Enter legal issue and location

Gina M. Barry - Springfield, MA

33 State Street Springfield, MA 01103

Bacon Wilson, P.C.

Write A Review

Super Lawyers®

Visit Website

413-781-0560

Updated: 11/20/2024

Your Profile? Update Now

Springfield Estate Planning & Elder Law Lawyer

Overview

"I focus my practice on helping people plan for the future. Even young people should start thinking about how they will support themselves in their retirement years, and everybody needs a basic estate plan, including a will, health care proxy and power of attorney. I am down to earth, and I pride myself on making difficult and complex issues easy to understand for my clients. I have a broad client base including a mix of ages, genders, ethnicities and sexual orientations."

Gina is a partner and a member of the estate planning and elder law department, whose practice includes sophisticated estate planning issues. Gina also has extensive experience in matters of guardianship, conservatorship, long-term care planning, estate/probate administration, and residential real estate.

About Gina M. Barry

Current Employment Position(s)

Shareholder

Practice Areas

Estate Planning & Elder Law
Estate/Probate Administration
Residential Real Estate

Qualifications

Bar Admissions

Massachusetts, 1999
Connecticut
U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts

Other Affiliations

Massachusetts Bar Association
Hampden County Bar Association
Estate Planning Council of Hampden County
Connecticut Bar Association
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Hampden County Bar Association, New Lawyer's Section, 2003 - 2004 (Chair)
Hampden County Bar Association, New Lawyer's Section, 2003 - 2004 (Probate Court Bench Bar Liaison)
Holyoke North Business Network International (Membership Committee)
Women's Partnership Communications Committee (Co-Chair)
Women's Partnership Board of Directors, 2003 - 2005
Joy of Jasper Horse Sanctuary, Founder, 2007-Present
Greater Springfield Business & Professional Women's Club, First Vice President, 2005-2006
Greater Springfield Business & Professional Women's Club, Second Vice President, 2004-2005
Western Massachusetts Elder Care Professionals, Member, Steering Committee
Meadows Homes Human Rights Committee, Member
Women's Business Owners Alliance of the Pioneer Valley, Inc., Cheryl Reed Memorial Loan Fund Chair
National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, 2018 - Present (Director)
Western Massachusetts Elder Care Professionals Steering Committee (Member)

Classes and Seminars

Seminar: The Probate Process From Start to Finish, October 28, 2013
Seminar: Estate planning questions and answers, October 21, 2013
Seminar: Taking Control of Your Future: A Legal Checkup, May 18, 2011
Seminar: The Importance of Designating a Health Care Proxy Before You Need it, May 4, 2011
Seminar: Estate Planning Basics, July 29, 2010
Seminar: Paralegal Course: The UPC in Action – The Guardianship and Conservatorship Process & Preview of the 2011 Probate Changes, June 17, 2010
Seminar: Pet Estate Planning, February 4, 2010
Seminar: Demystifying the Emerging Treatment & Law of Eldercare, December 9, 2009
Seminar: Staying in Control: Understanding Massachusetts’ New Guardianship Laws, November 16, 2009
Seminar: When It’s All Going to the Dogs: A Primer on the Emerging Trend of Pet Trusts and Estate Planning, November 15, 2009
Seminar: Drafting the Simple Will, November 10, 2009
Contributor: Estate Planning Bits
Quoted: And to My Dear Woofy... Estate Planning, Bank Investment Consultant, July 2008
Guest on NPR discussing Leona Helmsley's $12M bequest to her dog, August 29, 2007
Speaker: Liberty Under Law: Empowering Youth, Assuring Democracy, Central High School, May 2007
Lecturer: The A-Z’s Of Real Property Issues, Suffolk University Law School, March 2007
Guest: WWLP TV Senior Showcase, 11/03
Court-Certified GAL Training for Category D Matters, MCLE, November 2002

Pro Bono Activities

President and Founder, The Joy of Jasper Horse Sanctuary

Past Positions

Justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court, Law Clerk, 1999 - 2000

Education

Western New England University School of Law, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1999
J.D.
Honors: cum laude
Law Review: Western New England Law Review, Articles Editor, 1998 - 1999
Law Review: Western New England Law Review, Staff Member, 1997 - 1998
Westfield State College, Westfield, Massachusetts, 1996
B.A.
Honors: magna cum laude
Holyoke Community College, 1994
A.A.
Honors: With High Honors

