ABOUT US
Ag & Business Legal Strategies works at the crossroads of law and rural interests. Founder Joe Peiffer grew up on an Iowa farm, and our entire staff is committed to advocating for the interests of farmers and other small business owners, particularly when it comes to bankruptcy and debt restructuring law. Our goal is to treat you with respect, review your situation and options honestly and transparently, and help formulate and execute a plan to save you as much time, money, and stress as possible. We want to help you resolve your financial difficulties — not just kick the can down the road.
Our attorneys, financial management advisors, and staff take a collaborative approach to working with clients and their existing advisors (farm manager, tax professional, banker, and other consultants).
We become part of your expert team to protect your farm business or commercial interests — whether you are restructuring farm debt, considering bankruptcy, dividing up a family business, analyzing your operation, or understanding the details of government regulations.
The Ag & Business Legal Strategies team practices in Iowa, Northwest Illinois, and Northern Missouri and also consults with attorneys throughout the country.
Our attorneys consult on farm and commercial bankruptcy and debt restructuring cases. They do not handle personal or consumer bankruptcy or debt restructuring.
Meet
The Team
Joseph A. Peiffer
Founding Attorney
Iowa native Joe Peiffer grew up on a farm in Delaware County, then earned a degree in Dairy Science and Public Service and Administration from Iowa State University. He went on to complete his Juris Doctor degree, with distinction, at the University of Iowa. Following a clerkship with an Iowa bankruptcy judge in the 1980s, he began representing family farmers with financial struggles and helping federal legislators review and craft bankruptcy laws. He earned his certification in business bankruptcy from the American Board of Certification in 1994. He established Ag & Business Legal Strategies in 2016.
Matt Higgins
Associate Attorney
Matt earned his Juris Doctor degree from The University of Texas School of Law in Austin, TX. Following five years working in large Chicago firms, he joined Ag & Business Legal Strategies in 2026. While in law school, he was an editor of the Texas Review of Entertainment and Sports Law and the Journal of Law and Technology at Texas. He also participated in the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic and the INCLUDE project, advocating for students with special needs. From October 2018 through May of 2019 he was a pupil of The Honorable Larry E. Kelly Inn of Court.
Austin J. Peiffer
Associate Attorney
Austin earned his Juris Doctor degree from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Mo., with a certification in Business & Corporate Law. Following a year of clerking for the chief judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois, he joined Joe in practice at Ag & Business Legal Strategies in 2020. While in law school, he was the American College of Bankruptcy’s 2019 Distinguished Law Student for the 8th Circuit, served as a judicial extern for a bankruptcy judge, and worked with the school’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic.
Linda E. Kobliska
Of-Counsel Attorney
Linda Kobliska serves in an Of-Counsel position with more than 25 years’ experience in agricultural finance, with a focus on debtor/creditor matters, including workouts and bankruptcies. Having grown up on a farm and then married a farmer, she understands and appreciates the unique challenges in agriculture. Linda is also experienced with advising and assisting small businesses with business plans, financing, and restructuring.
Leah Johnson
Paralegal
Prior to joining Ag & Business Legal Strategies as a legal assistant in 2022, Leah received her Associate of Arts degree from Kirkwood Community College, then earned an Associate of Applied Arts in Paralegal Studies in 2023. As our paralegal, she is responsible for a little of everything in the office’s daily operations, including assisting the attorneys with drafting court papers, updating and working with our clients, and reviewing and organizing the documents clients submit.
Cassi Noonan
Legal Support Assistant
Prior to joining Ag & Business Legal Strategies in 2026, Cassi received her BA in marketing from the University of Iowa. As our legal support assistant, she is responsible for a little of everything in the office’s daily functions, including organizing the documents clients submit, processing mail, greeting clients, and answering the phone.
Mike Peiffer
Office Administrator
Mike is responsible for coordinating Ag & Business Legal Strategies’s support systems, including accounts receivable and payable, building maintenance, and supplies requisition. He also serves as a paralegal and legal assistant.
Alex Tvedte
Legal Assistant
A Cedar Rapids native, Alex studied Marketing at Iowa State University. He joined Ag & Business Legal Strategies in June 2023, and assists our attorneys with scheduling, research, and client support along with marketing efforts.
Careers
We are dedicated to helping farmers and other small business owners understand available businesses and legal remedies so they have time and peace of mind to concentrate on what they do best. Are you ready to take the lead?
Upcoming
Event Schedule
Our attorneys and financial analysts regularly share their expertise at continuing-education seminars, webinars, and conferences, as well as other events. Here’s what’s coming up in the near future for Ag & Business Legal Strategies!