She also plays a key role in reshaping ideas about bankruptcy.

“There’s no shame in availing yourself of the protections that Abraham Lincoln, Henry Ford and Walt Disney used. They all fell on hard times,” Wimmer said. “It happens to the best of us. You can’t control if you get sick, or have an accident, or get laid off.”

Wimmer chose bankruptcy law after working in the practice area at her first job. She also has a certificate of concentration in criminal law from the School of Law.

“Once I started working in bankruptcy law, it quickly became clear to me that it was a practice area much more suited to my temperament. It’s not pure litigation,” she said. “Over the years, bankruptcy law became more than a way to make a living. It became a passion.”

At Upsolve, Wimmer and her colleagues have cleared more than $239 million of debt for their users. She’s proud of those results — and their ability to change lives.

Wimmer credits School of Law professor Linda Meyer as well as professor Neal Feigenson and professor emeritus Martin Marguiles for helping her succeed.

“Professor Meyer showed me there’s a whole research component to being a lawyer,” Wimmer said. “You don’t necessarily have to be a litigator. It broadened my idea of what you can do with your JD.”