Fraternities and Sororities

Pi Sigma Alpha
Alpha Chi

Fees

Accepts Credit Cards

Articles

Published Works

Givers Gain: Use charitable giving to your advantage, Prime, October 1, 2019
Estate planning myths: know the facts to avoid these pitfalls, Prime, September 1, 2019
Are you a collector? Make a plan now to provide for its future, Prime, August 1, 2019
The homestead declaration: simple protection for your most valuable asset, Prime, July 1, 2019
Why estate planning is so critical for women, March 1, 2015
Protecting Assets from Nursing Home Costs, February 1, 2015
Resolve Now to Review Your Estate Plan in 2015, January 1, 2015
Year End Tax Planning - It's Not Too Late, December 1, 2014
Recognizing Elder Abuse, November 1, 2014
Taking the Guesswork Out of Choosing an Attorney, July 1, 2014
Protecting Assets from Nursing Home Costs with an Irrevocable Trust, June 1, 2014
The Life Estate Deed – one option for protecting your home, April 1, 2014
Good Grief, March 1, 2014
For the Love of Your Partner . . . Plan Now, February 1, 2014
‘Tis the Season . . . to Review Your Estate Plan: A New Year’s Resolution That’s Easy to Keep, January 1, 2014
Year End Tax Planning – It’s Not Too Late, December 1, 2013
Things to Know When Your Child is Also Your Caregiver, November 1, 2013
Estate Tax Update, October 1, 2013
Planning for Incapacity: Take Steps Now to Keep the Court out of Your Personal Decisions, September 23, 2013
An Estate Plan is Only Four Documents Away, September 1, 2013
Same Sex Married Couples Now Enjoy Same Rights Under Federal Law, August 1, 2013
Estate Planning Myths Explained, July 1, 2013
Considerations for Collectors, June 1, 2013
Special Needs Require Special Planning, May 1, 2013
You Can’t Take it With You: Consider Charity in Your Final Plans, April 1, 2013
Organizing Your Estate Plan, March 1, 2013
Regional Law Firm Attorneys Honored as 2012 SuperLawyers & Rising Stars, February 21, 2013
Moving Forward with a Reverse Mortgage, February 1, 2013
‘Tis the Season . . . to Review Your Estate Plan: A New Year’s Resolution That’s Easy to Keep, January 1, 2013
Estate-planning Myths Explained - To Avoid Problems, Separate Facts from Assumptions, January 1, 2013
Uncle Sam is Coming to Dinner – Act Now for Year-End Tax Planning, December 1, 2012
Caregiver Stress – The Next Epidemic?, November 1, 2012
Keeping the Court Out of Your Personal Decisions, October 1, 2012
Protecting Assets from Nursing Home Costs, September 1, 2012
Good Grief! - How to Properly Prepare Your Family to Handle Your Death, September 1, 2012
Vacation? Establish an Estate Plan Before Your Trip, August 15, 2012
Where There’s a Will, There’s an Heir, August 1, 2012
Wills vs. Trusts – Which is Right for You?, July 1, 2012
Is an IDIOT Trust Ever a Smart Choice?, June 1, 2012
Ethical Wills Document Allows You to Bequeath More than Material Possessions, May 1, 2012
Staying at Home – Considerations for Elders and Their Caregivers, May 1, 2012
Establish an Estate Plan Before Your Trip, April 1, 2012
The Life Estate Deed – One Option for Protecting Your Home, March 1, 2012
For the Love of Your Partner . . . Plan Now, February 1, 2012
‘Tis the Season . . . to Review Your Estate Plan: A New Year’s Resolution That’s Easy to Keep, January 1, 2012
Uniform Probate Code Revisited And Why You Should Still Avoid It Whenever Possible, January 1, 2012
Navigating the Minefield of Long Distance Caregiving, December 29, 2011
Year End Planning – It’s Not Too Late . . . Yet, December 1, 2011
Taking the Guesswork out of Choosing an Attorney, November 1, 2011
Things to Know When Your Child is Also Your Caregiver, October 1, 2011
The Impact of Grief on Your Estate Plan, September 1, 2011
Special Needs Require Special Planning, August 1, 2011
Issues of Time and Space: Navigating the Minefield of Long-distance Caregiving, May 1, 2011
Estate Planning Concerns for Women, May 1, 2011
Organizing Your Estate Plan, April 22, 2011
Estate Tax Update, March 1, 2011
Pet Trusts Arrive in Massachusetts, February 1, 2011
Estate Planning Checkup, January 1, 2011
Plan Now to Avoid Paying Nursing Home Costs, December 1, 2010
Avoiding Caregiver Stress, November 1, 2010
Ethical Wills: Bequeathing Life’s Lessons, Dreams, and Hopes, October 11, 2010
Plan Now to Protect Your Pets Later, October 1, 2010
Estate Planning Myths Explained, September 1, 2010
You Can’t Take it With You . . . Consider Charity in Your Final Plans, August 1, 2010
Consider the Basics Before Contesting a Will, July 1, 2010
Caregiver Stress: It’s Real, and Its Impact Can Be Severe; How to Avoid the Epidemic, June 7, 2010
Do You Need a Trust?, June 1, 2010
Considerations for Collectors, May 1, 2010
Establish an Estate Plan Before Your Trip, April 1, 2010
The Truth About Gift Tax, March 1, 2010
For the Love of Your Partner . . . Plan Now, February 1, 2010
A Whole New World - Navigating the Uniform Probate Code, January 1, 2010
‘Tis the Season . . . to Review Your Estate Plan: A New Year’s Resolution That’s Easy to Keep, December 22, 2009
