Meet Kaley Barbera, J.D., LL.M. | Wills, Trusts and Estates Attorney

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kaley Barbera, J.D., LL.M. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaley, what matters most to you?
Honesty is one of the most important attributes that we can have in our profession as Attorneys. At the core of estate planning whether our clients have a large taxable estate or a small estate, we have to be honest about what will work and what will not work. I work hard to educate my clients on the best options for their families. At the end of the day, your honesty as a professional in leading your clients down the right path is paramount to successful planning and trust.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an Estate Planning Attorney and try to be both an advisor and creator with my planning. Some clients come to me after they have lost a loved one and need to pick up the pieces and reorganize. At the core of estate planning is family planning so it is important to listen and be receptive to what each family is going through, Other clients come to me so that I can create a plan to assist them in passing their wealth to the next generation in the most tax efficient way possible. In this regard, we have to be innovative in our planning so that we can make a plan fit every family’s needs.

I am most proud to be able to sit down with my clients and create an environment where they feel at ease and comfortable in sharing their concerns, their pain or their ideas. I always have wanted my office to be a place where we can work collaboratively to establish a goal and a plan.

I started my career in New York and as much as I miss the City I also missed my family more. I was not happy as an employment litigator in New York and needed to find a way to blend my love of the law with my passion for working with others. Estate Planning was the perfect way for me to do this, but I needed to become an expert if I was going to excel in this area of law. I decided to relocate down to Florida and it was then that I got my LL.M. in estate planning from the University of Miami. I wanted to be able to set myself apart from the other practitioners and be an expert in my trade. It was during my tenure at Miami that I met two of my Partners and the owners of my firm. They invited me to joint their practice and have always given me the support I needed to continue to grow in my career and in my experience. From the start, they encouraged me to speak, write and get myself out there in the estate planning world, which has opened up so many opportunities for me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I think when visiting South Florida most people want to go to the beach. Instead of the beach, I try to bring people to the many museums Florida has to offer. From the NSU Art Museum in Ft. Lauderdale to the Frost Art Museum there is so much to offer. Generally, it is also worth a visit to stop by historic Vizcaya and the Morikami Museum and Japanese gardens.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So much of my success is based on how I was raised. I give so much credit to my parents for always pushing me to be the best that I could be and encouraging me in my professional career. I am also very blessed to be surrounded by such supportive friends, family and a husband who has helped me continue to grow as an Attorney.