Who We Are
Every day you make decisions to keep your family going strong. From the little things (what’s for dinner), to the big things (buying a new home), life is easier when you think ahead. Of all the plans you make, few will be as important as your estate plan.
At Nielsen Law, we know how overwhelming estate planning can be. What’s better for your family, a will or a trust? How do you name a guardian for your children? How do you make sure your child with special needs is cared for when you are not able to? Our goal is to clarify the process so you can make informed choices: explaining complex legal concepts in terms you can understand, laying out your options, and walking you through each step. With our carefully designed estate planning process, you’ll wish you’d started sooner.
Our value to our clients goes beyond a single set of documents. Your estate plan doesn’t just protect your assets. It protects you while you’re alive and need help, it protects your family, it can avoid unnecessary taxes, and it can ensure your legacy lives on long after you are gone. By building relationships, we can help navigate the estate planning process to provide you with the peace of mind that your family will be protected, no matter what tomorrow brings.
Our Values
Family
Family is the foundation of our law firm. We know that for many of our clients, family is what drives them to complete their estate plan in the first place. We also treat our clients like family, never advising them to do anything we wouldn’t tell our own families.
Relationships
We emphasize long-term relationships because estate planning is not a one-time transaction. Families grow, assets change, laws change, requiring estate plans to be updated accordingly. We develop lasting relationships with our clients and help through all phases of life.
Respect
The best personal and professional relationships are built on mutual respect. We respect and honor our role in our clients’ lives, the trust we earn and maintain, and the responsibility we have to the future of their families. We expect respect in return, for our time and for our expertise.
High Standards
We maintain high standards for ourselves and expect the same from our clients. We want to work with people who are willing to commit and bring their best to the process.
Fun
Estate planning can be an involved and often emotional process. We try to bring laughter and levity to it as much as possible.
Community
We are dedicated to giving back to our community through pro bono work and community involvement. We strive to spend 10% of our time giving back through pro bono legal representation, ad litem court appointments, nonprofit board service, and volunteer activities.
Our Attorneys
Experience. Knowledge. Excellence. Peace of Mind.
Attorney Liz Nielsen
Liz has guided hundreds of families through the estate planning process, serving as their trusted advisor to bring peace of mind to their lives. As a wife, mother, and business owner, she understands how overwhelming an estate plan can feel. As an attorney, she knows just how important it is to have that plan in place. Liz developed her passion for estate planning while in law school and, after the birth of her first child, Liz dedicated her career to helping families plan for whatever the future may bring. Liz is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She practices exclusively in the areas of estate planning, special needs planning, and estate administration.
Before founding Nielsen Law PLLC, Liz was an associate attorney at one of Austin’s premiere estate planning law firms, where she gained valuable experience in advanced estate and business planning, asset protection, trust administration, special needs planning, and charitable and income tax planning. Before entering estate planning, Liz served as in house legal counsel for one of the largest nonprofit organizations in Austin for several years. This experience gives Liz a unique perspective in advising clients who want to include charities in their estate plans.
Liz grew up in Barrington, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. She received her Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, in Psychology and Religion with a concentration in Human Rights from Barnard College of Columbia University. After graduation, Liz moved to Austin and received her J.D. with Honors from The University of Texas School of Law, where she was the recipient of the Dean’s Achievement Award for obtaining the highest grade in Wills & Estates.
Liz is very engaged with the legal community and enjoys collaborating with other attorneys. She is President of the Travis County Women Lawyers Association. She is also the Treasurer of the Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Austin Bar. Additionally, Liz is a member of WealthCounsel, the nation’s premier association of estate planning attorneys. She is active in the Texas Forum, a study group of Texas estate planning lawyers that meets twice a year to discuss advanced estate planning strategies and recent changes in the law, and served as the 2017 Texas Forum Leader. Liz is also a member the State Bar of Texas, the Austin Bar Association, the College of the State Bar of Texas, and the Real Estate, Probate, and Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Liz is a frequent speaker to professional groups, schools, and the legal community in the areas of Estate Planning, Special Needs Planning, and Charitable Giving.
Giving back to the Austin community is very important to Liz. She is Board Vice Chair/President Elect of AGE of Central Texas, a nonprofit organization that helps older adults and their caregivers thrive as they navigate the realities and opportunities of aging and caregiving. She is an active member of Impact Austin, one of the largest women’s philanthropy groups in the nation, serving as Grant Finance Committee member for the past several years. She is also a regular supporter of many Austin nonprofit organizations, including Family Eldercare, the Central Texas Food Bank, KUT, the Austin Humane Society, the Trail Foundation, the League of Women’s Voters, the SAFE Alliance, and Any Baby Can.