Uncle Sam is Coming to Dinner – Plan Ahead and Enjoy the Holidays, December 1, 2009
When Mom and Dad Won’t Move – Sweeping the Minefield of Long Distance Caregiving, November 1, 2009
Take Steps Now to Maintain Your Independence Later, October 1, 2009
The Life Estate Deed – One Option for Protecting Your Home, September 1, 2009
Moving Forward with a Reverse Mortgage, August 1, 2009
The Basic Estate Plan: Don't Leave Home Without It, July 1, 2009
Keeping the Court Out of Your Personal Decisions, June 1, 2009
Planning Ahead - How to Save Your Nest Egg From Nursing-home Costs, May 25, 2009
Is an IDIOT Trust Ever a Smart Choice?, May 1, 2009
Where There's a Will, There's an Heir, April 8, 2009
Recognizing Elder Abuse - Grandma's Broken Glasses, and Other Subtle Signs of Trouble, March 2, 2009
Your Place or Mine? - Providing Care for Aging Parents, March 1, 2009
The Pitfalls of Estate Planning - Sweeping the Minefield of Long-distance Caregiving, January 29, 2009
Givers Gain - Use Charitable Giving to Your Advantage, November 18, 2008
Gina Barry recently founded The Joy of Jasper, November 18, 2008
Good Grief!, October 17, 2008
Health Care Proxies and Powers of Attorney - Providing Your Voice When You Are Unable to Speak for Yourself, October 16, 2008
Ethical Wills - Bequeath Your Values Along With Your Valuables, October 13, 2008
A Final Gift of Organization, August 23, 2008
Ethical Wills - Bequeath Your Values Along With Your Valuables, August 22, 2008
You Can't Take it With You . . . Consider Charity in Your Final Plans, June 20, 2008
A Woman's Plan for Independence, May 2, 2008
When It's All Going to the Dogs - A Primer on the Emerging Trend of Pet Estate Planning, April 14, 2008
Will Your Nest Egg Pay Your Nursing Home Costs? - Plan Now to Avoid Paying Later, April 3, 2008
For the Love of Your Partner . . . Plan Now, February 20, 2008
'Tis the Season . . . to Review Your Estate Plan: A New Year's Resolution That's Easy to Keep, January 20, 2008
Uncle Sam is Coming to Dinner - Plan Ahead and Enjoy the Holidays, November 30, 2007
When It's All Going to the Dogs: Planning For Your Pets After You're Gone, November 29, 2007
Your Place or Mine? - Providing Care for Aging Parents, November 14, 2007
Grandma's Broken Glasses - Recognizing and Preventing Elder Abuse, September 24, 2007
Halt! Who Goes There? - Stopping Identity Thieves in Their Tracks, August 13, 2007
Antiques, Collections and Things - Oh My!, June 27, 2007
The Basic Estate Plan - Peace of Mind for the Savvy Traveler, May 23, 2007
Giving Them the Business: Ensuring a Smooth Transition When It's Time, May 11, 2007
Eeny Meeny Miney Moe? - Taking the Guesswork Out of Choosing an Attorney, May 2, 2007
If You Should Die Before You Wake, Whom Do You Pray Your Estate to Take?, March 1, 2007
Wills vs. Trusts - Explaining the Estate Planning Enigma, February 6, 2007
'Tis the Season . . . to Review Your Estate Plan: A New Year's Resolution That's Easy to Keep, December 21, 2006
The Will That Won't - Should it be Contested?, October 16, 2006
Homestead Declaration Sweet Homestead Declaration, October 1, 2006
Health Care Proxies and Powers of Attorney - Providing Your Voice When You Are Unable to Speak for Yourself, August 21, 2006
Where There's a Will, There's an Heir, July 30, 2006
The Medicaid Rules Have Changed, but the Planning Continues, May 30, 2006
Medicaid Madness Continues as the Rules Change Once Again, April 30, 2006
Elder Abuse - Unveiling the Dirty Little Secret, April 12, 2006
Your Place or Mine? - Addressing the Caretaker Child Conundrum, March 13, 2006
Prescription For Progress - Taking The Mystery Out Of Medicare Part D and Its Enrollment Decisions, February 17, 2006
When It's All Going to the Dogs - Planning Estates with Pets, December 1, 2005
An Ounce Of Prevention - A Simple Estate Plan is Only Four Important Legal Documents Away, April 25, 2005
Unlikely Bedfellows: Preserving Assets While Financing Nursing Home Care, November 17, 2004
When Mom and Dad Won't Move - Sweeping the Minefield of Long Distance Caregiving, August 12, 2004
A Simple Estate Plan is Only Four Documents Away, June 21, 2004
Brewing Elder Abuse - A Recipe For Disaster, August 18, 2003
How To Avoid Guardianship, April 5, 2003
A Woman's Plan For Independence, March 15, 2003
When You Aren't Really You - Protecting Yourself from Identity Thieves, February 27, 2003
Author: United States v. Kirby: The Case for Appellate Review of Grants of Bail by District Court Judges in International Extradition Cases, 21 W. New Eng. L. Rev. 565 (1999)
Author: Homestead Exemption Update: WP Channels, August 2001
Your estate plan: January’s a great time for an annual review, January 2020
Holiday season tax planning: Make the time to consider your options, December 2019
For the love of your partner include these documents in your estate, Prime, February 2020.
“The family business: Ensuring a smooth transition when it’s time,” Prime, February 2021
“Reviewing your estate plan: It’s a New Year’s resolution that’s easy to keep,” Prime, January 2021

