Rebecca R. DeMarb represents companies in financial trouble, and she serves as a fiduciary for the benefit of the creditors of companies in financial trouble. Wearing either hat, Ms. DeMarb works diligently to meet the needs of the stakeholders.
DeMarb melds together her accomplished legal skills developed over more than 25 years working with troubled companies and her extensive experience managing on the business side. Rebecca quickly learns the crucial issues facing businesses regardless of industry. Then, because of her unique experience, she recognizes, acknowledges, and addresses both the pressing legal and business issues without pause to find the best path forward.
Rebecca’s style is hands-on, responsive, and focuses on bringing diverse interests together to reach acceptable solutions that are cost-effective and make solid business sense. Known to get messy cases with complex legal issues, DeMarb digs to find value and finds great joy in a successful sale process. She brings a polished work-product and a no-nonsense approach to her streamlined, lean, and efficient matters.
DeMarb’s industry experience includes hospitality, international receiverships, manufacturing, service businesses, construction, intellectual property, c-stores, retail, e-businesses, dealerships, medical technology, all types of real estate, healthcare, agriculture, and more.
A 1997 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School, courts have appointed Rebecca as receiver for over twenty years in Wisconsin Chapter 128 cases, in other types of receiverships in and out of Wisconsin, and in federal cases. In addition, she represents businesses and other interested parties in bankruptcies, state court receiverships, sales of business assets, and out-of-court business reorganizations.
From 2021 to 2024, DeMarb was full time as a Senior Managing Director with DSI (“Development Specialists, Inc.”), where she served as a fiduciary on the consulting side and, in doing so, both expanded and rounded out her fiduciary practice. DeMarb continued with DSI as a strategic partner until May of 2025 when she co-founded Kali Resolution Partners LLC.
- Wisconsin, 1997
- U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin, 1997
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 2000
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 2000
Education
- University of Wisconsin, Madison, J.D., cum laude, 1997
- Loyola University Chicago, B.A., magna cum laude, Political Science, 1994
Published Works
- Co-Author, Collection Remedies and Workers Non-bankruptcy Alternatives & Bankruptcy, Business Law Advisory Series Wisconsin CLE Books, 2006, 2024.
- Contributing Author, “Wisconsin Judicial Benchbook”, Volume II, Civil, 3rd Ed., Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2008-Present (Bankruptcy & Receiverships)
- Co-Author, Professionals Beware! Pitfalls to Getting and Keeping Compensation, International Insolvency Review, Fall/Winter, 2004.
Representative Matters
- In re PinSeekers DeForest Operations, Case No. 25-10326 (WD Wis. Bankr. 2025).
- 301 Blount Street Historic Building, LLC 25 CV 1478 (Dane County 128 Receivership-Real Estate).
- MorAgra Family Farms 23 CV 1247 (Rock County Chapter 128 Receivership).
- Hufcor, Inc., et al., 22 CV 477 (Rock County Chapter 128 Receivership).
- Flambeau River Papers, LLC, 19 – CV – 34 (Price County Chapter 128 Receivership).
- In re DDS 2019, LLC and In re DDD 2019, LLC, 18-13912 (Chapter 11 for Death’s Door Spirits, LLC, W.D. Wis.)
- In re FOC, Inc, et. al, 17-00463 (Chapter 11 for Fauser Oil Co., Inc., N.D. Iowa)
- Bouraxis Properties Receivership, 14-CV-3185 (Milwaukee County Chapter 128 Receivership).
- In re Anchor Bancorp Wisconsin Inc., Case No. 13-14003 (WD Wis. Bankr. 2013).
- Nicolet National Bank, v. Whitefield Industrial Coatings, Inc., et al., 12 CV 732, Brown County, Wisconsin (2012) (Chapter 128 Receivership).
- Sold Out LLC v. 216 State Street, LLC, et al., (Dane County 2012) (Orpheum Theater Foreclosure Receiver).
- State Bank of Cross Plains v. Raemisch Imp., Inc., 11 CV 3883 (Dane County 2011) (Chapter 128 Receivership).
- In re Stainless Steel Fabricating, Inc., 10-18550 (WD Wis. Bankr. 2010) (Chapter 11 Bankruptcy).
References
- Steven Z. Royko, Peakstone Group
- Kimberly P. Sebranek, Laffey Sebranek Auby & Ristau, S. C.
