Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Attorney Leanna Hamill provides Estate Planning and related legal services to clients of all ages, with a focus on the needs of older individuals and their families. Based in Hingham, Massachusetts, Attorney Leanna Hamill provides the following services:

• Estate Planning
• Estate Administration
• Guardianship and Conservatorship Services
• Comprehensive Estate and Medicaid Planning Evaluations
• Medicaid Advocacy

Leanna works with her clients to plan for and face life’s exciting changes, unexpected challenges and inevitable transitions. By listening to her clients’ needs and helping them identify their goals, Leanna is able to provide solutions to the issues facing today’s families and seniors.

ATTORNEY PROFILE

Leanna graduated cum laude from Suffolk University Law School, and has a degree in Sociology from the University of California, Davis. Prior to practicing law, Leanna worked at Tufts Health Plan, in the Appeals and Grievances Department, for over seven years. Leanna lives in Hingham and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the South Shore Coalition of Workers with the Elderly. Leanna is also one of the co-founders of the Women Attorneys Network of the South Shore ( http://www.wanss.org/ ) and can sometimes be found on Weymouth Community Television doing yoga with Back to Your Senses.

PRACTICE AREAS

Estate Planning

Leanna provides estate planning for clients of all ages and circumstances. For young families this can include selecting a guardian for minor children and planning for their future, while for older families or individuals this can include long-term care and disability planning, or simply updating their previous estate plans to reflect their current situation. Leanna works with clients to draft Wills, Trusts, Durable Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies and Living Wills that that take into account each client’s particular needs and wishes.

If necessary, Leanna can refer her clients to a trusted network of financial planners, accountants, geriatric care managers and other professionals to ensure all of her clients’ needs are met.

Estate Administration

Leanna provides full representation of fiduciaries administering estates. Probate administration includes filing the petition for appointment of the personal representative, preparing and filing the inventory of estate assets, paying decedent’s debts, distributing assets, filing tax returns, and filing accounts with the Probate Court.

Guardianship and Conservatorship Services

Leanna represents clients seeking guardianship and conservatorship of relatives who can no longer manage their personal or financial affairs and assists family members in fulfilling the duties imposed by these new roles.

Comprehensive Estate and Long Term Care Planning Evaluations

Leanna begins her representation of many clients with a comprehensive estate and long-term care planning evaluation. This evaluation determines the best planning strategies to pursue in order to meet the estate planning and long-term health care objectives of the client. Leanna examines all aspects of the client’s financial well-being and issues a follow-up letter which summarizes the client’s unique situation, reviews the law, and explains her recommendations for the best possible estate plan for the client.

Medicaid Advocacy

Leanna prepares or assists in the preparation and submission of the Medicaid application to the appropriate long-term care unit of the Division of Medical Assistance (DMA). At the client’s request, she co-ordinates all communications with the DMA, thereby removing the individual as much as possible from the tedious and often frustrating application process. If needed, Leanna can represent clients in connection with Medicaid appeals in administrative hearings before the Board of Hearings.

Paul Epstein, a native of Hull, graduated Hull High School in 1971. He continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a B.S. in Criminology. Mr. Epstein also has an M.S. in Criminal Justice from American International College, and a J.D. from Franklin Pierce Law Center.

Before starting law school, he worked as a police officer and an investigator for the public defender's office. Upon graduation from law school, he worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Essex County, where he became the supervising ADA for the Lawrence area. As recognition of his extensive trial experience, Mr. Epstein was selected to be a clinical instructor of trial tactics at Harvard Law School.

Prior to forming The Law Offices of Epstein, Lipsey & Clifford P.C. with Bruce Lipsey and Scott Clifford, Mr. Epstein was a founding partner in The Law Offices of Spillane & Epstein, P.C. Attorney Epstein concentrates in Personal Injury, Education Law, Products Liability, Business Mediation, and Criminal Defense. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, The Federal District Court, The United States Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He has also been admitted to argue cases in Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Florida.

Mr. Epstein is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, The Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, The Massachusetts Bar Association, The Plymouth County Bar Association, and has been named an Advocate by the National College of Advocacy in Alabama. Mr. Epstein has tried hundreds of cases in most Courts in the Commonwealth, and has mediated many business disputes.

Mr. Epstein lives in Hull and is a Board member of many civic and religious organizations. He has two daughters.

