   Rob was a major influencer in getting me started with downhill skiiing, progressing from slopes in WI and the UP and then to Aspen.... and then in Austria & Italy.   Whenever I see a Saab 99, think of Rob, also!  I felt bad that I didn't add this memory earlier but with each attempt, I just started crying.   I know this page should be a celebration of Rob's life and I have indeed learned more about him and  his accomplishments.... but I somehow would be remiss to not mention how deeply sad I am  to have lost such a very special friend.  I will always regret not keeping more in touch yet will try to learn a lesson as well.  As a result, I have reached out to several friends from the past from whom I've inexplicably drifted away,   I've attached a pic6 of of me and Rob with my brother in the middle....  our senior year at UW!    

My husband and I were blessed to meet Rob and MJ when we moved from Poland to New York 16 years ago. There is a saying: ‘If you are more fortunate than others, build a longer table not a taller fence.’ That’s how Rob and MJ were with us and many people around them. They invited us to their summer rentals, Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas parties. They opened their hearts to us and treated us as their family. They even let us use their awesome Land Rover during our college years. Rob was a precious friend and the best boss I could ask for. He was always kind and understanding. He respected hard working people and encouraged them to dream big. He had a special ability to see the best in people. Rob worked very hard, but he was also fun to be around. Everybody in the building knew Rob. He entertained the whole office with his 'Friday dance' or Halloween outfits. He made sure everyone was invited to firm’s lunches. He truly cared about providing friendly work environment for all. Rob had a great style and he dressed better than the last three US presidents (He sold Radek on pink shirts). However, he wasn't snobbish, and he never looked down on people. He was a very successful lawyer, but at the same time he was so humble and down to earth. Rob and MJ were always there to celebrate my college graduation, our wedding in Poland, our first house and other milestones. They were also first to smuggle in some champagne to the hospital when our daughter was born. Rob was, in a way, a father figure to some of us at the office. He would be the first person to ask for advice, help or encouragement.

We are heartbroken, Robercik...That’s not what we agreed on; you promised Kalani to watch her become a beautiful girl while you become a grumpy Opa. Wherever you are, we hope they play your 'Happy' song. We hope you know how much you are loved and missed. You won’t be forgotten <3 


I only recently knew and met Mr. Sadowski as a client in an ongoing case. I found out about this after searching on the internet trying to find his office address so I could follow up with him since I was away and he had mentioned he was a bit ill. To know that his life was cut short under such circumstances is truly heartbreaking and I extend my sincerest heartfelt condolences to his immediate family and friend.

God Bless You All.

I was fortunate enough to have worked with Rob at the United States Attorney’s Office. He was a person of great ability, decency, humor, and humanity, someone who made all of us better people and better lawyers.  This country was lucky to have Rob as its lawyer and we were lucky to have served along side him. I am so, so sorry for your loss. 

I loved working with Rob at Olshan.  At Christmas time I would make cookies and give to co-workers.  Rob relayed the story that when we had the blackout and he had to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to get home, he said his saving grace was the cookies he had in his pockets to sustain him until he got home.

Love Francesca.

Five years ago, Rob became our lawyer and soon became a friend.
We were geographically distanced - we live in Florida.  We emailed and spoke on the phone at least once a week.  We found Rob to be scrupulously honest and extremely supportive and possessing a very good sense of humor.  After business talk was over, our conversations turned to cooking and "glamping" and puppies and our Florida neighborhood alligators.  These phone calls were fun- we got to know each other very well.
Mary Jean, our thoughts go out to you.
We will miss Rob very much.

We will missed you forever Tob.😪😪😪😪😪

One of the first times I met Rob was when Mary Jean and I stopped by Rob's apartment on Gillman Street in Madison.  Probably the same apartment that he lived in with our friend Todd before they moved to New York.  I remember that it certainly wasn't a typical college guys apartment.  It had the feeling of an apartment in Italy with all of Rob's interesting things.  He had a really nice turntable and stereo system and lots of records, of course a great collection of music including those classical records still kept in their thick plastic covers. Looking back on that day, I can see how Mary Jean's life was going to be filled with interesting and rich experiences. Through the years I have enjoyed hearing about their many trips throughout the world, camping in upstate New York as well as wilderness adventures in very remote areas.  Rob was always up for the next trip and he and Mary Jean enjoyed the planning and anticipation of a new adventure.  In recent years, my husband Gus and I enjoyed many trips to Mexico with Rob and Mary Jean along with, at different times, Mary Jean's sister Jan and her husband Dan, friends Todd and Tom, and with family members.  Everyone enjoyed Rob.  He was the most excited to plan our 5 o'clock cocktail hour, our dinners and our trips into Playa.  On our recent trip in March, Rob seemed so relaxed and happy spending hours by the pool reading through stacks of New Yorkers and in the night being the last to turn in having a blast with Mary Jean in the disco.   I will miss Rob so much.  I'm so thankful to have known him and so thankful that he was Mary Jean's perfect partner in life.

