Steve Novak’s Enduring Commitment to KU Law
Steve Novak doesn’t spend his time considering his legacy, but he does think everyone should plan ahead.
“I don’t want to be too cliché, but the old saying is true,” he explains with a laugh. “If you don’t create an estate plan, the state where you live will be happy to provide one for you. Chances are your family won’t be thrilled with what they have in mind.”
Novak recently updated his own estate plan to feature a planned gift to the KU law school. The decision to support the school with an unrestricted gift was easy.
“There is no way I could repay what I owe to the KU Law school,” Novak said. “I’m a huge fan of what the school did for me. The return on my relatively small investment has been unmeasurable. I am indebted to the school and this plan is an effort to, hopefully, help future students benefit from the school as much as I have.”
Novak, a Lawrence native and 2001 KU law school grad, is a partner and wealth advisor with the Dallas office of Corient, one of the largest integrated fee-only Registered Investment Advisors in the country. He spends a good bit of his time advising clients as they establish their estate plans. Novak had been a practicing attorney for nearly 20 years before turning his attention to financial services.
“I use my law degree every day,” he said. “Estate planning law, financial planning and investment planning have a lot of complications and overlap, so my experience as a lawyer has helped me navigate the financial world well.”
Novak is so passionate about the work of estate planning that he teaches a class at KU on estate planning. He travels from Dallas weekly in the fall to teach the class, which is offered jointly by the law school and the School of Business.
“The class is a lot of fun,” Novak said. “I get to be back on campus, in my hometown no less, and interacting with the students is inspiring. To be honest, it feels like I’m working to help the school even more, which is extremely gratifying.”
If you’re considering making a planned gift to the school of law, or have any questions about the process, please contact Kristin Shore at KU Endowment (785-832-7341).
-By Derek Helms, KU Endowment