Katie Lenihan was admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2004. Since that time her primary focus has been in the area of family law. She is currently an associate at the firm of Otis & Associates, P.C. and has been there since June, 2007. Prior to that, Ms. Lenihan worked in Lexington for the Law Office of Miriam G. Altman, P.C. She has worked in the following Courts: Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex and Worcester. She now primarily practices out of Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Middlesex.

Jane is a partner at the law firm of Sedna Law, P.C. The name Sedna was chosen because its multiple meanings fit the Firm's vision. Sedna is a planet-like body discovered in 2004 by a team of U.S. researchers. Sedna is the most distant confirmed planetary object located in our solar system to date – more than 84 billion miles from the sun. Sedna is slowly traveling towards Earth and will reach its closest point in approximately 70 years. Sedna is named for the Inuit goddess of the ocean, who Inuit hunters must appease if they are to travel safely across the seas. Inspired by this namesake, Sedna Law strives to ease the journey of travelers from afar.

Phonetically, Sedna closely approximates the Mandarin Chinese pronunciation of the characters or “xin de” which translates as “new virtue.” Sedna Law strives to offer virtuous and ethical legal services to our clients. From helping family members immigrate to the United States to bringing necessary and key employees for businesses, our Firm approaches each case with expertise and creativity. The guiding objective of Sedna Law is to provide fair and honest assessments of individual immigration cases – to deal openly with its clients, providing diligent and competent representation at a reasonable cost.

Kevin W. Gaughen, Jr. joined the firm in August of 2009 from the Norfolk County District Attorneys office. Gaughen served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Wrentham, Quincy, Stoughton and Dedham District Courts and as the Assistant District Attorney in charge of the Brookline District and Juvenile Courts. Attorney Gaughen is known for his zealous trial advocacy. In a recent appeals court case, opposing counsel characterized him as to have "pummeled into the jury's consciousness"1 important portions of the case. The case was decided in his client's favor.

Attorney Gaughen is a graduate of American University where he was awarded a B.A. Gaughen received a Juris Doctorate degree from Suffolk University Law School. Gaughen was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 2007.

Attorney Gaughen concentrates his practice in the areas of Criminal Law, Litigation and Family Law.

Attorney Gaughen is a member of various professional associations including the Massachusetts Bar Association, Boston Bar Association, Norfolk County Bar Association and Plymouth County Bar Association.


1. Commonwealth of Massachusetts Appeals Court. 2009-P-0154. Commonwealth v. Francis Fisher. Brief for the Defendant.

Melissa R. Victor is a well-respected attorney in Southeastern Massachusetts. She is an expert in the areas of Estate Planning, Probate an Trust Administration, Guardianships, Elder Law, Medicaid and Real Estate matters. She graduated from the State University of New York College at Oswego in 1994. She then attended New England School of Law in Boston, where she graduated Cum Laude in 1997. Attorney Victor is admitted to practice law in both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New York.

Attorney Victor is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She has been a guest speaker on the show "Legal Beagles" as well as "Hometown Talk" on 1530 AM. She has also been quoted in various newspapers including the Metro West Daily News. She is currently an Adjunct Professor at her alma mater, New England School of Law, where she teaches Wills, Estates and Trusts II. Attorney Victor has also presented hundreds of estate planning seminars for religious organizations, non-profits, social groups and such financial organizations as Merrill Lynch, H.R. Block, Bridgewater Savings Bank and Advest.

Peter C. Herbst Jr. joined Baker, Braverman and Barbadoro, P.C. in September of 2008. Attorney Herbst concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial real estate, estate planning and estate administration. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Herbst was a partner in the firm of Herbst & Herbst, LLC where he concentrated on residential real estate, estate planning and land use.

Mr. Herbst is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Connecticut. Mr. Herbst graduated cum laude from Vermont Law School where he served as a member and Managing Editor of the Vermont Law Review. Mr. Herbst was also active in the Student Bar Association serving as its Webmaster and IT Coordinator. During his third year of law school, Mr. Herbst taught Legal Writing and Reasoning to first year law students. As an undergraduate, Mr. Herbst attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources and the Environment. He is also an alumnus of Phillips Andover.

Mr. Herbst served on the Board of Directors of LARC, Inc., a non-profit organization working to improve the lives of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Mr. Herbst also served as a Zoning Hearing Officer for the City of Torrington, a position appointed by the City's Mayor.