Rob was my close friend  and colleague at the United States Attorneys Office SDNY.  I miss home so very much and am heartbroken by his loss.

I met Rob in Freiburg Germany at about the same time as Mary Jean met Rob. We all soon became fast friends and traveled throughout Europe with Rob leading the way. That year I quickly became aware of Rob’s many talents. He would often cook meals for 6 or more people making it look effortless and fun. 

After returning to Madison, we roomed together in Madison for a year and then decided that New York City was the place to be, so in fall of 1981 we headed to NY and ended up in Park Slope Brooklyn. I ended up heading back to Wisconsin after 3 months shortly before Mary Jean joined Rob and so began their years together in Brooklyn.

What always impressed me about Rob was his wealth of natural abilities. Whether it was cooking, skiing, fishing, espaliering fruit trees, or fixing the house he did it easily, effortlessly and with flair. His natural talent was true of lawyering as well as shown by his professional accomplishments. During the year we were roommates in Madison, I remember one weekend I was gone for a couple days, when I returned he had refinished a huge round, walnut table that was badly beat up. It was flawless.

Tom and I eventually found our way back to NY in the1990s and ended up living a couple blocks from Rob and MJ. Friday nights were always a highlight of the weekend when we couldn’t get over to one of our places fast enough for cocktails and dinner to kick off the weekend. We shared many adventures and good times in those years with all our dogs in tow.

For several years–after Tom and I moved back to the Midwest–Rob and MJ rented a house in Robbins Rest on Fire Island where they invited us to join them. These were fun trips with all their dogs, cookouts, walks on the beach and explorations of other parts of Fire Island.

We would have been friends for 43 years and hoped for 20 more. I am deeply saddened by Rob’s sudden departure from this earth. I will miss his irreverent humor delivered in any number of European accents.


I lived with Rob an Mary Jean for our first, so formative years after leaving Madison, and moving to Brooklyn (not a trendy thing to do in 1981). They were both anchors for me as we made our ways into career-hood and adult-hood at that fraught time. Nothing but kindness, empathy, and profound respect was given to me. And I give the same back.

Rob, it is very hard to miss my lawyer and my friend who believe me and support me when everyone else did not, I will miss you and I will miss your happy voice that always gives all positive energy in the bad days.

I know you are in better place and you left us to suffer in this world, we will miss you. No words will be enough to describe appreciation and gratitude to you.

Amro Ali

I will always remember our dinner night at St. Marks restaurant celebrating his 60th Birthday, I have over 2 thousand views on that clip the most of any of my social media post, all because of Rob, he was the best neighbor on 6th Avenue. Rest in peace my #neighborbrother

I met Rob 43 years ago while studying in Germany during college. Our birthdays are a day apart and we cohosted a birthday party that was a wild fun night . Rob was a good skier and I have incredible memories of trips to the Swiss and French Alps from that year . I lived for a year after college around the block in Brooklyn from Rob and Mary Jean . They  made me feel like family .
Ironically the last time I physically saw Rob was 3 years ago when Mary Jean , 7 dogs and Rob drove through a snowstorm to Vermont to celebrate my 60 th and his 62 nd birthday . I always felt like I was 21 with Rob . He made me laugh .
His death is tragic for all who knew him , but especially Mary Jean .
My heart aches for you .

I had the pleasure of working with Rob for several years when he set up his law firm in  Manhattan. I am brimming with memories of the camaraderie and good times that we all shared in that office.  Lunch was always the high point of the day and there was never a dull moment.  Whoever thinks that a law firm cannot be fun has never met Rob.

I am grateful to have known Rob, and I will miss him greatly.  He was a man of many talents with a big heart. My deepest sympathy to Mary Jean. 



I'm so very sorry to hear of Rob's untimely passing. My heart goes out to Mary Jean and their family and friends. 

 Most of my memories of Rob were at the 139 6th Ave. Owners Corp. where he was President and I was treasurer. And then running into Rob and Mary Jean walking their many dogs after they moved down the street. 

May he Rest In Peace. 

With love, 
Lisa Cohen

OBITUARY

Robert W. Sadowski

26 January, 1957 – 4 July, 2022

Joseph G. Duffy

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