Office Information

Address

33 State Street Springfield, MA 01103

Phone

413-781-0560

Fax

413-739-7740

Email

Websites

https://www.baconwilson.com

Achievements

Other Sources of Feedback About Gina M. Barry

Included on the 2024 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list

Past Lists

2023 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2018 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2017 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2016 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2015 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2014 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2013 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2012 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2011 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2010 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2008 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2007 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
2006 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list

View the profile for Gina M. Barry on Super Lawyers

Honors

Designated as "Super Lawyer" 2013 in Boston Magazine
Distinguished: Top Woman Attorney in MA by Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2012
Recipient: Super Lawyers Rising Star Award Boston Magazine, 2012
Recipient: Super Lawyers Rising Star Award Boston Magazine, 2011
Recipient: Chapter Member of the Year, BNI Holyoke North, MA, 10/13/2011
Designated as "Super Lawyer Rising Star" 2010 in Boston Magazine
Recipient: Top Five Business Women in Western Mass, Western MA Women's Magazine, 2010
Recipient: SuperLawyers Rising Star Award Boston Magazine, 2006 - 2008
Estate Planning Specialist Blends Law with a Passion for Animals, BusinessWest, October 20, 2005
Women in Business Spotlight, Valley Business Outlook, September 2005
"Woman of the Year" distinction, Women Business Owners Alliance, 2005
"Up and Coming Lawyer 2004" distinction, MA Lawyers Weekly, 2004
Catherine Bean Street Scholarship, Recipient
CALI Award for Excellence in Torts
CALI Award for Excellence in Critical Race Theory
"Lawyer of the Year” for Springfield Elder Law, Best Lawyers, 2019
 Designated as 2015’s Woman of Influence by Women Business Owners Alliance
Distinguished Alumni for 2015, Holyoke Community College
Recipient, First Annual Visionary Achievement Award from Western Mass Women's Magazine, 2014
Recipient, SuperLawyers Massachusetts and New England Award, 2013-2019
Recipient, SuperLawyers Massachusetts and New England Rising Star Award, 2006-2008, 2010-2012
Designated as one of the Top Five Business Women in Western Mass, Western Mass Women's Magazine, 2010
Recipient, 40 Under Forty award, BusinessWest, 2009

When viewing a listing, consider the state advertising restrictions to which lawyers and law firms must adhere, as well as our FindLaw.com Legal Directory disclaimer. Some lawyers publish comparative information regarding the services that they provide which may be subject to specific comparative communications restrictions.

Map Location

How do I choose a lawyer?

Consider the following:

Comfort Level: - Are you comfortable telling the lawyer personal information? Does the lawyer seem interested in solving your problem?
Credentials: - How long has the lawyer been in practice? Has the lawyer worked on other cases similar to yours?
Cost: - How are the lawyer's fees structured - hourly or flat fee? Can the lawyer estimate the cost of your case?
City: - Is the lawyer's office conveniently located?

Not sure what questions to ask a lawyer?

Here are a few to get you started:

How long have you been in practice?
How many cases like mine have you handled?
How often do you settle cases out of court?
What are your fees and costs?
What are the next steps?

Want to check lawyer discipline?

It is always a good idea to research your lawyer prior to hiring. Every state has a disciplinary organization that monitors attorneys, their licenses, and consumer complaints. By researching lawyer discipline you can:

Ensure the attorney is currently licensed to practice in your state
Gain an understanding of his or her historical disciplinary record, if any.
Determine the seriousness of complaints/issues which could range from late bar fees to more serious issues requiring disciplinary action.