Founder, Stephanie Kitzes
I started practicing law in 1997 and founded this firm over 10 years ago after practicing at other firms. I founded this firm because I liked my clients and wanted to do right by them. Above all, I wanted to work with them long-term.
I originally started working in lawfirms when I was in college and have held every position in a law firm – from the bottom to the top – which has given me an understanding of what actually goes into providing quality counsel for my clients.
It is very rewarding to help businesses start with a solid foundation, share in the both the hard and good times, and then plan an exit, whether that is through an internal business succession plan or an acquisition by an external party.
This same philosophy provides the foundation for the way we do estate planning, and how I got started on the path of estate planning.
In 2001, I was meeting with a business client with whom I had worked closely for several years. His business went through lean times and was once again prosperous and humming along. I reminded him that I was really concerned about his lack of an estate plan, as he had children and owned a successful business. Estate planning was not part of my practice at the time, but I reassured him that I would find and forward some solid referrals to him. He smiled, looked me straight in the eye, and said “You already know all about my assets and my business as well as my family. We have shared many conversations about life and you know how I feel about things.”
I assured him that was very true and that I cared for him, his family, and his business but that I was not an estate planning attorney. He laughed and said that he trusted me and wanted me to handle it for him. I thanked him for his trust and faith in me. I also then signed myself up for intensive training in the area, learned it, and added estate planning to my practice.
My Focus
My focus continues to be in line with my original intent when founding this law firm – to provide quality legal counsel over the long term by building relationships with my clients that are based on trust, care, and serving their best interest.
