Kathleen A. Cieslik

Estate Planning Attorney

Kathleen is a trusts and estates attorney focused on creating customized estate plans for a wide range of individuals and multi-generational families which achieve goals such as tax avoidance, business succession planning and charitable giving. She also provides counsel to individual and corporate fiduciaries regarding the timely and efficient management of trusts and estates, including probate administration when necessary. An experienced litigator, Kathleen also handles controversies and frequently appears in Probate Court to handle both routine and contested matters throughout Southeast Michigan.

Experience

Routinely represent high net worth clients including leading planning for the second generation of an ultra-high net worth family which utilized various wealth transfer techniques collectively removing over $30M in assets from taxable estates through grantor trusts.

Implemented plan which transferred situs of a $25M trust to a favorable jurisdiction which allowed for decanting resulting in the expansion of special power of appointment to allow a client to update her planning to provide for her desired beneficiary.

Management of taxable estates, including advice with regard to funding marital trust or family trust, obtaining business valuations and assist accountants with Form 706.

Effectively implemented postmortem trust modification by seeking probate court approval to effectuate a high value specific bequest made orally in close proximity to death.

Lead litigation and negotiate resolution on behalf of an irrevocable trust regarding decades of unprepared marital trust accountings following the surviving spouse’s death.

Honors and Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America®, One to Watch, Trusts and Estates, since 2021

DBusiness, Top Lawyers, Trust & Estates, 2025

Grand Rapids Magazine, Top Lawyers, Trusts and Estates, 2023

Professional Affiliations

State Bar of Michigan, Probate and Estate Planning Section

Oakland County Bar Association

Community Involvement

Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan, Board of Directors

Detroit Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Detroit, Class XLV

Presentations

Behind the Curtain: What Goes On in Charitable Estate Planning, Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan, June 2022

Drafting an Estate Plan for Estates Under $5 Million, ICLE, Spring 2022

Taxes and Estate Planning: Where Do We Go From Here?, ICLE, Fall 2022