Welcome

Alaska Portrait Photographer Thuy Vo 10 portrait.jpg — “It’s important to have an attorney that is a good fit
for you. Any legal case is a difficult enough process that you don’t need the added stress of worrying about how your case is being handled.

You should feel comfortable and trust in your attorney that they are mindfully advocating for your best interest at all times. The most common feedback we hear from our clients is how responsive we are and how comfortable they feel with us.
*Knowledge is power. Even if you cannot afford full representation, we can provide some unbundled assistance to reach a fair outcome in your case.*
*This is what we pride ourselves on.”*
**— Kara Nyquist, Attorney, Owner**

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Nyquist Legal Team

Kara A. Nyquist, J.D. | Owner & Attorney

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, University of Washington, 1995 Juris Doctorate Seattle University School of Law, Admitted to Practice Law by the Alaska Supreme Court in 2000.
Admitted to Practice Law in the United States Federal District in Alaska in 2000. Member in Good Standing with the Alaska Bar Association since 2000.
Member of the American Bar Association since 2000. Former Presidential Appointments to American Bar Association Commissions.
Former District Representative for Alaska & Hawaii to American Bar Association. Former Fellow to General and Sole Practitioner Division, American Bar Association. Top 40 Under 40 by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce and Alaska Journal of Commerce. Co-Chair Family Law Section Alaska Bar Association Former Co-Chair Unbundled Section Alaska Bar Association, Mom and former spouse of Military Service Member.

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KELLEY D. ARD, J.D. | SENIOR PARALEGAL

Joined Nyquist Law Group in 2015.
Ms. Ard graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in 2009. Before law school, Ms. Ard worked for the Alaska Court System as an In-Court Clerk for 17 years. After law school, she worked for the District Attorney’s Office in Anchorage, and for a prestigious law firm that focused solely on Indian Law. Ms. Ard received her B.A., in History, with honors, in 2005 from University of Alaska Anchorage, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Alpha Theta. Ms. Ard is married to the love of her life, and is very proud of her two-adult stepsons. She has lived in Alaska since she was a young child and has lived in many places around the state: Soldotna, Kodiak, Juneau, Dutch Harbor/Unalaska, Utqiagvik (Barrow), and Anchorage. Outside of work, Ms. Ard enjoys spending time with her family and her spirited and lovable Irish Terrier, Theodore Rex Roosevelt (Teddy). Her hobbies include Scuba Diving, Travel, Cooking, and spending time with her friends enjoying good food and wine. Ms. Ard finds the field of Family Law extremely rewarding and cares about each individual client who may be dealing with challenging and difficult relationship or family issues.

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JESSICA FALKE, J.D. | Associate attorney

Jessica Falke graduated from Mitchell Hamline School of Law with a Certificate in Conflict Resolution Theory and Practice from the nationally ranked Dispute Resolution Institute at Mitchell Hamline. Jessica became a bar member in 2022, but has been working with Nyquist Law Group, LLC since 2016. Prior to being admitted as a full member of the bar, Jessica took advantage of Bar Rule 44 permits and was practicing supervised by Kara Nyquist for almost two years. Jessica has a wealth of knowledge and experience in family law, and mediation. Jessica is passionate about dog rescue and currently has two dogs (and a rotating foster dog roster). Her experience as a legal professional, compassionate human, and mother all add to her skillset as an advocate for clients. Jessica feels honored to be able to advocate for and assist clients and their children during some of the most difficult times in their lives

BRITTANY COGDON | Senior Associate Attorney

Brittany Congdon is an experienced litigator with nearly five years of courtroom practice. Her work focuses on divorce, custody, and complex family-law matters, where she combines strong advocacy with a practical, compassionate approach to helping clients navigate difficult transitions.