- Bethany A. Piechowski, Lake Ridge Bank
Classes/Seminars
- ABI Central States Bankruptcy Conference, 2020, 2023, 2024.
- TMA MARC 2024
- TMA Annual Conference, 2023.
- Handling Complex Business Cases, State Bar of Wisconsin, 2023.
- Commercial Receiver’s Association Annual Conference, 2023, 2025.
- “What to Do When the Money Runs Out”, State Bar of Wisconsin, 2023.
- “Commercial Landlord Tenant Law Intersects With Insolvency”, State Bar of Wisconsin, 2023.
- “Receiverships: Why Proceed?”, Dane County Bar Association, 2023.
- “Federal and State Court Receiverships”, Chicago/Midwest TMA, 2023.
- Instructor, Wisconsin Bankers Association Commercial Lending School, 2022.
- “Receiverships”, IMN Bank Special Assets & Credit Officer’s Forum (Midwest), 2022.
- “Turning Lemons Into Lemonade”, Iowa Commercial Real Estate Expo, 2022.
- “The Efficient Chapter 11 Case”, State Bar of Wisconsin BICR Retreat, 2017.
- “Piercing the Corporate Veil”, State Bar of Wisconsin, Annual Bankruptcy Update, November 2016.
- “Odd Statutory Liens”, State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Meeting, 2016.
- “Headaches, Relief and Other Remedies”, American Bankruptcy Institute Central States Conference, 2016.
- “A Guide to Garnishments”, State Bar of Wisconsin Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Creditors’ Rights Annual Update, October 2015.
- “Associated Bank N.A. v. Collier and Attorney’s Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. v. Town Bank: A Sea of Change on Wisconsin Receivership Law and Its Impact on Federal Litigation,” 2015 DCWBA Annual Meeting, May 20, 2015.
- “So, You Want to be a Supplemental Receiver? Keep Reading, You May Change Your Mind,” WDBB, May 14, 2015.
- “Preferences: Now You Have It, Now You Don’t,” 2014 State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Update.
- “TMA: Advanced Education Session: What Did I Get Myself Into? Ethical Issues in Distressed Deals,” The Annual TMA Meeting, 2014.
- “Ethical Issues in Distressed Deals,” Turnaround Management Association, September 24, 2013.
- “Worth the Jump: A Couple of Stories About Finding and Realizing Value,” USLFG Bankruptcy Group Meeting, 2013.
- University of Wisconsin, Lawyering Skills Course.
Certifications
- Business Bankruptcy, American Board of Certification, 2005 to 2021 (Rebecca joined DSI in 2021).
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Bankruptcy Institute, 2001-present
- Turnaround Management Association, 2004-2006; 2011-present
- Turnaround Management Association Milwaukee Program Committee, 2013
- International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring, 2015-present
- International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring, Founder and Chair of Wisconsin Network, 2017-present
- International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring, International Board, 2020-present
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Creditors’ Rights Section
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Bankruptcy Insolvency and Creditors’ Rights Section Board Member, 2013-2016
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Western District of Wisconsin Bankruptcy Bar
- Legal Association for Women, Board Member, 1999-2004
- Legal Association for Women, President, 2004
Awards
- Inclusion in Wisconsin Super Lawyers, Debtor-Creditor Rights, 2008-2021 (when joined DSI), 2024 to present
- Super Lawyers Top 25 Female Attorneys in Wisconsin, 2010, 2015 – 2021 (when joined DSI)
- Super Lawyers Top 25 Attorneys in Madison, 2015 – 2021 (when joined DSI)
- 8th Annual M&A Advisor Turnaround Awards for Anchor Bancorp, Inc., Chapter 11 case
- 10th Annual M&A Advisor Turnaround Awards, Divestiture Deal of the Year (Under $50MM)
- 2015 Turnaround Management Association, National, Small Company Transaction of the Year, LongVANS, Inc.
- 2015 Turnaround Management Association, Chicago/Midwest, Small Company Transaction of the Year
- Wisconsin Law Journal ‘Women in the Law’ honoree
- Watch ‘Women in the Law’ video on Rebecca DeMarb
- Inclusion in Best Lawyers, 2019-Present
- Law Dragon Top 500 U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers
- 10.0 AVVO Rating
