Through legal and community efforts, Jessica Kruse lends her talents to aiding the younger and older populations in the community.
In court-appointed cases, Kruse represents children as a guardian ad litem in family, probate and juvenile court in Greene County.
She also works as of counsel for Ozarks Elder Law, a firm built through a February merger between her own practice, Kruse Legal Services LLC, and the more than 10-year-old Zerrer Elder Law Office LLC.
As company founder Lois Zerrer begins a long phasing-out process, Kruse is stepping into a partner-like role at the firm, where she focuses on elder law, probate and estate planning.
Kruse says Ozarks Elder Law, at 1147 E. Walnut St. in Springfield, plans to launch an Ozark satellite office in early March to serve clients south of Springfield.
“We saw a need for elder law services in the Branson area,” she says of the Ozark office.
Kruse joined Zerrer’s practice in 2011, and last year, succeeded retiring attorney Dianne Hansen.
“I can give her no better recommendation than to tell you that without hesitation, I turned over my legal practice to her knowing that she would treat my elderly and disabled clients with the same respect and compassion that we elder law attorneys are known for,” Hansen says.
“She is very intelligent, ambitious, personable, extremely giving and compassionate all rolled up into a pint-sized dynamo.”
In 2011, Kruse – who aids the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association’s mentorship program and is part of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys – was one of four women in Missouri to be recognized by Missouri Lawyers Weekly with the Rising Star award, an honor she calls her proudest professional accomplishment. Kruse also is a graduate of the 25th class of Leadership Springfield.
Kruse’s extracurricular activities often mirror her professional work. A mother of three, Kruse has served as president of the Willard East Elementary Parent Teacher Organization, a volunteer for the Ozarks Literacy Counsel and as coordinator of the Mothers of Preschoolers group at Schweitzer United Methodist Church.
"One of our vision statements is ‘Better moms make a better world,’” she says. “I believe that this is very true and through my position in this organization, I was able to influence the success of other mothers to accomplish this vision statement.”
Kruse is currently a third-grade Sunday school teacher at Schweitzer and is serving a two-year term on the staff-parish relations committee. She is part of a team that assists the head pastor in advising on staff and leadership issues within the church.
“I envision my life like a teeter-totter, with my work obligations on one end and my family obligations on the other,” Kruse says. “Rarely is the teeter-totter perfectly parallel to the ground. Most of the time, one side or the other is slightly higher; however I am constantly shifting the weight around so that, overall, both sides get some time higher up in the air.”
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