Appointments Available: Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm, Saturday By Appointment Only
Appointments Available: Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm, Saturday By Appointment Only
Children experiencing disabilities, whether already diagnosed or not yet identified, frequently encounter distinctive challenges that might restrict their chances for personal growth. An inheritance can
As an individual in the Kansas City area, safeguarding your assets is a crucial aspect of estate planning. To ensure the preservation of your wealth
Writing wills and trusts is an essential part of estate planning that can help protect your assets and insure the distribution of them upon your death.
Estate planning is a necessary procedure. It entails the carefully prepared distribution of a person’s assets in the case of death or an event that
Probate is the legal process of distributing the estate, property, or assets of someone who has died. This person is commonly known as the “deceased”
As seniors face the need for long-term care, Medicaid serves as a critical resource for ensuring access to essential services like nursing home placement. However,
MAIN OFFICE
OVERLAND PARK
NORTH KANSAS CITY
816-524-7999
2029 Burlington St
North Kansas City, MO 64116
By appointment only
888-512-9247 (fax)
APPOINTMENTS
Monday – Friday
8:00am – 5:00pm
Saturdays
Appointment Only
RESOURCES
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Jennifer serves as an Estate Planning Paralegal, providing comprehensive support to the firm’s attorneys and clients. She assists in the preparation of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and other estate planning documents, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and alignment with each client’s objectives.
Before transitioning into estate planning, Jennifer gained extensive experience as a Family Law Paralegal, this background enables her to navigate sensitive client circumstances with professionalism, discretion, and a strong understanding of family dynamics.
Jennifer is recognized for her attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and commitment to delivering a thoughtful and reassuring client experience. She approaches each matter with integrity and a focus on ensuring clients feel informed and supported throughout the process.
Outside of the office, Jennifer enjoys practicing yoga, watching sunsets, and spending time in nature—activities that provide balance and inspiration in her personal life.
Peyton serves as the Assistant to Russell Fracassa, bringing dedication, reliability, and compassion to her role at Paths Law Firm.
With prior experience supporting small businesses in administrative and operational capacities, she has developed strong organizational skills and a sharp attention to detail that help ensure both attorneys and clients are well supported.
She is currently studying at the University of Missouri–Kansas City as an Honors Student, demonstrating a strong commitment to excellence in both her academic and professional pursuits. Peyton’s work ethic and drive are reflected in the care she brings to each task and interaction.
Outside of the office, Peyton enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and exploring new places.
Shaye entered the field of civil law in 2022 and has quickly developed a strong foundation in client service and legal support.
Her academic background includes an Associate of Science degree in Healthcare Services and Informatics Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, with an emphasis in Health and Human Services, Social Sciences, and Humanities.
This unique blend of legal experience and healthcare-focused education allows Shaye to approach her work with both analytical precision and genuine empathy — especially when supporting families navigating complex and sensitive situations.
Outside of the office, Shaye enjoys spending time with her husband and their one-year-old daughter. Whether she’s baking sourdough, working on arts and crafts, or enjoying time outdoors, she values creating meaningful moments with her family.
Malia serves as the first point of contact for many of our clients, helping create a welcoming and supportive experience from the very first phone call. As our receptionist, she assists with scheduling, communication, and ensuring that each interaction reflects the care and professionalism our firm values.
She understands that many families who contact our office may be navigating stressful or uncertain situations, and she strives to make every conversation feel comfortable and reassuring.
Outside of work, Malia enjoys spending time with her husband and their two children. She loves reading, watching movies, and baking with her kids — creating meaningful memories both at home and at work.
Janeece Dent-Bennett was born in Lexington, Missouri, in 1960 and graduated from Lexington High School in 1979. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO in 1982.
In 1985, Janeece graduated with distinction from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.
Upon graduation from law school, Janeece joined the former Shughart Thomson & Kilroy, P.C. law firm (now Polsinelli) in Kansas City, Missouri, with a primary practice in corporate and business law.
She started her own law practice in 1989 and has since practiced law in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, serving clients throughout the state of Missouri with a primary emphasis in Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning, Probate, and Business Transactions.
Janeece is married and has 3 children. Jillian Dent is an attorney in Kansas City, Missouri. Nathan Dent is a Certified Public Accountant in Denver, Colorado. Andrew Bennett is an Electrical Engineer in North Kansas City, Missouri. Her husband Mark Bennett is an IT specialist contractor for the USDA.
Recently, Janeece closed her former solo law practice of 36 years and joined Paths Law Firm in Lee’s Summit, MO as Of Counsel.
With a strong background in customer service and a passion for helping others, Reese brings dedication and a positive attitude to her role as a Legal Assistant at Paths Law Firm. She supports the team by managing client correspondence, organizing policies, and stepping in wherever needed to ensure clients receive the highest level of care. Known for her strong work ethic and adaptability, Reese is always ready to tackle new challenges and contribute to the firm’s mission.
Reese is currently enrolled in the Honors Program at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, where she continues to pursue academic excellence. Outside of work and school, she enjoys spending time outdoors and cherishing meaningful moments with her family and friends. Her enthusiasm, reliability, and drive make her a valuable part of the Paths Law Firm team.
