Who we are

We are your partner in creating peace of mind for your family. No matter your stage in life, Sylvan Trusts & Estates LLC is your experienced guide to peace of mind and long term stability for your family’s future. We believe that estate planning is an act of love for your family, a way to thoughtfully and intentionally make your wishes known, and protect what matters most to you.

about the firm

I started Sylvan Trusts & Estates LLC because as a young mom and lawyer, I realized most of my friends and colleagues with young kids have no legal plan in place for what would happen to their kids if they were incapacitated or gone.

I could see that these parents love their kids so much and want to know that they will be taken care of even in the worst case scenario. The problem is, most people think they need to accumulate a lot of assets before getting an estate plan, or that they do not need a will until they are older or get sick. Even parents who want to be proactive and start early do not know where to start or what documents they need to ensure their kids are looked after.

This is through no fault of their own. Young people and families have not always had approachable or accessible options for estate planning. The available options are either traditional law firms, which are stuffy and expensive, or filling out forms online that may or may not actually be legally binding or even appropriate for their situation.

I realized we needed to do something different. Families deserve high quality attentive, personalized care that they can afford. I have a particular focus on young families because as a parent I know how important it is to be able to make decisions in your child’s best interest no matter what happens to you. Knowing who will care for your child if you cannot and ensuring they will have the resources available so that they are raised in accordance with your values is peace of mind.

It is an act of love to create a comprehensive and thoughtful plan. No matter what, sorting out the details of your life takes time, effort, and intentionality. Either you can do that proactively during your life, or your family can do it afterwards.

This model is built on empowering families to know their options, offer affordable services with transparent pricing, and provide clear, comprehensive packages that mean you’re getting the best value for the cost, and most importantly, a true peace of mind knowing you have thoughtful and intentional plan in place.

Meet Isabel

Isabel McClure
Founder / Attorney

Prior Experience

Isabel practiced in the field of private criminal defense for almost four years, acting as a shield between her clients and the power of the government. As a criminal defense attorney, Isabel developed substantial litigation experience, trying many cases to verdict and litigating countless evidentiary issues. Isabel then transitioned from criminal defense to Plaintiff’s side civil litigation, working at a premier firm in downtown Minneapolis.

Right after law school (and the birth of her daughter) Isabel clerked for the Honorable Justice Margaret H. Chutich of the Minnesota Supreme Court, where she honed her legal research and writing skills under the tutelage of one of the best legal writers in the nation.

Isabel attended the University of Minnesota law school where she was recognized as a Robina Public Interest Scholar and named her class’s only Robert A. Stein Endowment Scholar. Isabel returned to the University of Minnesota Law School shortly after graduating as an adjunct professor, coaching two Federal Appellate Moot Court teams to impressive placement in the National Tournament in Washington D.C.

Isabel is a born and raised Minnesotan who loves spending time outdoors in all seasons, including being on the lake at the cabin in the summer, enjoying bonfires and autumn colors in the fall, skating in the winter, and the first warms days of spring. Isabel is a mom, an amateur baker, and a lover of saunas and a good book.

After years of practicing in the reactive and conflict-heavy spaces of criminal defense and civil litigation, Isabel made the decision to transition into a proactive and collaborative practice. Through conversations with friends and colleagues Isabel realized that so many young families are unknowingly leaving their futures up to the power of the courts and to chance.

Whether this is from lack of information, access to qualified counsel, or avoidance around hard topics of conversation, Isabel realized young families need a lot of support in developing a comprehensive and secure legacy plan.

From high-level holistic, compassionate conversations through the smallest technical details of legal drafting, Isabel provides a full service wills, trusts, and estates planning.

Ultimately, Isabel delivers peace of mind by making sure your family’s unique needs are understood and a plan is in place to bring peace and certainty to the unknown.

Education

University of Minnesota Law School, cum laude

University of Minnesota, B.A. in Sociology: Law, Crime, and Deviance, high academic distinction

Admission

Minnesota

United States District Court, District of Minnesota

Recognition

Super Lawyers, Rising Star (2024-2025)

National Moot Court Program, Best Brief (2020)

William McGee Civil Rights Moot Court, Best Oral Advocate (2019)

Employment Law Book Award (2019)

Robert A. Stein Endowment Scholar (2017)

Robina Public Interest Scholar (2017)

FAQs

(Isabel’s family cabin and the inspiration behind the firm’s name and mission)

  • My family cabin is on Lake Sylvan in the Central Lakes District of Minnesota. The land has been in my family for five generations, and all of my greatest childhood memories were set in that cozy cedar paradise. When I think of legacy planning, I think of the generations that have cared for this place and the joy I’ve experienced and that my daughter now gets to experience as well. My parents diligently worked to preserve this capsule of my greatest childhood memories through their estate planning, and this business is inspired by and dedicated to them. Sylvan is a reminder of my why and the ways in which we play a part in the care and stewardship of our chosen legacies for our families.

  • I hear this all the time. Either “I’m not sick,” “I’ll wait until I have lots of assets,” or “I hate thinking about why I would need a will.” The truth is, not every adult needs a will, but far more adults do need them than those who have them.

    Sylvan planning allows for you to make important decisions about your health and property before you find yourself in an emergency situation.

    Our packages are far more than expected death planning, but incapacity, health emergencies, and powers of attorneys.

    Wills are not just for your peace of mind. They are an act of love for your family and those closest to you so that they do not have to guess at your wishes or get stuck going through court in the event you are unexpectedly incapacitated or deceased.

  • I am just like you. I am a mom in the process of building my own young family and our legacy. I know how stressful it can be balancing future planning and being present for our kids right now.

    Personal, attentive care. I am not a big firm - my clients are all VIP clients to me, and I treat everyone who entrusts their family’s estate planning to me with the same care and attention I would give my own loved ones.

    Affordable legal services (really). I keep my overhead extremely low so I am not passing on additional costs to clients. All families deserve access to high quality future planning, so by keeping my own costs low, I can keep my packages affordable for everyone.

    Transparent pricing. I don’t bill hourly for my estate planning services, so there are no surprise invoices. You can rest assured there is a plan that fits into your budget.

  • The goal here at Sylvan is to make sure you are getting the specific service you need and not paying for any services you don’t. Our packages reflect what most individuals and families will need, but there are always unique situations. All new clients start with a complimentary consultation call where we will discuss which services are right for you. No matter what, pricing is always transparent so you will know ahead of time the costs of any services.

Contact us

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