Variety sparks Reyes’ passion for bankruptcy law

Listen to this article

Bankruptcy law is anything but boring for Eliza Reyes.

Reyes, a bankruptcy and financial-matters attorney at Krekeler Strother in Madison, primarily represents creditors and non-consumer debtors, such as farmers.

What Reyes enjoys the most about her work is the way that it touches on so many other fields of law, letting her get to know attorneys who have specialties that are as far apart as family law and tax law.

“It exposes you to so many other practices of law,” Reyes said. “You’re not just in a tunnel where this is all that you do.”

On the other hand, her clients, even amid a strong economy, seldom present her with problems affording easy solutions.

“What we do, especially when you’re representing debtor clients, it is sometimes very emotional,” Reyes said. “It’s sometimes a gut punch to your client because there are times when yes, they’re going to work really hard and do what they can, willing to do what he can but it might, unfortunately, just not be enough.”

Reyes found her specialty in bankruptcy law after working as a general practice attorney and a continuing-legal-education program attorney for the State Bar of Wisconsin, where one of her duties was to work with Claire Ann Resop, also a bankruptcy attorney, on annual summaries of recent changes in bankruptcy law.

Impressed at how hard Reyes worked to keep track of the latest developments in bankruptcy law, Resop hired her to be her associate.

“I liked the way she analyzed things,” Resop said. “It was clear to me that she was smart, organized and hardworking. I liked her.”

The two practiced together at von Briesen & Roper’s Madison office until Reyes got hired at Krekeler Strother. Resop has also moved on, now practicing at Steinhilber Swanson’s Madison office.

Outside of her practice, Reyes has continued working with the State Bar’s bankruptcy section, planning a two-day bankruptcy conference each spring. She has also been on the section’s planning committee for the conference since it was started 15 years ago.

“That stuff is just fun,” Reyes said. “You get to have interaction with other lawyers on a basis where you’re not arguing with each other. … It’s a nice release from your day-to-day practice.”