Stephanie J Derks
Associate
Stephanie Derks concentrates her practice on estate planning for high-net-worth individuals, family business succession planning, family office formation, trust and estate administration, tax compliance, and other wealth planning matters. Stephanie understands the unique dynamics involved when working with families and individuals. She strives to provide creative and comprehensive solutions to achieve clients’ estate, business, and tax planning goals. She is a member of the firm’s Estates and Trusts Practice.
Representative Experience
- Achieved client’s goal of generational family ownership of closely held business through utilizing creative trust ownership structure.
- Applied advanced estate and tax planning techniques to allow for the gradual transition of the closely held business to the next generation while ensuring the current generation’s financial security and the company’s long-term sustainability.
- Implemented estate planning methods, such as irrevocable trusts, GRATs, and installment sales, to transfer wealth to different family members while minimizing tax implications.
- Played an integral role in creating a family office and continued to work with the family office to implement creative tax-saving solutions.
- Administered large estates with complex assets and tax issues and advised family members through the estate administration process.
- Worked with businesses and other organizations to apply innovative special-purpose trusts.
Awards and Recognition
- Received, Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition for:
- Corporate Law (2022)
- Trusts and Estates (2021-2024)
Community Involvement
- Participant in the 2019 -2020 Young Professional Adviser Council (YPA) with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
- Board Member, Curative Care Network, Inc.
- Volunteer, Wills for Heroes
Presentations and Publications
- Presenter, “Charitable Gifts of Special Assets,” Planned Giving Council Series (Fall 2019; Fall 2020; Fall 2021, Spring 2022)
Ten Minute Interview: Corporate Transparency Act
Brian Lucareli, director of Foley Private Client Services (PCS) and co-chair of the Family Offices group, sits down with members of our Estate Planning group, James Howard, partner, and Stephanie Derks, associate, for a 10-minute interview to discuss the Corporate Transparency Act.
Virtual CLE Week
Please join Foley for Milwaukee's Annual CLE Weeks. This year’s programs will be presented over six days and will cover a range of key business, industry, and ethics topics. As a unique offering this year, CLE Weeks will provide both in-person and virtual session topics
Foley Attorneys Recognized in 2024 Best Lawyers in America
Foley & Lardner LLP proudly announced today that 236 of the firm’s attorneys across 20 U.S. offices have received recognition in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.
Foley Represents SixSibs Capital in Growth Equity Investment in Green Light Distribution
Foley & Lardner LLP recently advised SixSibs Capital in a minority growth equity investment in Green Light Distribution, a leading distributor of wine and craft spirits brands based in Dallas, Texas.
Ten Minute Interview: Business Succession Planning
Brian Lucareli, Director of Foley Private Client Services (PCS) and co-chair of the Family Offices group, sits down with Stephanie Derks, associate and member of the firm’s Estate Planning Practice Group and Family Offices team, for a 10-minute interview to discuss business succession planning.
Foley Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Best Lawyers in America
Foley & Lardner LLP proudly announced that 250 of our attorneys across 20 offices have received recognition in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.