Kristen E. Simmons is a member of the law offices of Oshins & Associates, LLC in Las Vegas, Nevada. She practices in the areas of estate, business and asset protection planning. In 2008, she was listed as one of Nevada's Rising Stars in the Mountain States Super Lawyers magazine in (1) Tax and in (2) Estate Planning & Probate, an honor earned by less than 2.5% of attorneys. Ms. Simmons is a Florida native and was raised in Boca Raton, Florida.She attended the University of Florida, graduating cum laude in 2001 with a B.A. in English and a minor in Business Administration.While completing her undergraduate studies, Ms. Simmons graduated from the University’s Honors Program and was inducted as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.She was actively involved in the University of Florida music program as a member of the marching band, various music ensembles and of Tau Beta Sigma, a national band-service sorority. Following her undergraduate studies, Ms. Simmons continued at the University of Florida and in 2004 she graduated, cum laude, with a Juris Doctorate from University of Florida’s Levin College of Law.Ms. Simmons focused her law studies in estates and trusts, earning a specialized Estates and Trusts Practice Certificate, receiving a pro bono certificate for her work at the probate court and serving as the President of the Estates, Trusts and Elder Law Society.She was a member and officer of the Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Team, for which she competed at an International Moot Court competition.Ms. Simmons served as a teaching assistant for Legal Research & Writing and Appellate Advocacy, earned a book award (highest grade) for Legal Drafting and was the editor of The Docket, a publication for law students.She also clerked for the Honorable Judge Stephan Mickle of the U.S. District Court, Northern District. Ms. Simmons was admitted to the Nevada State Bar in 2004 and to The Florida Bar in 2005.She is a member of the Southern Nevada Estate Planning Council. Ms. Simmons has co-authored two published articles: "Efficient Use of Nonqualified Stock Options as a Wealth Transfer Vehicle," Estate Planning (Sept. 2005) and "Minimizing the Risks of Owning Hot Investment Properties," Broker Agent (Sept. 2005).She has spoken at local seminars regarding estate planning and, along with Heidi Freeman, was a key-note speaker on an estate planning panel for a national broker-dealer firm.