Exploring Life & Business with John Kurhanewicz III

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Kurhanewicz III.

Hi John, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
There comes a time in every professional’s life where you consider what is truly important. What gives you energy? What makes you excited to wake up and take on the day? Who do you want to work for? Why is the job important to you? Does the job provide a sufficient work-life balance? These questions are important to reflect upon when you find yourself at a crossroads.

I found myself at a crossroads upon earning my license to practice law in California. While finishing up my final year in law school, I fulfilled an internship opportunity as a law clerk at a local District Attorney’s office. While awaiting the California Bar exam results, I was seemingly poised to advance my career in criminal law working on behalf of “the people” as a prosecutor. However, the beginning of 2020 provided us all an opportunity to reflect on what was truly important within our personal and professional ambitions. Upon taking time to reflect on the trajectory of my career, I began to realize that my passion was not in criminal law. I decided to no longer pursue a career in the District Attorney’s office and began to focus on other opportunities outside of criminal law.

Estate planning and Probate was an area of law I took great interest in. The opportunity to help people plan for the unfortunate inevitable situations of life (death and taxation) while allowing my clients the opportunity to maintain control over their hard-earned assets and set their family up for success, has proved to be a rewarding profession. Estate planning can be complicated, but depending on the complexity of one’s asset portfolio and family dynamics, it can also be a simple process. My goal with every client that comes into my office is to learn what is truly important to them and to draft a plan which is closely tailored to their ideals. Establishing a plan for my clients that alleviates the common concern of “what happens after I am gone?” gives me the energy to take on each day and serve my client’s best interests. The most rewarding part of my job is providing peace of mind for my clients that they have done everything they can to set their family up for a smooth succession.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Managing a law firm is not an experience that falls within the “smooth road” analogy, especially when opening a new law firm at the onset of a global pandemic. However, with every bump in the road, there is a learning experience to build from. The struggles come from a variety of sources: whether it is studying a new body of law to meet the demands of the client, learning how to be efficient with my time in taking on daily tasks or networking to build a client base to sustain the business. Every one of my clients brings their own unique background, objectives, and understanding of the basic principles of the probate system and estate planning. With each scenario comes a unique opportunity to learn and grow my practice. I frequently remind myself that every day should be looked at as a building block to the next, or it all can all feel overwhelming.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Law Offices of J.K.III. is a boutique firm that focuses on estate planning and probate cases. We also offer legal and filing services for small business entrepreneurs. We are known for providing a personal experience for each of our clients. Each client who comes into our office has their own unique perspective, and our job is to understand what the goals, ambitions, and objectives of each individual client are and to tailor our services to their needs.

Whether it is an estate planning, probate, or a business client, we take pride in our ability to meet the clients where they are most comfortable to discuss the matter of the day. We offer free consultations over the phone or video conference. In-person consultations in our office or at the home of the client may also be arranged.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
It takes a team to be successful and I owe all my success to my mentors, support staff, and my family. Law is a profession which is traditionally founded upon the mentor/mentee relationship, and I have been lucky to have a variety of experienced professionals assist me along the way. However, the people who are around me on a daily basis, my support staff and family, are really who deserve the most credit. Most deserving of all, my wife, Shelby, who has been there for the lows of being married to a law student, the highs of celebrating my oath ceremony upon earning my license to practice law, and the everyday grind of managing a law firm; without Shelby filling my soul with love on a daily basis I would not be where I am today.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jk3law.com
• Other: (805) 628-2446