BUSINESS Allison Kierman created Kierman Law to help her family – and yours By Mala Blomquist
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llison Kierman launched her own firm, Kierman Law, on March 1, 2017, after she had been practicing law for more than a decade. She and her husband, Alan, were both successful attorneys. She had made partner and was working 16 hour days, they had a nanny, and Allison would give talks and lectures on “having it all.” But then Allison and Alan started to realize that they wanted to be there for more than making sure the kids ate and the laundry was done. They wanted to be there to help their kids navigate making friends on the playground and assist them with their homework. “The joke is as a way to spend more time with my family, I started my own practice,” she says. The shift has allowed Allison to meet with clients while her children, who are 7 and 9, are in school. “I do the work at home, at night and on the weekends,” she says. “But I am definitely more present both physically and mentally in the lives of my children.” Alan is supportive of Allison’s decision and very helpful, 10
MARCH/APRIL 2020 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE
especially in the homework department. “Honestly, I couldn’t do fourth-grade math without him,” she jokes. Allison does estate planning, everything from a simple will, financial power of attorney because a parent is ill to preparing a complete estate plan, making sure everything is organized, assets are protected, and a tax strategy is in place. “You can get plans or documents online, but this is a relationship; I’m making sure that your specific family is taken care of,” she says. “I ask my clients, ‘What is important to you?’ and let’s make sure that’s protected in the documents.” She asks people if something happened, and they have a minor child, do they want to make sure they are a b’nai mitzvah? Are there any religious, cultural, or social events that are important to you that should be put in your plans? She also jokes, “I ask people if they want me to make the inheritance contingent upon them marrying Jewish.” Allison works with clients across all religious bases and is mindful of the client’s faith when creating documents. She also doesn’t work with people at a specific economic
