One of those next-up leaders is Weld Riley Attorney, Samuel Bach-Hanson. Coming up on his fourth year at the firm, what drew him to Weld Riley is the same thing that brings in many of its clients: the people.

“After graduating from law school many of my classmates went to different firms and organizations. A lot of them felt, almost immediately, burnt out because they weren’t given support as a young lawyer,” he recalled. “I never felt like that at Weld Riley.”

As a collaborative team, every attorney and assistant in the office is on-deck to help out, at every turn. That cohesive community was what made Sam intrigued by the firm, though he initially found out about Weld Riley while in Black River Falls.

“Weld Riley is a very well-rounded, full-service firm for the Valley, and as a young lawyer trying to figure out what area of law I wanted to practice, it made me really interested in starting my career at Weld Riley.”

“When I was in law school, I was sitting at a coffee shop in downtown Black River and looked across the street, and there was Weld Riley’s office sign,” he said. After looking into the firm on his own, he went out on a limb and submitted his information to the office.

“Weld Riley is a very well-rounded, full-service firm for the Valley, and as a young lawyer trying to figure out what area of law I wanted to practice, it made me really interested in starting my career at Weld Riley,” he said. “I’m still here because, luckily, I was right, and the people here are collaborative and always go the extra mile to help both co-workers and clients.”

Landing at Weld Riley fresh out of law school – experienced as the Editor-in-Chief of the Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender & Society – Sam worked at the Black River Falls location until he made the move to Eau Claire in 2020 with his husband. Since then, he has carved his own path, making genuine impacts across wider Western Wisconsin and through his work with local municipalities, like the City of Altoona.

“I really enjoy working with small businesses who are either just starting out or trying to figure out how to navigate certain areas of the law, but especially in the last year or so, I’ve really liked working with the City of Altoona,” he said. “They’re really inspired and active in getting things done, and it’s cool to see the different projects they work on.”

Sam spends much of his time outside of work in Altoona too, calling River Prairie one of his favorite areas since moving to the Valley. Giving a nod to the restaurants there, he most enjoys the family time the area helps foster. “When my nieces and nephew are in town, it’s a great place to visit because it’s different than your average park, having the creek, splash pad, and trolls to play with,” he said. “And we enjoy the live music in the summer!”

If you don’t catch him and his husband walking their dogs on the trails, you’re sure to see them downtown around Phoenix Park and the Pablo Center. “They have great shows and the Valley is starting to see some great Broadway shows coming to the Pablo Center – we got our tickets!”

After completing a leadership summit at the State Bar, Sam was appointed to the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee. “I think especially as someone in the LGBTQ community, it was important that the State Bar and legal community understand the importance of diversity – especially across the Valley.”

Not only a leader at the local level but also at the state level, Sam continues to be excited about the work he has been able to do among the local leaders at Weld Riley. For John, too, having up-and-coming teammates like Sam only inspires the firm to continue offering top-notch expertise to the Valley.

Volume One readers seem to agree, voting Weld Riley ‘Best Law Firm’ for business, family, and real estate law just this year, landing on those lists and more for several years.

To learn more about Weld Riley’s services and team, visit weldriley.com.

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