Attorney Stella Plekan approaches family law with a core passion for helping people navigate deeply confusing and difficult times. She understands that clients need a dedicated advocate who will listen and work to be the absolute best that she can be. Stella focuses her practice on foundational family matters, including divorce, child custody, and support , and is also qualified to handle complex issues like child support contempt cases. Her mission is to ensure clients feel supported and heard, empowering them to move forward with confidence.
Stella’s legal education is built on a foundation of understanding human behavior, which she established while earning her Bachelor of Art in Psychology from UW-Oshkosh in 2018. She graduated from Northern Illinois University-College of Law in 2022. During law school, she actively honed her practical legal skills. She served as a research assistant, exploring alternatives to dispute resolution , and participated in the Moot Court society, where she learned how to effectively organize and work within a group to achieve a successful outcome. This experience solidified her skills in research, collaboration, and advocacy.
Prior to joining Sterling Lawyers, Stella spent three years as an attorney with the Wisconsin State Public Defenders Office. In this role, she handled a wide range of intense cases, including guardianships, mental health commitments, and criminal matters. This experience provided her with a unique window into the complexities of family dynamics, as many of her cases involved significant others or child support contempt issues. It was here she developed a tenacious approach to investigation and litigation, successfully securing dismissals for clients who were wrongly accused and advocating for second chances, such as achieving expungement for a young client.
Stella's drive to practice law is deeply personal, stemming from her own experience with legal trouble. This ignited her desire to help others navigate the system during their most challenging moments. She draws determination from her personal hero, her grandmother, who overcame polio , built a life and business against all odds , and always maintained a positive, motivated outlook. Her grandmother's advice—”honey, you work hard and buy that house yourself”—instilled in Stella a powerful sense of independence and resilience, which she now channels into advocating for her clients' autonomy and future stability.
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A proud Wisconsinite with roots in the Fox Valley, Stella loves everything about her home state, from the kindness of its people to its traditions of cheese, beer, and enjoying the outdoors. She attended both UW-Fox Valley and UW-Oshkosh for her undergraduate studies. In her free time, she enjoys baking, hiking with her husky, and sharing delicious food with her friends and family. You might find her enjoying a show at the PAC , vacationing in Lake Geneva , or attending a Packer game. Stella lives with her husband, two cats, and their husky, and this strong connection to family and community fuels her dedication to helping other Wisconsin families.
