Greg monday

Gregory F. Monday

Shareholder

Madison
LinkedIn
Blog
Download as vCard
  1. Home
  2. Our People
  3. Gregory F. Monday

Greg Monday defines his practice by his clients—he's a family business lawyer. His extensive experience and knowledge of business law, contracts, tax law, estate planning and more help family business owners achieve their goals while preserving family harmony. He primarily works with clients in real estate, manufacturing and retail with companies valued at $30 million and up.

Greg assists with issues at the intersection of family and business transitioning between generations, owning and running a business together, supporting retirement and ensuring the family legacy endures. His knowledge of family businesses, backed with the support of a full-service business law firm, makes him a valuable legal partner.

Clients appreciate Greg's ability as a consensus-builder. His technical knowledge gleaned from decades of practice, combined with his upbeat, optimistic attitude, give him a unique perspective in creating solutions that work for all parties. He serves as a trusted adviser, helping clients work through sensitive issues and achieve their goals beyond financial success.

His knowledge of family business dynamics runs deep and began early. He worked his way through college at a family-owned restaurant and afterward, was employed at two other family businesses. Before he entered law school, he had already gained much practical experience with the unique qualities and needs of family business owners.

Greg is an adjunct business law professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School. He is also the author of The Lawyers Guide to Family Business Succession Planning (ABA 2020) and publishes a blog about family business law.

Greg and his wife, Stephanie, married in 1987 and attended law school together. They have three adult children. Greg and Stephanie enjoy the arts, such as literature, music, film and theater. Greg also loves hiking with his daughter, photography and animals, especially the family dog and four cats.

Education

  • J.D., with honors, University of Wisconsin Law School
  • B.A., with honors, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Bar Admissions

Wisconsin

Practices
Services

Honors & Affiliations

Honors

  • Best Lawyers' 2024 Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); and Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law "Lawyer of the Year"
  • Best Lawyers' 2020 Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law "Lawyer of the Year"
  • Best Lawyers' 2019 Madison Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) "Lawyer of the Year"
  • Best Lawyers' 2017 Madison Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) "Lawyer of the Year"
  • Best Lawyers' 2016 Madison Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law "Lawyer of the Year"
  • Best Lawyers' 2015 Madison Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) "Lawyer of the Year"
  • Best Lawyers in America, since 2003 (Business Organizations Law [including LLCs and partnerships]; Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Litigation-Trusts & Estates Law; Trusts & Estates Law)
  • Chambers' High Net Worth recognition as a leader in his field for Private Wealth Law
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
  • Selected for inclusion in Wisconsin Super Lawyers since 2006
  • Most Outstanding Student Award, University of Wisconsin Law School

Affiliations

  • Adjunct Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Wisconsin Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation
  • Fellow, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
  • Wisconsin Law Review (former Editor-in-Chief)
  • Family Firm Institute

