Shanna takes time to get to know her clients and what makes their situation unique.  Once she has a solid understanding of their goals and objectives, she creates a plan for their future and outlines how to pass down their legacy.

Shanna has a particular interest in working with the next generation of closely held business owners, assisting with their estate planning, business interests, drafting of complex trusts, and agreements that create custom rules for transferring business interests.  The transition of a family-owned  business is unique, complete with challenges and opportunities.  Shanna has worked with families where multiple children are interested in having an active role with the family business, families where one of several children are interested in being active in the future of the business, and families where no children are interested in inheriting the business.  Through these experiences, she’s learned the importance of facilitating family meetings and of approaching the conversation with compassion and complete transparency.

Shanna also has been involved in estate and trust litigation cases.  Remedying estate plans gone wrong, learning what items can be contested, and what areas are vulnerable, has made her a better plan drafter.  She knows what situations may be prime for potential litigation and how to create estate plans that are less susceptible.

Recently, Shanna worked with clients on the following:

• Transferred wealth to the next generation in a tax-efficient manner by using a complex, creditor-protected trust and structuring a closely held business to optimize valuation discounts for lack of marketability and lack of control
• Facilitated family meetings to plan for the next generation’s ownership and management in a closely held business and implemented the plan by preparing business and estate planning documents
• Worked with a surviving spouse to protect her home and other property held in a vaguely drafted trust from being distributed to her deceased husband’s children through his estate
• Served as trustee, working in partnership with family’s financial advisor, to distribute assets and manage a trust
• Oversaw trust administrations for clients ensuring property and assets are distributed to beneficiaries per the decedent’s expressed wishes

Actively involved with central Wisconsin’s young professional community, Shanna is a tireless advocate for the next generation of business leaders.  She enjoys working with local young professionals to establish estate plans that can grow with them and their families as they progress in their careers.

A native Wisconsinite, Shanna can be found enjoying the beautiful Northwoods by hiking, running, and boating.  In the wintertime, she likes to stay warm in local yoga studios and in front of her fireplace with a great book.