Before joining Nyquist Law Group, Brittany served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Alaska, representing the Matanuska-Susitna Valley region in litigation involving child protection. In that role, she appeared in court almost every day on behalf of the State, handling trials, evidentiary hearings, and motion practice. She gained extensive experience in statutory interpretation, negotiation, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), and case management under high-stakes conditions, developing the judgment and composure that now benefit her family-law clients. Brittany understands the importance of putting the children’s needs first.

Brittany also has prior private-practice experience representing clients in divorce, custody, child support, and property-division matters. She is known for her meticulous preparation, persuasive writing, and ability to balance assertive representation with genuine empathy for her clients.

She earned her Juris Doctor from Willamette University College of Law, where she served as President of the Business Law Society and received Top Awards in the areas of Contracts and Family Law. Brittany also holds a Master of Arts in Instructional Design and Technology and a Bachelor of Science in English Language Arts Education from the University of Central Florida.

Outside of work, Brittany enjoys spending time with her family and exploring Alaska’s trails and rivers near her Talkeetna home.

PRIYA RAJ, J.D.| Associate attorney

Priya Raj graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas and is barred in the states of Alaska and Texas. Priya moved up to Anchorage, Alaska in 2021 and joined Nyquist Law Group in 2023. Priya has always been passionate about family law and children’s welfare especially, and was a student attorney ad litem while still in law school, advocating for children in foster care. Today, Priya finds it very rewarding to help her clients through the divorce process so that they can begin a fresh chapter of their life.

Kallie Lafferty | Legal Assistant

Kallie joined Nyquist Law Group in August of 2019. She graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a BA in Legal Studies in the spring of 2020. Before joining NLG, Kallie gained two years as a legal secretary in a family law office. As a lifelong Alaskan, Kallie enjoys the outdoors with her family and dog, Remi, who you will find wagging his tail and greeting clients from her office at NLG. As one of the first points of contact with clients, Kallie is passionate about providing high quality customer service to each and every one of our clients. She is known for her timely updates and ability to communicate with clients efficiently. Her goal is to ease the legal process for families during their most difficult times.

Connie kirchner | SENIOR PARALEGAL

Connie is a native of Pennsylvania who moved to Alaska about 35 years ago and has over 30 years of legal experience in Anchorage. She has dedicated her professional life to helping Alaskans. She has worked in the legal field in a variety of capacities and is a strong and knowledgeable advocate for her clients. Charter College provided her with a paralegal certificate and has spent much of her career working in family law. Connie is a loving grandmother to her grandchildren and has two daughters. She enjoys spending time at her cabin, snow machining, and reading when she is not advocating for clients or spending time with family.

KAZOUA XIONG | PERSONAL ASSISTANT

Kazoua joined Nyquist Law Group in summer 2023 as personal assistant to Ms. Nyquist. Her professional experience, skillsets, and personal attributes help to ensure the seamless operations of our office and allow for more time for Ms. Nyquist and her staff to focus on what is most important to us here at Nyquist Law Group, that is our clients and their families. Kazoua’s passion for helping others, especially those in underserved communities, has led her to pursue a degree in nursing (BSN) from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She is projected to graduate with the nursing cohort of winter 2025. Outside of the office and university, Kazoua enjoys learning new skills, traveling, cooking, camping, fishing, and annual walks for causes such as the AHA Heart Walk, Alaska Run for Women, and March of Dimes.

Dane Lester | Legal Assistant

Dane works remotely for Nyquist Law while pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Astrophysical Sciences from Princeton University. Born and raised in Alaska, Dane graduated from West High School, where he graduated summa cum laude and captained his school’s Mock Trial and Debate teams. Dane has been with Nyquist Law since 2021. At Princeton, Dane is a review author for the college’s Legal Journal, where he writes about the unique legal landscape that exists in Alaska. Throughout his time at NLG, Dane has enjoyed the fulfilling process of resolving familial disputes and helping parents and children achieve security in times of need. Outside of academics and his work, Dane enjoys bread baking, trail running, photography, learning French, and backpacking throughout Alaska