REFRAMING ESTATE PLANNING
At KJS Law, our mission is to reframe the concept of “estate planning” for the average person. It is with a devotion to education and public outreach that KJS Law intends to accomplish our mission. Attorney Kate Shaw, owner of KJS Law, saw a gap within the Truckee/Lake Tahoe communities in estate planning services targeted towards her peers – people who don’t have vast asset portfolios, but who should nevertheless be concerned about making sure that their children are provided for, debts covered, and probate avoided should something happen to them. The majority of people falling within this demographic typically are not aware of the consequences in failing to execute a basic estate plan until it is too late.
Kate has an extensive litigation background, spanning nearly six (6) years, having previously served as a prosecuting attorney in both Pierce and Clark County, Washington. After leaving the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, she practiced with the acclaimed firm of Wheeler, Montgomery, Sleight, and Boyd in Vancouver, WA handling privately retained criminal defense and family law cases.
It was the love of the mountains that brought Kate and her husband, Alex, from Portland, Oregon to Tahoe City, California. It was the death of a family member, occurring within weeks of relocating to Tahoe, that exposed Kate to the world of estate planning and the various benefits it can provide to families and individuals.
Kate is originally from Jackson, Wyoming. She earned a BA in Law and Society from UC Santa Barbara in 2001, and her law degree from Seattle University in 2005. Kate is licensed to practice law in both Washington State and California.
A former competitor on the National Freeskiing tour, Kate is your typical ski bum with a law degree. When she isn’t managing KJS Law or working with clients, Kate can be found skiing at Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, or in the Tahoe backcountry; mountain biking and trail running on the trails behind her house in Tahoe City; and paddle boarding on beautiful Lake Tahoe. Oh, and she makes a mean strawberry rhubarb pie!
Email us to schedule a free one hour consult and learn more about how you might benefit from estate planning services with KJS Law.
“We called Kate to update my parents’ trust and wills. She was professional and caring while dealing with our less than simple situation. I would recommend her to everyone! ”