Lynn E. Calkins is the practice group leader for Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C. Litigation Group and serves on the firm's Directors Committee.
Ms. Calkins is a trial lawyer and appellate advocate, concentrating in the defense of claims under the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act brought against real estate developers, hotels, retailers and local governments. In addition to this focus, she has handled numerous business and real estate disputes, zoning appeals, regulatory matters and breach of trust cases.
Ms. Calkins has successfully prosecuted and defended actions in local and federal courts across the country with extensive experience on matters pending in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, where she clerked for The Honorable Deborah K. Chasanow in 1995 and now serves as a member of the court's Bench-Bar Liaison Committee.
Ms. Calkins' litigation successes include the following representative matters:
- obtained a dismissal with prejudice for a multifamily housing developer of alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act brought by an advocacy group
- successfully defended a county government against claims under the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act
- secured favorable settlements of accessibility claims brought against real estate developers
- obtained summary judgment against claims of fraud and breach of contract related to a complex real estate matter
- obtained dismissal of a large computer corporation from an intellectual property case
- obtained dismissal of a university from a breach of contract matter
- obtained judgment after a trial for a satellite company in a breach of contract matter
- obtained summary judgment for a telecommunications corporation in a breach of contract matter
- obtained a substantial settlement for an Indian tribe in a breach of fiduciary case against the United States
- successfully represented an Indian tribe in an appeal to the Federal Circuit
- secured favorable settlements for a number of airlines
- obtained summary judgment for a real estate developer seeking to void expired restrictive covenants
In 2004, Ms. Calkins was selected for Holland & Knight's Rising Stars program, a dynamic and intensive program in leadership, marketing and management. In 2005, she co-chaired that program. In 2006 and 2007, Ms. Calkins served as the marketing partner for the firm's three offices in the Mid-Atlantic Region.