Practice Focus

Joan Garrity Flynn has practiced probate law for over 30 years. She joined Hemenway & Barnes in 2008, focusing her practice in the areas of estate and charitable planning; estate, trust and guardianship administration; and probate court equity matters. Joan serves as trustee for private family trusts and charitable foundations.

Joan began her legal career in 1981 at Herrick & Smith, joining Goodwin Procter LLP in 1986. She joined Palmer & Dodge LLP in 1996 and was a Senior Counsel in the Private Client Department at the time of the merger with Edward Angell LLP, where she remained until coming to Hemenway & Barnes.

Representative Experience

Joan’s experience has included a variety of estate planning, estate settlement and nonprofit legal matters including:

• Successful resolution of court proceeding to confirm decedent’s intent with respect to provisions under her will and subsequent creation of charitable foundation.
• Creation of sophisticated estate plans for owners of significant real estate interests utilizing limited liability entities.
• Design and implementation of a structure for estate beneficiaries to hold and manage inherited property interests.
• Successful negotiation and resolution of federal and state estate tax audits.
• Working with a major religious organization to analyze, propose solutions for and obtain court approval relating to restricted gifts, the terms of which are no longer possible to fulfill.