Liz and her husband, Ryan, are the proud parents of Jillian and Isla and spend as much time as they can with their family. They enjoy going on walks around their Northwest Austin neighborhood, traveling around the world, spending time with friends and family, and watching sports, including the Texas Longhorns, Iowa Hawkeyes, and Chicago Cubs.
Attorney Elizabeth Ziegler
Elizabeth is an Austin native, who grew up in the Georgetown area. Elizabeth graduated from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor with a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in Journalism. She received her J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law.
Elizabeth began her journey to becoming an estate planner before law school. Her goal during school was to focus on the field and to help families both plan ahead and navigate the probate process. During her time at St. Mary’s, Elizabeth focused on estate planning and legal research. She interned with the Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid office and in Probate Court No. 2 of Bexar County. Elizabeth also worked as a student attorney in the St. Mary’s Civil Justice – Family law clinical program during her time at St. Mary’s. During her time with the clinical program, Elizabeth focused on estate planning and estate administration cases.
Elizabeth also joined the Dean’s Research Fellows during her time at school. While there, she provided legal research for the law school’s Dean and faculty on topics ranging from commercial paper, products liability, to Chinese tort law.
In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys relaxing with either a good book, an engrossing tv series, or an exciting video game. She continues to grow by learning new languages and continuing her study of world history.
Attorney Katlyn Winters
Katlyn grew up in Seguin, Texas. She attended and graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a minor in sociology. Katlyn attended law school at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas where she received her Doctor of Jurisprudence and graduated cum laude. While in law school, Katlyn was a member of Phi Delta Phi and the Women’s Law Association. She also worked in the St. Mary’s University School of Law Center for Legal and Social Justice where she, under attorney supervision, advocated for clients in consumer law cases.
After law school, Katlyn worked in estate planning and probate in San Antonio, Texas where she learned the importance and value of planning for all stages of life for oneself and for their loved ones. She worked with numerous clients in both estate planning and probate cases and developed a passion for the area of law. Thereafter Katlyn gained invaluable experience in trust administration, including special needs trust administration, while working as a fiduciary administrator for a large corporate trustee.
During her free time Katlyn enjoys watching the newest action movie, attending CrossFit classes, and most of all, spending time with her two fur-babies Knight and Magnum.
Attorney John Glode
John is mission driven with a passion for serving others. John’s professional experiences include practicing law at two large law firms as well as owning small businesses. John’s legal experience includes business planning and corporate law, serving as Guardian Ad Litem for seniors, non-profit law, oil and gas royalty/tax litigation, and commercial real estate and tax-exempt bond financing transactions. John has extensive small business ownership experience, including ownership of an in-home senior care business. Finally, John worked in professional sports at an executive level.
John is active in his community. This includes volunteering for several non-profits, including, most recently, SAFE. John has also served on the Board of San Juan Diego Catholic School in Austin as well as the Board of St. Mary’s School in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
John grew up in Longmont, Colorado. John received his Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Economics and Business from the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Mn). John received his J.D., Summa Cum Laude, from Creighton University. While in law school John worked for the Creighton legal clinic which provides free legal services to low-income individuals in the Omaha community. John enjoys traveling with his family as well as fishing and golfing.
John is an active member of the Texas and Wyoming state bar associations.
Our Staff
Heather Zoric, Paralegal
Heather comes to Nielsen Law with several years of experience assisting clients with estate planning and probate, as well as experience in other areas of law. She is a graduate of the University of Texas Paralegal Studies Program. She is also a member of the Williamson County Bar Association, Paralegal Division and the Capital Area Paralegal Association. Heather grew up in Austin and loves spending time outdoors with her family.
As a paralegal, Heather helps guide clients through the estate administration and probate process. She also assists in drafting and finalizing our clients’ estate planning documents and ensuring all documents are ready for the signing meeting. Her attention to detail, commitment to professional development, and positive attitude make Heather an integral member of the Nielsen Law team.
Pam Verry, Senior Paralegal
Pam was a paralegal in Arizona for more than 25 years before moving to Austin in 2014. Since she arrived, she has worked at two estate planning firms where she gained experience and developed an appreciation for the importance of estate planning. Pam met Liz while working at one of those firms and was delighted when the opportunity came up to work at Nielsen Law. Pam assists with all aspects of the estate planning process and strives to ensure our clients receive the best possible care and service.
Pam is certified by NALA (The Paralegal Association), is a graduate of the University of Arizona and New York University. In her free time, she loves to dote on her three grandchildren, she enjoys reading about history, exploring new places, and being outdoors in the spring.
Frances Chlebowski, Client Relations Manager
Frances is the Client Relations Manager and first point of client contact at Nielsen Law. Frances is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English and Honors Creative Writing. Despite Frances's Californian roots, Frances is proud to be a Texas Ex. Outside of work, Frances is an avid reader, writer, and (backyard) birdwatcher.