Litigation - Real Estate Commercial Litigation Litigation - Trusts and Estates Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law Real Estate Law
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in Madison.
Norman D. "Norm" Farnam
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2013 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Norm is a member of the firm Stroud, Willink & Howard, LLC and is a business attorney. Norm focuses his practice on lender representation through all phases of lending, from loan origination and renewals, to workouts and forbearance, litigation including foreclosures and bankruptcy proceedings, and assisting with liquidation of bank-owned assets. His extensive experience working closely with his clients throughout the life cycle of the lending relationship has provided him with insight into the practical issues faced by lenders. When crafting real-world and creative solutions for originating loans, fashioning workouts, and selling bank-owned property, Norm’s clients rely on his deep understanding, not just of lending, but of other areas of the law such as real estate, personal property, succession planning, and business organizations.
In addition to representing lenders, Norm has a vibrant business transactional and litigation practice. Norm also assists the firm’s clients with their intellectual property needs.
Overview
- University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., graduated 1999
- Northern Illinois University, BA, graduated 1994
- Wisconsin, State Bar of Wisconsin
- Community Bankers of Wisconsin - member
- Dane County Bar Association - member
- State Bar of Wisconsin - member
- Wisconsin Bankers Association - member
- Wisconsin, State Bar of Wisconsin
- Community Bankers of Wisconsin - member
- Dane County Bar Association - member
- State Bar of Wisconsin - member
- Wisconsin Bankers Association - member
- University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., graduated 1999
- Northern Illinois University, BA, graduated 1994
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Litigation - Real Estate, Madison (2026)
- Litigation - Real Estate, Madison (2022)
- Litigation - Real Estate, Madison (2020)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation - Real Estate
- Litigation - Trusts and Estates
- Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
- Real Estate Law
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Banking and Finance Law
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Copyright Law
- Trademark Law
Awards:
- AV® Preeminent™ Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings
- Selected as a "Rising Star" on the Wisconsin Super Lawyer list by Law & Politics Magazine and Milwaukee Magazine (2006-2009)
- Named a "Top Lawyer" by Madison Magazine
News & Media
Additional Information
Case History
Transactions
- Practice Experience
- Helped clients originate and renew over $88 million in commercial and construction loans throughout Wisconsin in the last 12 months.
- Helped clients put under contract and liquidate bank-owned real property throughout Wisconsin worth more than $20 million in the last 12 months.
- Prepared and executed a long-term workout strategy of large lending relationship involving dozens of loans and mortgagors, dozens of properties located throughout Wisconsin, multiple foreclosures, multiple short sales, multiple bankruptcies, complex title issues, environmental issues, and competing creditors with complicated priority claims requiring litigation to successfully resolve in client's favor.
- Engineered successful workout of large commercial real-estate-backed loans guaranteed by over a dozen individual and entity investors who were dramatically at odds with each other. Workout included borrower liquidation of property on favorable terms, significant principal reduction payments, and agreement by most of the guarantors to make substantial payments on guarantees.
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