Jeane Fracassa – a dedicated and accomplished professional who retired with an impressive 38-year service record from the Kansas City Missouri Police Department. Throughout her illustrious career, Jeane served as a Civian Supervisor in the Communications Unit, where she played a pivotal role in ensuring efficient and effective communication within the department.
Even in retirement, Jeane’s commitment to community service remains unwavering. Currently, she serves in various capacities within Community Relations at Paths Law Firm. Actively engaged in the Lee’s Summit and Overland Park communities, she proudly represents the law firm.
In all aspects of her life, Jeane Fracassa exemplifies the values of community, compassion, and family. Her commitment to making a difference and her love for exploration make her a remarkable individual, whose presence brightens the lives of those she encounters. Whether at work, with family, or during her travels, Jeane’s genuine care for others and her zest for life make her a truly remarkable and inspiring person.
Kathleen Overton is an attorney and owner at Paths Law Firm. She has more than 17 years of experience advocating for those with special needs and navigating the state and federal agencies formed to help the disabled and elderly. At Paths Law Firm, Kathleen’s practice focuses on helping the elderly qualify for nursing home Medicaid, creating estate plans to protect beneficiaries, as well as a lot of time planning and forming businesses. Kathleen also enjoys helping clients form non-profit organizations and obtain 501(c)(3) tax exempt status.
After attending law school at the University of Oklahoma, Kathleen began representing clients before the Social Security Administration. Eventually her practice switched to federal court appeals and Kathleen spent years representing clients before the Eastern and Western District of Missouri, the District of Kansas, and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Kathleen has since focused her practice on estate planning and elder law after watching clients struggle to find ways to financially care for loved ones with special needs or aging parents.
Kathleen lives in the Northland with her husband and four children. She spends her free time attending soccer matches and ballet performances with her children and starting endless home improvement projects with her husband.
Sydney serves as the Director of Operations at Paths Law Firm, overseeing the firm’s internal processes, team coordination, and strategic initiatives. Since joining the firm in 2017, she has grown from an experienced paralegal and internal accountant into the central force behind the firm’s operational excellence.
She graduated with honors from the University of Missouri–Kansas City in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Sydney is also a proud alumni member of Bloch Launchpad, Phi Theta Kappa, and the National Honor Society.
Outside of the office, Sydney enjoys spending time with her husband, reading, baking, and going on long walks.
René is the Financial Manager at Paths Law Firm overseeing all aspects of revenue, expenses, and financial planning. She is also responsible for general office management, including assisting in many of the administrative matters that periodically arise.
René earned her Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri and soon thereafter worked her way through management at The American Restaurant where she worked almost 17 years before relocating to the country of China.
In her spare time, René is currently quite active managing multiple generations of her family, including parents and grandkids. René has had great impact on the lives of many women teaching discipling and teaching and abundance of Bible Studies. Her former career in management and event planning trained her well to juggle all the activity.
Hilary plays a vital role in managing the Marketing Department at Paths Law Firm. She is excellent at bringing new ideas and sharing valuable resources with the law firm and our community. Hilary has been with the law firm since the beginning, working in nearly every role which is invaluable in her marketing endeavors as she brings a unique set of skills into the Marketing Department.
Hilary is nearly complete in her Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Marketing at Park University. She has earned the honor of being listed in National Honors Society, Phi Theta Kappa, and the Dean’s List. Hilary is always looking for new and innovative ways to share the law firm’s message.
When asked what he wants to do, his reply was “I just want to sit at the kitchen table and work directly with people.” Rusty enjoys working with clients providing experienced advocacy and supporting them through their unfamiliar and overwhelming situations. Due to all the challenges faced by seniors, it is essential to work with an experienced elder law attorney who has expertise in the law, issues, and concerns affecting seniors and their families.
Rusty brings more than 30 years legal experience and expertise working for seniors and their families as an elder law attorney in Kansas City and surrounding. Prior to law school, Rusty was an accountant and his first couple years practicing law was as a tax attorney. This provides invaluable experience in his current practice of law. Rusty’s focus is helping protect seniors’ assets from taxes and long-term care costs, benefit qualification, and navigating more complex family scenarios in their estate planning.
Rusty has personally experienced the loss every parent fears, caring for a spouse suffering with cancer and the treatment, and working with aging parents through all stages of their lives. He intimately understands the challenges faced by individuals and their caretakers when capacity or health declines, how to prepare for it, and the legal matters while in the midst of it. He may not be able to eliminate his client’s grief, but he strives to provide clients with peace of mind.
In 2010, Rusty’s faith and love led him and part of his family to China as Christian missionaries. He and his wife, went permanently, but ended up dedicating 3 years to that ministry. They returned to Missouri to help with grandchildren after a family tragedy and later began anew with Paths Elder Law. The goal is providing compassionate care through legal advocacy.
Rusty has multiple degrees and advanced study spanning his Bachelor’s of Arts in Business Administration – Accounting at Rockhurst College (now Rockhurst University), Masters of Arts in Accounting and in Intercultural Studies, as well as his Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Law.
When Rusty is not practicing law, he enjoys spending time with his family, grandchildren, and excessive eating at local restaurants.
Practice Areas
BSBA and Master’s in Accounting, Master’s in Inter-Cultural Studies, and Doctorate in Juris Prudence
Admissions to Practice
Professional Memberships and Affiliations