Jordana Glasgow focuses her practice on probate and fiduciary litigation, representation of schools and colleges, and First Amendment and media law.
Notable Experience
In her probate and fiduciary litigation practice, Ms. Glasgow handles a broad range of trust and estate litigation including will contests, disputes over the distribution of trust assets, accounting proceedings, partition actions, cases involving the interpretation and modification of instruments, and breach of fiduciary duty cases. Ms. Glasgow appears frequently in Probate Court and also represents clients in the Massachusetts Appeals Court and Supreme Judicial Court. Ms. Glasgow recently served as the Co-Chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Fiduciary Litigation Committee.
Representative Probate Litigation Matters:
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of individual trustee against claims that trust amendment was procured as a result of undue influence and incompetence.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a bank trustee sued for breach of fiduciary duty by the trust beneficiaries arising out of investment decisions made by trustee.
- Successfully represented a client in District Court and the First Circuit Court of Appeals in a Hague Convention case, obtaining a result that allowed a client to remain in the U.S. with her children.
- Obtained a judgment allowing for the modification of the terms of a charitable trust.
- Obtained early dismissal of claims seeking to challenge will on grounds of undue influence.
In her schools and colleges practice, Ms. Glasgow defends universities in negligence and contract actions and cases involving student-discipline and faculty promotion issues. She also advises her education clients on matters involving student discipline and privacy rights.
Representative Education Matters:
- Obtained a defense verdict on behalf of a university in a three-week jury trial involving claims of discrimination and retaliation.
- Obtained summary judgment of breach of contract and tort claims brought by a student against a university arising out of disciplinary action taken against the student. The judgment was affirmed by the Appeals Court.
In her First Amendment practice, Ms. Glasgow defends claims arising out of publication and newsgathering activities, and represents media outlets seeking access to court documents and pre-trial discovery. She also provides pre-publication review and related advice.
Representative Media & Communications Matters:
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a local newspaper in connection with defamation claims brought by an individual who claimed to be misidentified as a criminal.
- Successfully defended a local town in District Court and the First Circuit Court of Appeals against claims that it violated the First Amendment by regulating the placement of unattended structures, including a crèche, in a public forum.