Dara Lynn S. Freytag

Dara Lynn Freytag is a partner in Shipman’s Boston office. Her practice focuses on estate planning, trust and estate administration, and tax strategy for individuals, families, fiduciaries, and business owners. Clients turn to her for clear, actionable guidance on preserving wealth, transferring assets across generations, and administering estates efficiently and effectively. Dara Lynn combines her technical training in taxation with a practical, client-centered approach to help families and businesses plan and resolve challenges when they arise.

Her work includes designing wills, trusts, and other planning instruments tailored to her clients’ personal and financial goals. She regularly advises on tax-sensitive wealth transfers, including lifetime gifting programs and generation-skipping transfer strategies, helping clients minimize exposure to federal and state estate taxes. She also guides fiduciaries and personal representatives through the complexities of probate and trust administration, from initial filings through post-death distributions, ensuring that legal requirements are met while family dynamics are respected.

Dara Lynn often collaborates with closely held businesses and their owners, integrating estate planning with business succession strategies and long-term financial planning. Her background with the IRS Estate & Gift Tax Division and her experience in probate courts give her insight into both the technical and procedural sides of her work. This dual perspective helps her anticipate challenges, structure plans that withstand scrutiny, and position clients for long-term success.

Clients appreciate her ability to simplify complex tax and fiduciary rules and to translate them into strategies that are practical and sustainable. Her involvement with the Boston Estate Planning Council—where she was elected to the Board of Directors—and her AEP designation from the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils reflect her commitment to staying engaged with evolving law and industry best practices.

Beyond her legal practice, Dara Lynn is deeply invested in community service. She serves on the Board of Directors of Marisa’s Mission, volunteers as a Girl Scout troop leader in Hingham, and actively supports the Boston Estate Planning Council’s professional development initiatives. This combination of professional dedication and civic engagement reinforces her reputation as a thoughtful and approachable advisor.