Always Learning


On a recent family trip, we happened pass through the neighborhood of my law school alma mater, UC Davis School of Law. It was the first time I was able to show my seven-year-old son where I spent three dedicated years that served as the foundation for my professional career. My son was very impressed and he said that if he is not able to become a professional hockey player, he’ll probably become a lawyer.  (That was my plan as well!) 

As most professionals will acknowledge, learning does not end with formal education. Even after earning a law degree and passing the Bar Exam, lawyers must periodically take continuing legal education courses in order to improve the breadth and depth of their knowledge as well as stay current on changing law and legal strategies. I thought the Bar Exam would be the last test I would ever take but five years later I found myself voluntarily sitting for an additional exam as part of the process to become designated as a Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law. (Yes, I passed!) 

Once I obtained a certain degree of expertise and learned how to apply it to practical situations, I discovered the importance of sharing that expertise with others.  Perhaps it was because my parents and my grandfather were all educators that I developed a knack for explaining complex legal principles in an accessible manner.  Early on in my legal career I presented workshops to the public that offered information on estate planning.  I use the same teaching approach with my clients at my office in order to give them enough information to actively participate in their estate planning without overwhelming them with too much technical detail.  

Often, when I give presentations to the public or meet with clients privately, many people reveal that they have questions and concerns beyond estate planning. They have questions about investing and taxes – areas that should be addressed by other experts who specialize in those fields.  There is a need to educate the public on financial literacy as a whole.  

The Financial Awareness Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, understands the importance of providing the public with access to professionals who represent these various disciplines in a cohesive and cooperative manner. As the Foundation describes on its website, the Foundation “was formed for the purpose of significantly helping to solve a major social problem dealing with the lack of financial awareness and financial literacy.”  

The Foundation partnered with the Monterey Public Library Endowment Committee and the Friends of the Library to put together a two-part series on financial awareness and financial literacy at the Monterey Public Library. I am honored to serve as a panelist along with many other distinguished colleagues for this event.  The details are below:  

Part One: Building Blocks to Successful Financial Planning

When: Tuesday, April 24, 2018 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm 

Where: Monterey Public Library 

Part Two: Building Blocks to Successful Estate and Gift Planning

When: Tuesday, May 1, 2018 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Where: Monterey Public Library 

Admission to both days is free but reservations are required. You may RSVP by calling 831-646-5632 or sending an email to thongchu@monterey.org.

The event is sponsored by the Communities Advancing the Arts Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County. 

KRASA LAW, Inc. is located at 704-D Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove, California 93950 and Kyle may be reached at 831-920-0205.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only.  Reading this article does not create an attorney/client relationship. Before taking action on any of the information presented in this article, you should consult a competent attorney who is licensed to practice law in your community.