William J. Brisk

William J. Brisk, JD, PhD passed away May 13, 2025 after living a life of adventure. Born April 20,1938, in Brooklyn, NY to Marion and Abraham Lincoln Brisk , Bill grew up in Great Neck, Long Island, NY. Following in his father’s footsteps he graduated from Brown University (AB), then he attended NYU Law School as a Root-Tilden Scholar (JD), then earned an MA and PhD in Latin American politics at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. It was during his years in Washington DC that he met Maria Estela Allende, a linguistics student at Georgetown, and instantly fell in love. He proposed to her at the Jefferson Memorial a month after meeting. She thought about a life with this charismatic man as they wound their way to the Lincoln memorial where she said yes. The two traveled and taught in Puerto Rico, across Latin America, and landed in New Mexico where they welcomed their daughter Angélica.

After living in Albuquerque, NM, Quito, Ecuador, DC and Virginia, Bill and Maria settled in the Boston area when Bill was hired to manage LASPAU institute at Harvard, working to strengthen Latin American universities.

After a few years, restless for a new direction, Bill decided to take the Bar Exam. He passed and went on to serve as a litigator in two Boston firms, then opened his own practice in Newton, MA. As a member of the Massachusetts Law Review, Bill edited what is thought to be the first article on “Medicaid planning.” In 1981, Bill collaborated with author William G. Talis on the book Massachusetts Elder Law, which helped define the new field of elder law. Bill has also published over two dozen articles on elder law topics in the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) Journal, NAELA News, Massachusetts Law Review, and the professional journal Estate Planning. He returned to teaching as a lecturer on elder law at Boston College and for nearly a decade as adjunct professor at Suffolk Law School where he also created a course on end-of-life care.

While he was a bit of a work-o-holic, Among his cherished accomplishments were the times he was able to support his wife Maria Estela Brisk, PhD, an innovative educator in language acquisition. He also treasured the opportunity to learn about the world having traveled to over a 100 different countries for work and then later for fun.

After he retired from law, Bill continued to work on volunteer projects promoting education and engagement. Together with Maria Estela he formed the Brown University Alumni of Boston Book Club, he volunteered with Care Dimensions Hospice, and he was preparing to teach his second course on U.S. foreign policy for Lifelong Learners.

He is mourned by his wife of 60 years, Maria Estela Brisk; his daughter Angélica Allende Brisk and son-in-law George Scott; his grandchildren Alejandra, Isabela and Noah and their spouses; his sister Lynn Rogan; step siblings Ronnie Millman and David Pearlman; his cousins Richard and Hazel; his nephew and tennis partner Alejandro Allende; and many other in-laws in Argentina who called him “Tío Bill.”

His family will sit Shiva at his late residence on Sun May 18 from 3-6 PM and Mon May 19 from 3-6 PM

In lieu of flowers please consider making donations in his name to institutions he cared about:

Brown University

https://alumni-friends.brown.edu/giving

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

Professor Maria Estela Brisk’s Scholarship for Bilingual Education Teachers (610771)

https://www.unmfund.org

Newton at Home

Donate online or send a check to

206 Waltham Street,

West Newton, MA 02465

https://newton.helpfulvillage.com/fundraising_campaigns/1-general-fund

Care Dimensions

Donate online or send a check to

75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102

Danvers, MA 01923

https://www.caredimensions.org/support-our-mission/ways-to-give