Jane Zimmerman Bio

As President of Murphy Desmond S.C., attorney Ginger Zimmerman is responsible for strategic planning, management, growth and development of the firm, in addition to representing her clients. Ginger's legal practice combines her experience in business, real estate, bankruptcy, secured transactions, agricultural and commercial transactions, loan transactions, and litigation. She represents creditors, debtors, receivers and Trustees in bankruptcies, collections, foreclosures, reorganizations, liquidations, and Wisconsin Chapter 128 proceedings. Ginger assists creditors, personal representatives and trustees in probate and trust administration matters. Ginger also represents purchasers, sellers, landlords, and tenants of commercial and agricultural real estate. Her background in commercial and agricultural law is particularly helpful in structuring and negotiating financing for new businesses, refinancings, business acquisitions, expansions, reorganizations, and succession plans. Her practice includes representing borrowers, guarantors, and lenders in commercial and agricultural loan transactions. In the area of business startups, Ginger assists entrepreneurs with entity formation, governance, contracts, real estate, and financing. Her experience in working with creditors and debtors in collections, bankruptcies, and business reorganizations gives Ginger a unique perspective in helping owners avoid financial pitfalls of starting and operating a business. Since joining the firm in 1992, Ginger has served in leadership roles including Chair of the firm's Board of Directors, Managing Shareholder, and Practice Group Leader for the Creditors' Rights, Business Bankruptcy and Commercial Litigation Practice Group. In addition, she currently Chairs the Board of the Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Creditors' Rights Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin, and serves as Vice Chair of the Board of the United Way of Dane County. Ginger was named "Madison Lawyer of the Year" in Litigation-Bankruptcy" in 2024 and 2021 by Best Lawyers, and was named "Madison Lawyer of the Year" in Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law in 2024, 2020, 2018 and 2016. She has been consistently included on lists for Best Lawyers (in three practice areas) and Wisconsin Super Lawyers, including "Top 25 Women" Wisconsin Super Lawyers, and "Top 25 Madison" Super Lawyers. Ginger is included on the Lawdragon 500 "Leading U.S. Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers" list, considered a pinnacle award. In addition, she was inducted into the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation in 2020, another exclusive honor, and the Fellows of the Wisconsin Law Foundation in 2021. Ginger is rated AV (top rating) by Martindale-Hubbell/Lawyers.com, and 10.0 "Superb" on Avvo.com. She was previously honored by the Wisconsin Law Journal as a "Women in the Law" for her work in the legal field and her support, mentoring, and encouragement of female attorneys in their careers. Throughout Ginger's legal career, she has made time to actively serve the community in a wide range of causes. She has volunteered her time in leadership roles with the United Way of Dane County since 2009, currently serving as Chair of the Board of Directors. Ginger has also been actively involved with collegiate athletics, women's organizations such as LPGA and TEMPO, bankruptcy professional organizations, and the State Bar -- among others. Based in Murphy Desmond's Madison office, Ginger also is available by appointment in the firm's Appleton, Janesville, and Dodgeville offices.