Jessica Y. Kirkpatrick

I am an Estate Planning Associate at BrownWinick, specializing in estate planning, trust and estate administration, business succession planning, and guardianships and conservatorships. With over 20 years of experience in the legal industry, I leverage my diverse professional background to provide clients with creative, sophisticated, holistic, and personalized services that truly meet their needs. I am licensed to practice law in Iowa, Illinois, and California and I regularly advise clients in all three states on both pre-death planning and estate administration. This involves drafting comprehensive estate plans tailored to each client’s unique goals and needs, carefully addressing the implications of estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes, and developing tax-efficient strategies that align with client goals including planned giving strategies. While philanthropy and planned giving may not be suitable for all clients, they are powerful tools that can provide significant tax savings, positively impact our communities, leaving an impactful legacy. I also support trustees and executors every step of the way during the estate and trust administration process.  

My Approach

Listening, authenticity, and mutuality are the foundation of my practice. I prioritize genuinely understanding my clients' concerns, challenges, goals, and opportunities, which enables me to confidently navigate even the most complex planning scenarios. I believe that clarity and simplicity are essential for effective estate planning. This ensures clients clearly see their wishes and intentions reflected in our strategies. My commitment is to serve as a trusted professional resource during what can often be challenging times for our clients. Ultimately, my goal is to help you feel secure about your future and the well-being of your loved ones through the planning we undertake together, fostering a collaborative approach to achieving these goals. 

More About Me

I grew up in the Quad Cities and earned my degree from the University of Iowa. After completing law school at the University of Illinois Chicago, I took my practice to Los Angeles, where I primarily specialized in trusts and estates. A desire to be closer to family brought me back to the Quad Cities, where I now raise my children. I stay connected to the legal community through my involvement in various professional organizations, such as the Iowa State Bar Association, California Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association – Trust and Estate Sections. Beyond my professional work, I also volunteer with several community and charitable organizations in the Quad City area. Based in BrownWinick’s Coralville office, I support our clients across the state of Iowa as well as Illinois and California. 

My Specialties

• Estate Planning
• Estate and Trust Administration
• Estate and Gift Taxation
• Business Succession Planning
• Charitable Planning
• Guardianships and Conservatorships