
Lina Girgis is a 2025 graduate of Cleveland State University College of Law. Prior to law school, Lina earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the Ohio State University. Between receiving her bachelor's degree and attending law school, Lina worked as a paralegal for Michael Hill, gaining invaluable experience working on nursing home abuse and neglect cases, developing, a comprehensive understanding of the legal system, and a deep passion for law.
During law school, Lina served as captain of the Mock Trial Team for two years, and made Cleveland State history by leading her team to victory in the regional finals of the American Association of Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition. Lina's team of four first-year students proceeded to the national competition in Chicago, Illinois. After three days of back to back civil trials, Lina's team advanced to quarterfinals, and placed 8th in the nation.
Lina also participated in the Law Pretrial Justice Clinic, where she advocated for individuals charged with low-level offenses who lacked the ability to post bail during the pendency of their case. In between classes, mock trial, and work, Lina spent hours each week in the Cuyahoga County Jail with clients. She listened to their stories and drafted memorandums that would eventually be used by senior attorneys to argue reduced bail. Lina witnessed firsthand the positive impact of having an attorney that zealously advocates for her clients' interests. As a result of her efforts in the clinic, Lina received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award, an award given to the highest scoring student in each law school class.
Lina resides in Lakewood, Ohio with her two Russian Blue cats, Suki and Bambi. She enjoys taking walks near the lake, trying local coffee shops, traveling, and spending quality time with her family and close friends. Lina is eager to begin her career as an attorney at Michael Hill Trial Law, and looks forward to using her skills to seek justice for nursing home abuse and neglect victims and their families.
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Falls are one of the most common and dangerous incidents affecting nursing home residents. For elderly individuals, even a single fall can result in broken bones, head trauma, permanent disability, or death. Families trust nursing homes to provide a safe environment designed to minimize these risks. Unfortunately, across Ohio and the United States, many facilities fail to implement basic fall-prevention measures, placing residents in serious danger.
Falls are rarely “just accidents.” In most cases, they occur because nursing homes ignored known risks, failed to follow care plans, or cut corners on staffing and supervision. Understanding why falls happen, what the law requires, and how families can respond is essential to protecting vulnerable seniors.

When people think of nursing home abuse, they often imagine physical injuries such as bruises or broken bones. Yet one of the most damaging and widespread forms of elder abuse leaves no visible marks: emotional and psychological abuse.
Across Ohio and the United States, countless nursing home residents suffer in silence as they endure intimidation, humiliation, isolation, and verbal mistreatment. Because this abuse does not leave obvious physical evidence, it is frequently ignored or dismissed—even though its effects can be devastating.

When families place a loved one in a nursing home, they trust the facility to protect not only their physical safety, but also their financial security. Unfortunately, across Ohio and the United States, financial exploitation remains one of the most common—and least visible—forms of elder abuse in nursing homes.
Unlike physical abuse, financial exploitation often occurs quietly. Money disappears, personal property goes missing, or legal documents are altered without a resident’s full understanding. By the time families realize what has happened, the damage may already be extensive.

For many elderly residents, a nursing home is not just a care facility—it is their home. Being abruptly told to leave can be frightening, disorienting, and dangerous. Unfortunately, across Ohio and the United States, some nursing homes attempt to illegally discharge or transfer residents for reasons that violate state and federal law.
These wrongful discharges often occur when a resident becomes more medically complex, requires additional care, runs out of private funds, or speaks up about neglect. In many cases, facilities prioritize convenience or profit over resident safety, placing seniors at serious risk of harm.