Meet Abby Pettit

Video Transcript

I look at my practice as advising my clients on the most important things in their lives. I work with small businesses, small banks, and individuals on estate planning matters. For my business clients, I work with them real for the whole life cycle of the business from starting up and forming the new company to real estate matters, leasing, closing on real estate purchases, basic contract formation, advising on all of the little trips and triggers along the way in running a business, all the way through to transitioning the business and the business owner to a new stage of life whether that means selling to a third party, to an employee, or transitioning the business to a family member.

For my individual clients, we work on estate planning together. So, it’s most important for me to learn about what’s important to the client. What are the things and people in their lives that they care about the most and what do they want to see happen after they’re gone? Then, we work together to come up with a plan that achieves their goals and makes the most sense for their family.

What I enjoy most about being a lawyer is the opportunity to meet people who are passionate about their businesses, who are passionate about what they do, and really impact them in a positive way. I view being a lawyer as being a problem solver. Lawyer jokes aside, it is a wonderful opportunity to be able to make positive change, to educate my clients on something they might not be familiar with, and to help them achieve their goals.

Avisen has been a wonderful experience because each of the partners here has their own kind of niche and everybody is so willing to share their expertise with each other, with each other’s clients. And we’ve really built an atmosphere of specific knowledge applied in a professional and collegial way, and the ability to share that knowledge with one another is just priceless.

One of the most important things for me with a new client starting out is to learn as much as I can about that client’s business, the key people who are important to the business, and what the client’s goals and expectations are for our relationship and for their business. In order to help the client make the best decision possible, I need all the information I can get. As a business advisor, I make practical decisions and help guide things on a nuts and bolts level. As an attorney, I overlay that with my knowledge of the law, whether that be case law or state or federal statute to help guide those practical decisions in a way that limits risk and achieves my client’s goals.