News & Insights

View All

Presentations

  • "Tribal Business Codes," Coming Together of Peoples Conference (April 12, 2024)
  • "Contracts for Family Business Succession," WealthCounsel Symposium (October 26, 2023)
  • "Estate Plans for Family Business Succession," WealthCounsel Symposium (October 26, 2023)
  • "Untying the Knot: MPAs for Estate Planning, Business, Family and Bankruptcy," State Bar of Wisconsin (February 28, 2023)
  • “Wisconsin LLC Changes Effective January 1, 2023: How These Changes May Affect Your Business,” University of Wisconsin La-Crosse Small Business Development Center (November 30, 2022; December 7, 2022; December 15, 2022)
  • “Family Offices: Large, Medium & Small,” WICPA Tax Conference 2022 (November 4, 2022)
  • “7th Annual Family Business Update,” State Bar of Wisconsin (September 30, 2022)
  • “A Match Made in Heaven: An In-Law in the Family Business,” Wisconsin Family Business Center (April 7, 2022)
  • "Family Business Succession Planning in Nine (Silo-Busting) Steps," Celesq AttorneysEd Center (October 22, 2021)
  • "6th Annual Family Business Update," State Bar of Wisconsin (October 20, 2021)
  • "Ethics for Family Business Lawyers: A Practical Approach," WealthCounsel (July 28, 2021)
  • "Round Table: Lessons from Family Business Battles," Wisconsin Family Business Center (June 17, 2021)
  • "Recent Developments in the Law for Family Businesses: 2020," State Bar of Wisconsin (December 9, 2020)
  • "Between the Pages - Family Business Succession is a Puzzle, Not a Contest," American Bar Association (November 20, 2020)
  • "Family Business Succession Planning in a Time of Low Interest Rates & High Uncertainty," WIPCA (November 13, 2020)
  • "Business Succession Planning During a Crisis," Wisconsin Family Business Center (September 23,2020)
  • "Family Business Succession Planning: Maintaining Key Related Party Contracts," WealthCounsel (September 16, 2020)
  • "Business Continuation in the Age of COVID-19," State Bar of Wisconsin (September 8, 2020)
  • "Understanding (and Managing) the Divergent Fiduciary Duty Standards for Corporations and LLCs after the Wisconsin Supreme Court's Decision in Marx v. Morris," Wisconsin Association of Corporate Counsel (August 26, 2020)
  • "Managing Personal Wealth & The Family Business: Planning & Portfolio Opportunities for Challenged Environments," Wisconsin Family Business Center (April 22, 2020)
  • "Crisis Help Available Now: How to Access Financial Assistance for Your Business and Your Employees," Wisconsin Family Business Center (April 15, 2020)
  • Family Business Center Fall Program (December 11, 2019)
  • Family Business Presentation for Deloitte Milwaukee Professional Services (September 17, 2019)
  • Wisconsin Charitable Gift Planners Panel, Operation Fresh Start MKE (July 16, 2019)
  • Family-Owned Business Event, Milwaukee Business Journal (May 21, 2019)
  • "Step-by-Step Family Business Succession Planning," Wisconsin Family Business Center (November 1, 2018)
  • "A Template for Family Business Succession Planning," State Bar of Wisconsin (May 16, 2018)
  • "A Template for Family Business Succession Planning," Fidelity National Financial, Inc. Business Resource Round table (May 9, 2018)
  • "How Different Members of a Client’s Planning Team Use Financial Information,” Madison Estate Council (October 23, 2017)
  • “A Guide to Employment Terms & Compensation of Key Personnel in Family Businesses,” State Bar of Wisconsin (October 18, 2017)
  • "The Role of the Trust’s Representative on the Family Business Board," National Trust Closely Held Business Association Conference (September 13, 2017)
  • “Guaranties of Family Business Debt: Risks, Rights & Remedies,” State Bar of Wisconsin (July 12, 2017)
  • "Tax Efficient Wealth Management Structures for High Net Worth Families," WICPA Tax Conference (November 3, 2016)
  • "Building a Business Dynasty: The Value of Good Governance in Family Business Succession," Milwaukee Bar Association (February 3, 2015)
  • "Trust Protectors in Estate Planning: Benefits and Risks," Strafford Live Phone/Web Seminar (June 9, 2015; July 17, 2013; and June 7, 2012)
  • "Building a Business Dynasty: The Role of Good Governance in Family Business Succession," Milwaukee Estate Planning (April 3, 2013)
  • "Ruling a Business Dynasty: Governance Techniques Corporate Lawyers Should Know For Successful Family Companies," Celesq, live phone/web seminar (August 16, 2012)
  • Guest, In Business Radio, on "Business Divorce," Madison 1670 AM (broadcast August 11, 2011)
  • Guest, In Business Radio, on "Risk Management," Madison 1670 AM (broadcast July 22, 2011)
  • "Business Divorce and Succession Planning," State Bar of Wisconsin’s Real Estate & Business Law Institute (June 9, 2011)
  • "Business Succession Planning," Corporate Practice Institute, State Bar of Wisconsin (December 7, 2010)
  • "Business Continuation Planning," State Bar of Wisconsin (September 8, 2010)
  • "Business Continuation Planning," Madison Estate Counsel (February 15, 2010)

