Lana Hawkins | Estate Planning

Hawkins Law Firm, LLC

Lana Hawkins | Hawkins Law Firm, LLC

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Firm Summary

Attorney Lana Hawkins assists Alabama clients in Family Law, Estate Planning, Probate Law, Business Law, Litigation, Mediation and Appeals.  Prior to returning to her native state of Alabama, Ms. Hawkins practiced in Palo Alto, California and Washington, D.C.

An Experienced Alabama Family Law Attorney

The firm’s Family Law practice includes contested and non-contested divorces, child custody and visitation, child support awards and enforcement, post-minority support, modification proceedings, asset protection issues, paternity adjudication proceedings, adoptions, juvenile dependency cases, termination of parental rights cases and restraining orders stemming from domestic abuse. Ms. Hawkins has tried hundreds of family law cases, representing parties in divorce cases, biological and adoptive parents, grandparents, caregivers and minor children.

Ms. Hawkins currently serves as the Chair of the Committee on Child Support for the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association. She was selected for a Lifetime Achievement Award by America’s Top 100 Attorneys in 2019. Ms. Hawkins was recognized as a Top 10 Best Attorney for Client Satisfaction by The American Institute of Family Law Attorneys in 2015, as a Top 100 Family Lawyer by ASLA in 2014 and by The National Advocates in 2015.  The American Academy of Trial Attorneys named Ms. Hawkins as a Top 100 Trial Attorney in the state of Alabama in 2015.

Ms. Hawkins is the Vice-Chair Elect for the Child Support Committee, a standing committee of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association and a member of the Child Custody Committee and the Adoption Subcommittee of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association.

Estate Planning and Probate Law Attorney

In the area of Estate Planning, Ms. Hawkins’ practice encompasses basic estate planning, including wills, medical directives, powers of attorney, and incapacity planning. She also provides more complex estate planning services to clients in need of revocable trusts, by-pass trusts, irrevocable insurance trusts, special needs trusts, and other specialized trust planning. In addition, Ms. Hawkins handles a wide range of Probate Law matters, including Guardianship and Conservatorship matters, Estate Administrations, and Estate Litigation.

Business and Corporate Law Attorney

Ms. Hawkins has more than twenty-five years of Business and Corporate Law experience. Her corporate finance work includes handling private equity financing, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, equity compensation programs, strategic alliances, insider trading issues, securities law compliance and shareholder and director representation.

Ms. Hawkins has served on the Board of Directors and as Corporate Secretary for many of her corporate clients, and has represented a host of national and regional financial institutions and investment banks, including Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and UBS. She also has an extensive background in the formation, structuring, and representation of small and mid-sized companies.

Education
Ms. Hawkins received her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., and her B.A. from the University of Central Florida, summa cum laude. She is a member of the State Bar of Alabama and the District of Columbia Bar (inactive). Ms. Hawkins regularly writes and speaks on various legal topics related to her areas of practice.

B.A., University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, summa cum laude

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C.

Honors

• Editorial Board, The Tax Lawyer
• Law Fellow
• Dean’s List
• AM JUR AWARDS
• Trial Practice
• Legislative Advocacy
• Professional Ethics
• Civil Procedure

Professional Recognition

• Lifetime Achievement Award, 2019, America’s Top 100 Attorneys
• “10 Best” for Family Law, 2015, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
• Top 100 Matrimonial and Family Lawyer, 2015, National Advocates
• Top 100 Family Lawyer, 2014, American Society of Legal Advocates
• Top 100 Trial Lawyer, American Academy of Trial Attorneys
• “10 Best” for Client Satisfaction, 2015, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys

Professional Memberships

• District of Columbia Bar (inactive)
• U.S. District Court Alabama Northern Division
• Madison County Bar Association
• Marshall County Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Member of Scribes, The American Society of Legal Writers
• Member, Legal Writing Institute

Alabama State Bar:

• Family Law Section
• Estates and Trusts Section
• Business Law Section
• Litigation Section
• Appellate Section
• Elder Law Section

Board and Committee Memberships

• Chair, Child Support Committee, Family Law Section of the American Bar Association, 2019 – 2020 (Vice Chair 2018-2019)
• Board of Trustees, Alabama Baptist Children’s Home, Birmingham, AL (2012-present)
• Chair (2016 to 2018); Vice-Chair (2014-2015)
• Advisory Board, Snead State Community College
• Marshall County Leadership Challenge, Class of 2012
• Board of Directors, Arab Chamber of Commerce (2006-2012)
• Board of Directors, Arab Industrial Development Board (2005-2007)
• Board of Directors, Birmingham Venture Club, Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce (2002-2003)
• Board of Directors, Alabama Information Technology Association (2001-2003)
• Advisory Board, Alabama Technology Today (2000-2002)
• Delegate, CEO Delegation, Birmingham Innovation Group, Birmingham/St. Louis Chambers of Commerce (2003)
• Delegate, Alabama Privacy Study Commission (2000-2001)

Previous Practice Experience

Partner, Balch & Bingham, Birmingham, Alabama;
Co-Chair, Corporate Technology Practice Group

Special Counsel, Cooley Godward LLP,
San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Diego, Seattle, Boston, New York, Reston

Associate, Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge,
Washington, D.C.

Associate, Brown & Wood, New York, Washington, D.C., Bejing, Hong Kong, London, Tokyo, Los Angeles