Gibeault, Patricia M.

Patricia M. Gibeault

Of Counsel Attorney

About

Patricia Gibeault is a partner in Axley practicing as an insolvency attorney handles matters that include Bankruptcy Chapters 7, 11, 12, and 13, commercial litigation, foreclosure, Chapter 128 Receiverships and Workouts. As an attorney for over 30 years, she has handled insolvency matters ranging from $100,000 to $120 million.

After obtaining her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School, Ms. Gibeault served as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert D. Martin, Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. She served as a Chapter 7 panel Trustee for the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Wisconsin from 1984 through 1993. Continuously advancing her knowledge, experience and involvement, Ms. Gibeault is also the chairperson of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Creditors Rights (BICR) Section.

Attorney Gibeault served as Managing Partner of Axley from 2015 – 2016.

Admitted to practice in the State Courts of Wisconsin, Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, Northern District of Illinois, and United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Education

J.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison
B.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison

Involvement & Recognition

Involvement:

  • Board Member, State Bar Bankruptcy, Insolvency, and Creditor Rights (BICR)
  • Member, Western District Bankruptcy Bar
  • Member, TEMPO Madison

Recognition:

  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© (1989-2021 Edition) – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© (2011-2021 Edition) – Litigation – Bankruptcy
  • Named Lawyer of the Year in The Best Lawyers in America© (2016 Edition) – Litigation – Bankruptcy
  • Named Lawyer of the Year in The Best Lawyers in America© (2012 Edition) – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Selected as one of the Wisconsin Law Journal‘s 2015 Women in the Law
  • Named a top Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law attorney in The Best Lawyers In America©
  • Named to the 2005 – 2022 Wisconsin Super Lawyers Lists (Primary Area of Practice: Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law)
  • Named to the Wisconsin Super Lawyers List in its Business Edition (Primary Area of Practice: Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law)
  • Named to the 2005, 2009 – 2013 Top 25 Women Wisconsin Super Lawyers Lists
  • Named one of Madison’s top bankruptcy law attorneys by Madison Magazine
  • AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™

Client Successes

Regular representation of lenders in bankruptcies, including farms, real estate, service organizations and manufacturing

On numerous occasions utilized Chapter 128 proceedings to maximize a lender/client receiving multimillion-dollar payment on the sale of assets secured to it by obtaining a going concern value for the assets owned by an insolvent borrower

Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a lender/client dismissing a multimillion-dollar toxic tort claim brought in federal court related to the lender’s sale of contaminated property obtained in a foreclosure proceeding

Representation of secured creditors in out-of-court workouts, resulting in a restructured debt, allowing debtor to continue in business, and providing sufficient cash flow to service both secured and unsecured debt

Working in cooperation with borrowers to utilize Article 9 surrender and sale procedures to obtain going concern value from the sale of collateral

Restructure of multimillion-dollar business with more than 30 locations on behalf of the debtor, successfully reorganizing without the need for federal court or state court protection

Insights

Other Presentations & Publications
Presentation: "Bankruptcy and Wisconsin Consumer Act." Wisconsin Banking Law Update (7/2014)
Frequent speaker on creditor and debtor rights