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Dera L. Johnsen-Tracy

Dera L. Johnsen-Tracy

Estate Planning Attorney, Educator, Public Speaker
  • Estate Planning, Probate
  • Wisconsin
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Biography

Attorney Dera L. Johnsen-Tracy is a shareholder and co-founder of Horn & Johnsen SC. Dera and focuses her legal practice in the areas of estate planning, probate and guardianship. Prior to completing law school, Dera gained 14 years of legal experience as a paralegal in Texas and Wisconsin. Dera’s extensive experience provided a strong and practical client-centered foundation for her legal practice. She strives to meet the needs of her clients in a personal and efficient manner. In furtherance of her passion for helping families plan, Dera is an active participant in the Wisconsin Wills for Heroes program and the Basic Estate Planning Clinic for Seniors and Veterans for which she was awarded the 2015 Individual Attorney Pro Bono Award by the Dane County Bar Association and the 2016 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award by the State Bar of Wisconsin. Dera has been invited to speak as a featured presenter at various conferences throughout Wisconsin and nationally, including WealthCounsel and ElderCounsel’s Symposium, the AAII Investor Conference, the Midwest Horse Fair, Women Inspiring Change, Future Lifestyles Expo, All Things Senior Expo, Money Smart Women Conference, Asset Builders Madison Money Conference, and "Ready, Set, Retirement!" sponsored by MATC Paralegal Program in cooperation with WPS, GWAAR, Dane County Bar Association and the State Bar of Wisconsin. Further, Dera has made numerous presentations, both public and private, about estate planning and living trusts including special issues applicable to Realtors, small business owners, farmers, pet owners, young families, LGBTQ families and families with children who have special needs. She has also taught a variety of CE classes to financial professionals and CLE seminars to attorneys through PINNACLE and the National Business Institute (NBI). If you are interested in a presentation for your group, please contact her office at (608) 829-2525.

Education
Marquette University Law School
J.D. | Law
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Honors: Dean's List
Marquette University Law School Logo
Concordia University-Wisconsin
B.A. | Criminal Justice
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Honors: Summa Cum Laude
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San Antonio College
A.A.S. | Legal Assisting
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Honors: Phi Theta Kappa
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Professional Experience
Attorney, Shareholder and Co-Founder
Horn & Johnsen SC
- Current
Adjunct Professor
Globe University
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MBA Program and Paralegal Studies Program
Associate Attorney
Krueger & Hernandez SC
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Paralegal
Krueger & Hernandez SC
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Paralegal
Wilson Law Group, LLC
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Paralegal
Law Office of Charles A. Stephens, II
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Publications
Articles & Publications
Using Beneficiary-Directed Trusts to Protect Your Heirs
AAII Journal (American Association of Individual Investors)
Common Questions About Medicaid and Medicaid Planning
AAII Journal (American Association of Individual Investors)
Mental Incapacity Can Complicate Estate Planning
Your Family Magazine
Prepare Your Heirs for the Probate
Your Family Magazine
Avoid the Top 10 Mistakes Made With Beneficiary Designations
AAII Journal (American Association of Individual Investors)
Speaking Engagements
Midwest Horse Fair, Madison, Wisconsin
AAII Investor Conference, 2018 Investor Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, Las Vegas
Planning Essentials for Small and Modest Estates, Continuing Legal Education, State Bar of Wisconsin
State Bar of Wisconsin
Drafting a Living Trust: From Start to Finish, Continuing Education
National Business Institute
AAII Investor Conference, 2017 Investor Conference, Orlando, Florida
American Association of Individual Investors
AAII Investor Conference, 2015 Investor Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada
AAII: The American Association of Individual Investors
Trusts From A to Z, Continuing Education, Madison, Wisconsin
National Business Institute (NBI)
Loopholes & Legacies: Strategies for Transferring Retirement Assets to the Next Generation, Continuing Legal Education, State Bar of Wisconsin
State Bar of Wisconsin
Money Smart Women Conference, Edgewood College
Money Smart Women
Estate Planning for Parents of Children with Special Needs
Spina Bifida Family Network
Guardianships: Creation, Alternatives, Disputes and Enforcement, Continuing Education
National Business Institute (NBI)
If Something Happens to You, Do You Have a Plan for Your Pet?
Dane County Humane Society
Marital Property Agreements in Estate Planning, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Waukesha County Bar Association
The Legal and Financial Fine Print of Horses, Oregon, Wisconsin
Country View Veterinary Services
ASCLS-WI State Convention, La Crosse, Wisconsin
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
Ready, Set, Retirement!, Madison, Wisconsin
Madison College
Retirement Planning Today, Watertown, Wisconsin
Madison College
Estate Planning and Administration 101
National Business Institute (NBI)
Find it Free and Fast on the Net: Strategies for Legal Research on the Web, Madison, Wisconsin
National Business Institute (NBI)
Awards
Wisconsin Rising Stars list
Super Lawyers
Wisconsin Rising Stars list
Super Lawyers
Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award
State Bar of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Rising Stars list
Super Lawyers
This is an exclusive list, recognizing no more than 2.5 percent of attorneys in Wisconsin. Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a research-driven, peer influenced rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
Pro Bono Individual Attorney Award
Dane County Bar Association
CALI Excellence for the Future Award: Probate Procedure
Marquette University Law School
Professional Associations
Legal Association for Women
Member
Current
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State Bar of Wisconsin
Member
Current
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Dane County Bar Association
Member
Current
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Fellows of the Wisconsin Law Foundation
Fellow
- Current
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WealthCounsel
Member
- Current
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American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys
Member
-
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Wisconsin
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Fees
  • Free Consultation
  • Credit Cards Accepted
    Visa, Mastercard, Discover
  • Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
    Flat Rate, Hourly
Practice Areas
    Estate Planning
    Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
    Probate
    Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
Additional Practice Area
  • Guardianship
Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
Websites & Blogs
Website
Website
Contact & Map
Horn & Johnsen SC
Estate Planning Center of Wisconsin
8446 Excelsior Drive, Suite 102
Madison, WI 53717
Telephone: (608) 829-2525