Angela Bakke
Attorney
Angela has practiced law for over 12 years, specializing in bankruptcy and family law for her entire career and utilizing her extensive experience to help clients navigate through these difficult legal areas when they intersect. She practices from the firm’s Sun Prairie office. Prior to joining Forward Legal Services, Angela operated her own law firm in Sun Prairie for 7 years.
Angela’s family law practice includes divorce (traditional, mediated and collaborative), legal separation, paternity, child custody and placement, support actions (child support and spousal support), stepparent adoptions, marital property agreements (often called prenuptial and postnuptial agreements), and cohabitation agreements. When addressing family disputes, Angela strives to find areas of compromise which her clients may not immediately recognize due to the emotions and stress surrounding these issues.
Angela’s bankruptcy practice includes chapter 7 and chapter 13 bankruptcies. Angela also practices basic estate planning, which includes Last Will & Testaments, Power of Attorneys for Finances, Power of Attorneys for Health Care, and Advanced Directives. In addition to her private practice, Angela represents the City of Sun Prairie as its municipal prosecutor.
Angela earned a B.S. in Justice and Social Inquiry from Arizona State University in 2007 and a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2010. While attending law school, Angela interned for the State Public Defenders Office in Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Midwest Environmental Advocates. Angela was also a volunteer attorney for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Outside the office, Angela attempts to find time to read for pleasure while raising her husband and two children.
Speeches & Presentations
Over 100 presentations to a variety of audiences including lawyers, judges, physicians, social workers, teachers, students, community based organizations, government agencies and the general public. Topics have included high net worth divorces, complex child custody disputes, psychological profiles of parents in child custody evaluations, child support for the self-employed or business owner, the enforceability of marital property agreements, alimony/maintenance with high net income parties; the unique legal issues in same-sex divorces, grandparent visitation rights, and resolving high conflict divorces. A few recent seminars in which Christopher has presented include:
- Understanding the New Relocation Statute, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Madison, October 18, 2019
- Family Law Update: Relocation Statute, State Bar Webcast, Madison, April 15, 2019
- Grandparent and Third-Party Visitation Rights, Wisconsin Judicial Education Seminar, Neenah, March 14, 2019
- The New Relocation Statute: When a Parent Wishes to Move Away, Milwaukee Bar Association, Milwaukee, February 25, 2019
- Staying Current on New Laws Regarding Child Support and Relocation of a Child, Wisconsin Judicial Education Seminar, Lake Geneva, November 1, 2018
- Gathering and Analyzing Financial Information in Divorce, National Business Institute, April 10, 2018
- Today’s Diversity and Inclusion Programs: Successes, Ethical Issues and Challenges, State Bar of Wisconsin, December 11, 2017
- Divorce Law: Handling Relocation Issues, National Business Institute National Teleconference, July 5, 2016
- “Divorce” for Unmarried Partners, State Bar of Wisconsin Webcast, May 2016
- Grandparent Visitation Rights, State Bar of Wisconsin Webcast, May 2016
- Case Law Update: Family Law, State Bar of Wisconsin Webcast, May 2016
- Wisconsin Child Support & Enforcement Conference, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, October 23, 2015
- Divorce 101: The Basics, Morgan Stanley, Inc., Middleton, Wisconsin, October 13, 2015
Publications
- Surviving Michels: Can Third-party Visitation Be Resurrected?, Wisconsin Lawyer Magazine, October 2019
- The Art of Splitting Up: Best Practices for High-Net-Worth Couples Who Want to Separate Amicably, In Business Greater Madison, October 2019
- Dissecting the New Family Relocation Statute, Wisconsin Lawyer, State Bar of Wisconsin, July 2018, Vol. 91, No. 7
- Imminent Demise: Register for Domestic Partnership Status Before It Ends on April, Inside Track, State Bar of Wisconsin, February 2018
- Following Alaska’s Lead: A Wisconsin Pet Custody Statute, Wisconsin Lawyer, State Bar of Wisconsin, April 2017
- “New Social Security Law Regarding “File and Suspend” Will Not Adversely Impact Right of Divorced Spouses,” Family Law Blog, March 2016
- “De Facto Marriage”: Cohabitation Claims in Wisconsin, Inside Track, State Bar of Wisconsin, Vol. 7 No. 18, September 2015
- The Wolf v. Walker Decision, Wisconsin State Bar Association Website, June 2013
- Business Owners in Divorce, Wisconsin Lawyer (June 2008)
- Owners of Closely-Held Businesses in Divorce, The Business Journal (November 2007)
Honors
- Since 2014 Best Lawyers in America in the area of Family Law
- 2017 & 2018 Lawyers of Distinction
- 2015 Leader in the Law by the Wisconsin Law Journal
- 2015 Top 10 Attorneys for Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
- 2006, 2007 & 2010 Rising Star designation with Law and Politics magazine
- 2005, 2007 & 2009 Volunteer Attorney of the Year from AIDS Network
- 2007 Executive Director’s Volunteer of Year Award from AIDS Network
- 2006 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, Dane County Bar Association
- Admission into the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- Fellow – Fellows of Wisconsin Law Foundation
- Member of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin
