Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynn Girvin.
Hi Lynn, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my own estate planning practice in 2012, when my youngest of three boys started kindergarten. I began my professional career practicing litigation as in-house defense counsel for a national insurance company. I really enjoyed my position and had the opportunity to travel. It was a great job, but it didn’t work well with three little guys at home, so I made the very hard decision to quit and be a full-time mom. I loved that time with my kids and wouldn’t trade it for the world, but honestly, I was itching to get back into the legal field and start using my degree again.
When I worked as a litigator, my favorite part was sitting behind the computer strategizing my approach for my clients. I really liked the nitty-gritty of writing and started to consider that estate planning might be a great fit. My husband and I needed an estate plan so I started researching attorneys and when I couldn’t find anyone that I felt a connection to I decided that this was a void I could fill.
When the time came for my youngest to start logging some hours at school, I thought, now is the time, and decided that writing estate plans for families just like mine would be a great niche. That has turned out to be true. Early on I focused on young families who needed basic Nomination of Guardian documents along with wills and trusts to distribute property, but now I serve all kinds of families—large and small—some with modest estates and others with much greater wealth. Most everyone needs some sort of estate plan and financially I know what it’s like to raise a family, so an affordable approachable service really mattered to me. Nowadays most people are dealing financial difficulties in this tough economic time, so I pride myself in making an estate plan accessible. I use a flat fee so there are no surprises once the plan is complete.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest struggle was learning an entirely new area of law on my own. I took classes and read books, but the real learning didn’t happen until I started practicing. Jumping in was scary but I took that time to thoroughly research and hopefully master each new legal intricacy. I found that logic is my friend and that a reasonable approach to a new issues generally lead me in the right direction. Luckily, the wills and estates bar is a friendly helpful group so whenever a unique issue arises, there is always someone that has dealt with it or wanting to offer a direction to pursue. I enjoy offering my insight to other others as well.
We’ve been impressed with Lynn Girvin Law, P.C., but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a sole practitioner but utilize two paralegals who work remotely. I am able to keep my overhead low and pass that savings on to my clients. I want my practice to be approachable for people new to dealing with lawyers, so I meet with clients offsite or at my office if that works better for them. I think this sets me apart from many other attorneys who have other people answering their phone and meeting with clients. I have heard of estate planning attorneys that don’t even meet their clients until the day documents are being signed! I want my clients to know that I care about working with them and that they can call me for other needs as well. If I can’t help them, I will help to find someone who will. My clients look to me as their family lawyer once we’ve established a relationship.
I also do trust administration after a loved one has passed and help my clients if they are starting a new business.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Long Beach State University. Most people are surprised to hear that an attorney’s undergraduate degree is in art but in my years of practicing law, I have heard of several other attorneys with this same background – interestingly all women. On the face of it, art as a discipline appears to be at the opposite end of the professional spectrum than law, but I found that art education is about figuring out problems and finding creative ways to solve them. My professors would assign a project with specific parameters and our job as students was to find the most creative solution. I loved it! That sort of mirrors what I do now. I am a problem solver and figure out ways for each family’s specific planning situation to be implemented in the most effective way possible. And once I’m done with a particular file, the final product for my client is put together in a clean organized way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lynngirvinlaw.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-girvin-388bb627/
