Kimberly A. O’Steen is a new attorney in Jacksonville and her practice mainly focuses on estate planning, elder law, wills and trusts. She spoke with Daily Record writer Kent Jennings Brockwell.
What did she do before becoming a lawyer?
As a Jacksonville native, O’Steen worked for several
Jacksonville companies before going to law school, including being a train dispatcher for CSX and a fundraiser for the United Way.
Education
O’Steen’s education spans a major Florida rivalry. She received her undergraduate degree from Florida State University where she double majored in management and multi-national business operations. She received her MBA from the University of North Florida before heading to the University of Florida for her J.D.
Hobbies
Teaching aerobics and traveling as well as possibly building a career as a writer. In May, O’Steen wrote an article about Bosnia that was published in an international human rights journal. She also volunteers a lot.
Why volunteer?
O’Steen comes from quite the altruistic family. “My mother has always done non-profit work so that is one reason why I got into it.” Besides her mother’s work, which is currently setting up welfare and AIDS programs for the State, O’Steen’s brother is a fundraiser for foster care programs and her husband, Everett Parker, does a lot of work with HabiJax. O’Steen herself volunteers with the local YMCA and works on the Really Cares campaign. Now that she an attorney, O’Steen said she plans to become more legal minded with her volunteering. She wants to get involved with teen court and pro bono work.
Why stick with Jacksonville?
O’Steen has a lot of family and personal ties to the area. When she was getting her law degree, O’Steen actually commuted to Gainesville from Jacksonville. “I knew I was always going to be here,” she said. “This is home. This is where my family and friends are.”
What drew you to your area of law?
“I wanted to be able to practice law and help out people in Jacksonville,” she said. “I went to law school in order to make a difference and to be able to protect the rights of everyone.” O’Steen also credits attorney Jo Ann Leigh Gramm for going into estate and elder law. Gramm recently moved to the area from New Jersey after practicing there for the past 23 years. O’Steen and Gramm took the Florida Bar exam at the same time and attended the same exam prep classes. “She really took me under her wing,”
O’Steen said.
What is the most important issue regarding your area of expertise?
“Everyone needs a will, especially single parents.”