Karen J. Collingsworth-Crusse serves as Leader of the firm's Legacy Law Practice Group. She focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning, trusts, wills, wealth strategy and succession planning.

Ms. Collingsworth-Crusse is an experienced estate planning attorney, who is also a wealth management professional and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®). She creates strategies for closely held business owners to protect, build value, and transition from their business. Concurrently, Ms. Collingsworth-Crusse works with the family during this process, using governance tools and resources, to support effective communication and family harmony. She provides clients with the passion, experience and guidance to assist them in making the best decisions based on their personal goals and objectives.

While working for several financial institutions for nearly 25 years, she

gained the technical expertise and skill necessary to provide advicebased

solutions focused on trust administration, estate planning, wealth strategy and business succession, as well as lead a team of cross functional professionals, to provide best-in-class service, solutions and thought leadership.

In addition to her legal practice, Ms. Collingsworth-Crusse is a sought after speaker and content developer at symposiums in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. She routinely educates families on governance, next generation, philanthropy, business succession and legacy planning, as well as business owner clients on business succession and estate planning through webinars, seminar and industry meetings. Ms. Collingsworth-Crusse was an on-air expert for a metropolitan Detroit based radio show focused on family businesses and the unique intersection between work and family. She also served as a panel expert on family businesses for a local CBS news affiliate.