Publications

  • "Future-Proofing Your Family Business: Strategies for Succession and Governance with Gregory Monday," Courageous Conflict Podcast (February 2024)
  • "Avoiding the small business traps," quoted, In Business Madison (June 1, 2023)
  • "To opt in or opt out — that is the question for LLCs," quoted, In Business Madison (November 1, 2022)
  • "Q&A: Greg Monday," Crain Currency, November 9, 2022 (Vol. 1, Issue 20)
  • "It's a Puzzle Not a Contest: A Better Approach to Family Business Succession Planning," WealthCounsel Quarterly (Winter 2021)
  • Family Succession Planning and Related Party Contracts, Business Law Today (July 2020)
  • The Lawyer's Guide to Family Business Succession Planning, American Bar Association (June 2020)
  • "A Blueprint for Family Business Succession Planning," Business Law Today (January 2018)
  • "Court Approves Easy Probate Avoidance for Real Estate," Wealth Management.com, Trusts & Estates (April 2015)
  • "Drafting in a Parallel Universe," WealthManagement.com, Trusts & Estates (April 2015)
  • "Keeping Up With Philip Seymour Hoffman," WealthManagement.com, Trusts & Estates, co-author (March 2014)
  • "Transferee Liability for Estate Taxes Can Become a Never Ending Story," Wealth Watch by Trusts & Estates (September 9, 2013)
  • "Two Courts in Search of a Remedy," Wealth Watch by Trusts & Estates (February 2013)
  • "HappyFamily, Inc.: Best Practice for Business Governance," Trusts & Estates (August 2012)
  • "Governance of Family-Controlled Companies," Trusts & Estates (August 2012)
  • "Risk Management with a Simple 'AS-IS' Approach," Family Business (May/June 2012)
  • "Supreme Court Unanimously Rules that State Law can Define Family Relations for Federal Program," Wealth Watch by Trusts & Estates (May 30, 2012)
  • "Do We Need Protection from Trust Protectors?" Wealth Watch by Trusts & Estates (March 28, 2012)
  • "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," Construction Business Owner (March 2012)
  • "Posthumous Conception," Wealth Watch by Trusts & Estates (February 29, 2012)
  • "Three Steps to File a Protective Claim," Wealth Watch by Trusts & Estates (January 25, 2012)
  • "Can We Talk?" Wealth Watch by Trusts & Estates (November 23, 2011)
  • "A Smart Approach to Board-Level Risk Management," IB Open Mic (August 30, 2011)
  • "The Implications for Wealth Transfers from U.S. Debt Downgrade," The Wealth Manager, co-author (August 2011)
  • "Shareholders vs. Creditors," Corporate Report Wisconsin, co-author (June 2011)
  • "Know the Limits of Your Company’s Liability Shield," Modern Contractor Solutions (May 2011)
  • "Four Good Reasons to Engage an Estate Planner, and Now!" In Business Open Mic (March 2011)
  • "Legal: Getting Personal," American Executive, co-author (January 2011)
  • "Don't Forget about State Filings," Corporate Secretary (December 2010)
  • "Filing Follies," Wealth Watch by Trusts & Estates, co-author (October 27, 2010)
  • "Seeking Bank Credit? Negotiate Your Personal Guarantees," In Business Open Mic, co-author (September 21, 2010)
  • "Business Succession Planning With the Four Levels of Ownership and Control," Wealth Strategies Journal, (September 2010)
  • "Settlor Incompetence and the Trustee’s Quandary," Trusts & Estates (July 2010), co-author with Eric Maassen
  • "Structuring Shareholder Loans to Reduce Risk in Bankruptcy," Family Business Magazine (June 2010)
  • "Business Continuation Planning for the Loss of a Family Business Owner," Estate Planning (April 2010)
  • "State Business Owners Should be Allowed to See a Return on Their Hard Work," Capital Region Business Journal (April 2010)
  • "The Secret to Mixing Family with Business," Milwaukee Business Journal special supplement (co-author)