AG & BUSINESS LEGAL STRATEGIES - Key Persons
Alex joined ABLS in June, 2023. He is a Cedar Rapids native and studied Marketing at Iowa State University. He is a proud member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, Beta Omicron Chapter, where he maintained the leadership roles of Chapter Tribune, Ritual Chair, and Kitchen Manager during his time in college. When he is not working, he enjoys exercising, golfing, and spending time with friends and family (Especially his cat, Toast).
Austin J. Peiffer joined Ag & Business Legal Strategies in 2020, after spending a year clerking for the Honorable A. Benjamin Goldgar, Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago. He earned his law degree from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri, with a certificate in Business & Corporate Law. While in law school he worked with the school's Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic and served as a judicial extern with the Honorable Charles E. Rendlen III (ret.) with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. He is licensed in Iowa and Missouri.
As Joe Peiffer's son, Austin grew up immersed in bankruptcy and life in Eastern Iowa. However, his path to joining Ag & Business Legal Strategies and setting down roots in Cedar Rapids took some long detours. After his undergraduate studies at the University of Iowa, where he earned degrees in mathematics and music while spending four years as a member of the Hawkeye Marching Band, Austin pursued a career as a professional trombonist, earning music degrees from the University of Utah and the University of Missouri-Kansas City and taking orchestra and military band auditions around the country. However, when he met his future wife he decided to change gears and pursue a career as a lawyer.
Austin enjoys reading, listening to music, cooking, playing trombone, and spending time with his wife and their twin children.
Joseph A. Peiffer has focused his practice on business bankruptcy for more than 30 years, and established Ag & Business Legal Strategies (formerly Peiffer Law Office, P.C.) in 2016.
As someone who grew up on an Iowa family farm in Delaware County, Iowa, Joe Peiffer has a keen interest in agricultural law. He graduated from Iowa State University as the top graduate in his class studying Dairy Science, as well as Public Service and Administration. Peiffer received his law degree, with Distinction, from the University of Iowa.
During the farm crisis of the 1980s, Joe served as the law clerk for the busiest bankruptcy judge in the country. After that clerkship, he began representing family farmers to assist them with their financial problems. In addition to assisting with financial problems, Joe has: handled negotiations to split up farm businesses; sold farming operations on a going concern basis; represented farmers before the ASCS dealing with issues involving conversion of wetlands; litigated involving the sale of sows infected with pseudorabies; and appealed adverse rulings by ASCS regarding qualification for payment limitations by family farm units.
Since 1994, Joe Peiffer has been certified in Business Bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification. He has been active in legislation, spearheading laws that make it easier and cheaper to place bankruptcy case records in Iowa's county records. In addition, he served as legislative chairperson for the Commercial and Bankruptcy Law Section of the Iowa State Bar Association.
Joe is licensed in both Iowa and Illinois. He welcomes new clients and enjoys helping businesses regain their financial footing.
Because of his own history in agriculture, Joseph Peiffer has a thorough understanding of agriculture. He can relate to your complex situations with knowledge and empathy. Once he hears about your unique operation, he'll suggest practical solutions-solutions he'd offer his own family.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Strategist
Keith Starr has been active in business and agriculture all of his life. Having grown up near Keokuk, Keith went on to complete a degree in Agribusiness Economics from Southern Illinois University. Along the way he also completed the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, Wisconsin. For 30 years of intensive banking, Keith helped farmers and business people achieve their dreams through well-structured and innovative loan programs. He is familiar with IADA, FSA, and SBA programs.
Keith and his wife Joanne live in Charles City where Joanne remains active in the medical field. Their three children, having graduated from Iowa schools, now teach, program computers, and work in business development.
When not working Keith can be found in his second term as a City Council representative for Charles City. He is also active on various boards in the community and still finds time to fish and work with Boy Scout activities.
Mike handles much of what you don't see when you come into the office. Accounts receivable, accounts payable, building maintenance, and supplies requisition are only some of the things he is in charge of.
When he is not at work, Mike can often be found cooking off-the-wall things, riding bike, traveling, or spending way too much time on the internet.
Steve A. Ginther joined Ag & Business Legal Strategies in November, 2023, returning home after living in Missouri. He and his wife Elizabeth both grew up in the Cedar Rapids area. Their two children both received degrees from Iowa State and are currently working and attending graduate school. Steve received degrees in Economics and Political Science from the University of Iowa and followed up with his law degree, also from Iowa. He has devoted his over 30-year career to bankruptcy, collections, and taxation law. Steve has been active with the Boy Scouts and enjoys hiking, reading about history and science, and anything Iowa Hawkeyes. He is licensed to practice law in Iowa and Missouri.