Page 34 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2025

PEOPLE
34 | November 2025
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Kathy Brown van Zutphen
Guiding Life’s Journeys
story by Lynn Lofton photo by Katherine Sowers
Attorney Kathy Brown van Zutphen realizes there are many ‘journeys’ in life including trips and life-changing events. She is making one of those changes now as she moves her office to a new location at 2723 Pass Road in Biloxi.
“My advice to everyone embarking on any ‘journey’ in life, whether it’s
as simple as a vacation or a major life event, such as marriage, divorce, retirement, career change, or moving to a new location, is to have a plan,” she says. “Often, I suggest that you have legal documents in place before you start these journeys.”
Noting that many people do not think about legal documents before what they consider a minor event, she says, “Take for example a vacation. Before you leave, you should take a minute to ensure you have documents you may need in place—passports, wills, healthcare directives, and maybe even a HIPAA Release in case a loved one needs to be able to access your doctor or medical information.
“For bigger moves, we can discuss pre-nups, wills, or trusts to coordinate with your plans for your assets in retirement and death. I will be happy to talk to people about all their journeys or storms in life.”
A graduate of Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, van Zutphen has practiced law for almost 30 years, with the last 20 on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She initially worked as a litigator in large law firms handling insurance defense of construction and personal injury actions.
“After my father developed Parkinson’s Disease, I became involved, out of necessity, in Elder Law areas,” she recalls, “which ultimately led me to form my own legal practice, Coastwide Law, LLC.”
Van Zutphen focuses on individuals, families, and small businesses in the areas of elder law, trusts, estates and successions. She is admitted to the Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana State Bars and is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association.
In the community, she has been involved with Rebekah’s House, a shelter for homeless families, is past president of the Harrison County Bar Association, Vestry of St.. Peter’s By The Sea Episcopal Church and Gulf Coast Symphony Board of Directors. She is currently on the Board of Feed My Sheep.
“I use not only my legal training, but also personal experiences, in everything from adoption, being an elder caregiver, divorce, forming and running businesses, buying real estate and being a landlord, to litigation to help give sound and practical advice, advance planning, and legal assistance to my clients,” she affirms.
2723 Pass Road, Biloxi | 228.357.5227