Dancy plans for success

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“I’m naturally a planner,” says Kelly Dancy. “Ask anyone in my family — I’m constantly organizing and reorganizing.”

It’s a fitting quality for a lawyer who specializes in estate planning, but Dancy’s strengths go beyond organization.

“I’m someone who always wants to plan for the future, so I think estate planning is naturally a good fit for me. I love working with the clients and helping them know that their family will be taken care of,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to help people.”

Dancy works at Walny Legal Group, which she joined in 2012 during the “fiscal cliff.” In addition to estate planning, Dancy provides asset protection and business-succession planning for private persons, families and small-business owners. The services include work related to estate planning and corporate documents, special-needs trusts, marital-property planning and probate and trust administration.

Originally from Indianapolis, Dancy attended St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Ind., where she graduated magna cum laude before receiving her law degree from Marquette University Law School.

She joined the Society of Financial Service Professionals and quickly rose to leadership positions on the Membership Committee and Young Professionals Committee. She’s a volunteer attorney for the Marquette University Legal Clinic at the House of Peace and the Wisconsin State Bar’s Wills for Heroes program.

Dancy has received praise for helping the Walny Legal Group to expand and is acknowledged for her ability to handle complex probate matters and “masterfully guide clients” through what can be a difficult time.

“Her clients have praised her responsiveness, relatability and knowledge in these complex legal areas,” Eido Walny, owner of Wanly Legal Group, said. “She is a team player who constantly works to improve, promote and develop both her practice through hard work and discipline as well as the reputation of the firm.”

According to Walny, Dancy was at the center of recent efforts to pass trust legislation in Wisconsin, conducting a large portion of the research and compiling a working draft of the legislation “almost by herself.”

“Without a doubt Kelly’s work in this area has made her one of the state’s foremost experts in this unique area of law trust,” he said.

Dancy said she is driven by her clients.

“They put a lot of trust in our hands. Knowing that we’re doing a good job for them and we’re going to be able to protect their family after they’ve passed keeps motivating us to do the level of work that we do,” she said.

“I hope to continue to develop my practice, continue to move the firm forward and keep doing the work that we’re doing,” she said.