Godfrey & Kahn’s Brusda helps clients prepare for the inevitable

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Estate plans are as varied as the people who use them.

And that is both the challenge and the reward for Shannon Brusda, an associate in Godfrey & Kahn SC’s Milwaukee office.

“Every day is different, and it really keeps me on my toes,” she said. “Estate planning is an all-encompassing area. It can range from a simple trust to a sophisticated trust that involves charity giving, succession planning or complex giving options.”

Brusda’s first brush with trusts was while she was a summer associate with Godfrey & Kahn’s estate planning team before her third year at the University of Wisconsin School of Law.

“I found I enjoyed the people and fit in well, and I also enjoyed the work,” she said. “It seemed a good fit for my skills.”

Those skills include working comfortably with multiple family members on their plans and, in other cases, handling business succession strategies.

But in the midst of that planning, Brusda said, is the ever-present challenge of keeping up with tax law changes and making sure her clients are protected.

“We get used to one law change and then another one comes along,” she said. “That’s been interesting since I’m in the same boat as someone who’s been doing this for 30 years. We’re all on the same learning curve.”

Brusda said everyone needs some level of estate planning, and if it is not done right, family members can spend years trying to undo any errors.

“People don’t want to think or talk about estate planning,” she said. “But if you do it once and do it right, you are set and just need to update anything if there are changes.

“I really work with my clients to help them get organized and plan ahead for when they’re not here.”

Wisconsin Law Journal: What was your favorite class in law school?
Shannon Brusda: As an estate-planning attorney, it is no surprise that my favorite class in law school was Trusts and Estates. The class sparked my interest in the area, particularly due to the personal nature of the subject matter and the interplay of law and family.

WLJ: What activity could you spend hours doing outside of the office?
Brusda: I lose track of time in the garden and am very much looking forward to planting a large, and most likely overgrown, garden next summer at our new house.

WLJ: What was the last book that you read?
Brusda: I most recently read ‘Promise Me: How a Sister’s Love Launched the Global Movement to End Breast Cancer,’ by Nancy Brinker, the founder of Susan G. Komen. My book club read this book in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For our discussion, I hosted a Kohl’s Conversation for the Cure at my home during which a breast cancer survivor shared her inspiring story with us.

WLJ: Who is someone you admire?
Brusda: I admire my parents, both of whom are smart, funny, hard-working and thoughtful. I consider myself very lucky to have such great role models.

WLJ: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Brusda: I would love to be able to function properly on less sleep.

WLJ: What do you miss most about your childhood?
Brusda: Family dinners and living in the same city as my best friends.

WLJ: What app can’t you live without?
Brusda: This sounds really nerdy, but I cannot live without the weather radar app. I suppose it’s the planner in me.

WLJ: What’s your favorite thing to do in Wisconsin?
Brusda: I love hanging out by the lake and exploring Milwaukee, although nothing can beat a trip up to Lambeau Field to cheer on the Packers.