A photo of Kristin Wildman Shirahama, a founding partner at Fides Law. She has long gray hair, is smiling, and wears a blue blazer and black top, with a necklace and earrings, standing outdoors against a blurred green background.

Kristin Wildman Shirahama

Founding Partner

I am a Massachusetts trusts and estates lawyer with more than 20 years of experience advising individuals and families on complex estate and gift planning.  I counsel trustees, guardians, and other fiduciaries on all aspects of trust and estate administration and frequently serve as trustee, executor, and personal representative.  My practice focuses on clients who are approaching or entering retirement and confronting long-term care decisions while seeking to reduce estate taxes. 

My clients live throughout Massachusetts and include business owners and professionals, blended and second marriage families, same-sex couples, and families with elders or individuals with special needs. I guide clients through every stage of the planning and administration process, including developing wills, trusts, and other strategies to preserve and transfer wealth in a tax efficient manner; advising business owners and entrepreneurs on succession planning; counseling personal representatives and family members through probate and post death issues; assisting with charitable planning, including family foundations and charitable remainder trusts; and preparing special needs trusts and advising on government benefits for individuals with disabilities. 

While minimizing taxes is an important objective, I view estate planning more broadly, taking time to understand each client’s perspective and to design a comprehensive, 360-degree plan tailored to their unique needs. This approach helps me identify potential issues in advance, protect clients’ lifetime interests, and ease estate administration after death. Clients value my ability to explain complex financial and legal concepts in clear, accessible terms and to map out customized plans in face-to-face meetings so they feel heard and prepared for the future. 

  • I am passionate about advancing women in the legal profession and enjoy mentoring attorneys.  I also enjoy kayaking and canoeing with my husband and son on the Charles River and Quonochontaug Pond, as well as hiking with our golden retriever, Finn.

  • Community Foundation for MetroWest, Professional Advisor Leadership Council  

    Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts  

    • Emeritus Board, Member  

    • Awards and Recognition Committee, Co-Chair  

    • Women’s Leadership Initiative, Member

    Boston Probate and Estate Planning Forum, Member  

    Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys (MA NAELA), Member  

    Boston Bar Association, Trusts & Estates Section Member 

  • Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts 

    • President 

    • Women’s Leadership Initiative

    Women’s Bar Foundation, Trustee

    The Commonwealth Institute, Member of the Corporate Advisory Board

    The Boston Foundation, Member of Professional Advisors Network

  • Best Lawyers in America, Trusts & Estates (2025 and 2026) 

    Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Massachusetts Go-To Lawyers for Trusts & Estates (2021)  

    Top Women of Law, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2017)  

    Women’s Bar Association, Pro Bono Award for volunteer work with the Foundation’s Elder Law Project (2015)  

  • Discussing The Issue Of Aging Parents, Financial Advisor Magazine, 2018 

    Year End Special Needs Planning, Massachusetts Society of CPAs, 2018 

    How To Address Multigenerational Estate Planning Issues, Private Wealth Magazine, 2018

  • Asset Transfers & Reduction of Assets, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc., 2023  

    Taking Control of Your Financial Future, Women’s Bar Association, 2022  

    Trusts and Estates – What to Expect from the New Administration, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, 2021  

    Estate Planning for Business Owners, MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, 2019  

    Beyond Wills: Using Trusts to Reduce Taxes and Protect Assets, MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, 2019  

  • Massachusetts

  • J.D., University of Connecticut School of Law

    B.A., magna cum laude, Colby College

Meet the Rest of the Team