Bridget M. Finke
Bridget is an attorney and owner of Valley Crossing Law. She assists individuals and businesses throughout northwestern Wisconsin with estate planning, probate and trust administration, business and farm succession and other business issues. Her work regularly involves the creation of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, marital property agreements, business entities (like limited liability companies (LLCs) and corporations) and buy-sell agreements.
While she works with a variety of individuals and businesses, Bridget’s personal background growing up on a dairy farm in Marathon County, Wisconsin, uniquely qualifies her to assist farm families. Bridget works with farmers to transition and protect the family farm, establish estate plans for the families and assure succession of farm business entities.
Bridget is a frequent speaker on estate planning, farm and business topics and has addressed topics such as using a trust versus a will, planning for young families, business succession planning and transitioning the family farm. She visits monthly with Bob Bosold on WAXX 104.5 radio about topics of interest to farmers.
Bridget is an avid Green Bay Packers fan and enjoys spending Sunday afternoons at Lambeau Field. She also plays piano and performs with the University Community Chorus at UW-River Falls.
Contact Bridget at 715.972.8159 or email her to schedule an appointment.
| Bridget M. Finke |
Areas of Practice
Bar Admissions
- Wisconsin (2004)
- U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin (2004)
Honors
- “Rising Star” as designated by Wisconsin Super Lawyers (2015-17)
- Vice-Chair of Community Foundation of Dunn County (2011-12)
- Graduate, Leadership Menomonie (2006-07)
- Vice President, River Falls FFA Alumni (2013)
- Certified Farm Succession Coordinator by the International Farm Transition Network (2015)
Education
- University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison, Wisconsin (J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2004)
- University of Wisconsin-River Falls, River Falls, Wisconsin (B.S., summa cum laude, 2000)
Professional Associations and Memberships
Publications
- “Leveraging All Knowledge in Real Estate Disputes,” Real Estate Litigation Newsletter of American Bar Association (Spring 2011, Vol. 9, No. 2) (co-authored with Deanne Koll)
- “Divide and Conquer: Separating Disaster Planning from Succession Planning When Transitioning the Family Farm,” Agricultural Law & Rural Practice Blog, State Bar of Wisconsin (Sept 12, 2017)
- “Forest for the Trees: Remember the Big Picture when Assisting Farm Clients,” Agricultural Law & Rural Practice Blog, State Bar of Wisconsin (March 14, 2018)
Seminars
- “Business Succession,” Lunch and Learn Series by Citizens State Bank (August 2016) (co-presented with Thomas Schumacher)
- “Estate Planning for Farm Families,” UW-Extension Shifting Gears for Your Later Years Series (2015)
- “Transferring the Family Farm,” Security Financial Bank Seminar (December 2015) (co-presented by Todd Bechel & Jeff Poeschel of Sundstrom & Company)
- “Estate Planning for Your Family and Farm,” UW-Extension (January 2017 and March 2018)