Kristin Shirahama Honored Among Top 20 Massachusetts Go-To Lawyers for Trusts & Estates

January 7, 2022

Attorney Kristin W. Shirahama has been named to Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s inaugural list of top 20 Massachusetts Go-To Lawyers for Trusts & Estates Planning.

Ms. Shirahama, past president of the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts, was recently named practice area leader of Bowditch’s Estate, Financial Planning & Tax Planning group, guiding more than 20 attorneys, trust officers, paralegals and tax professionals.

Financial advisors, accountants and lawyers throughout the state refer clients to Ms. Shirahama because they trust her to deliver top-notch counsel, service, and care. They know she will develop sophisticated plans to protect client interests. Known for her empathy as well as her vast legal knowledge, she takes the time to look at issues from her client’s perspective before tailoring a comprehensive 360-degree plan that addresses each person’s unique circumstances.

She creates customized estate and gift plans, often developing gifting strategies that allow for the efficient transfer of wealth. She routinely helps clients shift appreciating assets from their estates to reduce transfer taxes.

“We are thrilled that Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly is recognizing Kristin’s exceptional work,” said John Shoro, managing partner at Bowditch. “The T&E group has benefited from her leadership for many years and her clients are fortunate to work with such a knowledgeable attorney who takes the time to understand their specific needs.”

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly highlights Ms. Shirahama’s outstanding abilities to:

prepare appropriate trust vehicles as well as defend them before relevant agencies
work as a trustee, advising clients on the probate of estates and trust administration
mentor up-and-coming female professionals. She has dedicated herself to helping women, serving as a member of the Women’s Leadership Initiative, a program of the Women’s Bar Association, as well as Strategies for Success, program of The Commonwealth Institute.

Ms. Shirahama, who recently completed a term as a member of the Commonwealth Institute’s Corporate Advisory Board, has been an equity partner at Bowditch since 2018. She serves as a member of the firm’s hiring committee, playing a key role in recruiting new attorneys.

She was recognized by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as a “Top Woman of Law” in 2017. She also was selected as a Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2009 to 2012 and then again in 2014 to 2016, specifically in the fields of estate planning and probate law.

She earned her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law and a B.S., magna cum laude, from Colby College.

Categorized: Estates