PRACTICE AREAS
Estate Planning
Estate Tax
Trusts for Minor Children
Living Wills
Revocable (Living) Trusts
Will Drafting and Execution
Probate
ADMITTED
Maryland, 1990
District of Columbia, 1992
EDUCATION
Georgetown University, J.D., magna cum laude, 1990
Barnard College, B.A., 1983
ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
District of Columbia Bar Association
Maryland State Bar Association
Giannina (Gina) Lynn
Since 1994, I have had a general law practice on Capitol Hill. I probate estates, draft wills and trusts, assist in trust administration, and petitioning for guardianship and conservatorship. I also do some litigation related to estates.
A long time member of the D.C. Superior Court’s fiduciary panel, I was appointed by the court to serve as Successor Personal Representative in estate administration cases, as conservator for incapacitated individuals, and as Special Master in cases requiring investigations. I have served on the panel of Reduced Fee Attorneys for the AARP/Legal Counsel for the Elderly since 1996.
Between 1992 and 1994, I was associated with the law firm of Holland & Knight (formally known as Dunnells & Duvall). While working for this firm, I handled many different types of commercial litigation: complex landlord/tenant disputes, investigations of financial institution mismanagement, defense of professional malpractice, bankruptcy matters, contract and collection cases. I also defended white collar criminal cases.
Before joining Dunnells & Duvall, I was an Assistant Public Defender in Montgomery County. As the Public Defender’s office I tried numerous misdemeanor cases. Approximately one-third of these were alcohol-related traffic offenses.
I graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. After law school, I clerked for the Honorable John H. Pratt of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
My publications include the Mail and Wire Fraud Section of the Fifth Survey of White Collar Crime, 25 Am. Crim. L. Rev., 931-54 (1989), Maryland Courts Limit Lender Liability, Corridor Real Estate Journal, August 28, 1992 and Legal Tips for Gay Partners, The Hill Rag, May 15, 1995.
My civic activities include pro bono activities through the DC Bar. I helped start a wills clinic at the Bread for the City for low income residents and regularly volunteer for the DC Bar’s Advice and Referral clinic.
In 2020 and 2021 I was a member of the Estate Administration Working Group, which was spearheaded by the Council for Court Excellence and the D.C. Access to Justice Commission. This group produced the report “Strengthening Probate Administration in the District of Columbia” which is available on the Council for Court Excellence’s website.
I have served on the Board of Endowment of St. Marks Episcopal Church, the Board of Directors of CHAMPS (Capitol Hill Area Merchants and Professionals Association), and on the Board of Trustees of Two Rivers Public Charter School.
I also served for six years on the Steering Committee of the Estates, Trusts and Probate Section of the D.C. Bar, including two years as co-chair. Our section organizes monthly educational programs for lawyers in our field. I previously served as lead editor for the Wills and Estates and Intervention Proceedings chapters of the D.C. Practice Manual. I also testified in front of the D.C. Council in support of changes to D.C. laws relating to estate planning and estate and trust administration. I have presented on estate planning for community groups and professional organizations. Most recently, I was treasurer and am now secretary of the School Without Walls Home and School Association.
I was selected as one of the top Estate and Probate Lawyers by Washingtonian magazine (December 2004 issue).
