Powerlist – Heather Poster – Becker, Hickey and Poster S.C.

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With mentors like attorneys Margaret Hickey and Barbara Becker, joining an estate planning firm was a natural fit for Heather Poster. Poster joined the firm as a law clerk and eventually as an associate. That was 22 years ago for the now-partner at Milwaukee’s Becker, Hickey and Poster S.C.

Poster specializes in elder and special needs law, making client autonomy and capacity her primary focus when accepting cases. She also consults as a third-party expert in divorce cases where one party has a disability and public benefits considerations.

Caring and advocating for her clients comes naturally, as Poster attributes her areas of focus to the relationship with her grandparents and her mother’s 30-plus-year career working with those who struggle with mental health challenges. However, a case that still sticks with her involves a couple who came to see her in their late 50s shortly after one was diagnosed with dementia.

“It completely changed my view of the typical elder law client,” she said.

She lives up to her title as counselor as she practices in the rule of thirds — 1/3 lawyer, 1/3 therapist and 1/3 social worker.

“I cannot imagine practicing any other way,” she said.