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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When families place an elderly loved one in a nursing home, they want reassurance that the facility is safe, compassionate, and well-managed. But how can families truly know what happens behind closed doors when they are not present? One of the most important safeguards comes in the form of state inspections of nursing homes. These inspections are designed to enforce standards, uncover neglect, and ensure residents are treated with dignity and respect.
While no system is perfect, inspections remain a cornerstone of accountability in long-term care. Understanding how they work, what they look for, and where they sometimes fall short can empower families to protect their loved ones.
When families place a loved one in a nursing home, they do so with hope, concern, and trust. They trust the facility to provide safety, compassion, and professional care. They hope their loved one will remain connected to family and community. And they worry — as any family would — about what happens when they are not around. Family visitation rights are central to addressing all of these concerns. They allow families to stay involved, give residents emotional support, and act as watchdogs against neglect or abuse.
When families entrust a loved one to a nursing home, they do so with the belief that the facility will provide a safe and supportive environment. The expectation is that residents will be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. Unfortunately, the reality does not always live up to that trust. While much of the attention around nursing home abuse focuses on physical neglect or mistreatment, there is another form of abuse that is equally devastating yet far less visible: financial exploitation.
Unlike physical abuse, which may leave clear injuries, financial exploitation often happens quietly, behind closed doors, and can go undetected for months or even years. By the time families discover what has happened, their loved one may have lost significant assets, been pressured into signing away rights, or been left feeling embarrassed and betrayed. This hidden crisis demands attention — not just from families but also from the legal system and nursing homes themselves.
Temperature control is something most people take for granted. But for elderly nursing home residents, maintaining a safe indoor climate can be a matter of life and death. When facilities fail to provide proper heating during the winter or cooling during heatwaves, residents face serious risks—including dehydration, pneumonia, heatstroke, and even death.
This form of environmental neglect may not always be as visible as physical abuse, but its consequences are equally devastating. Seniors rely on nursing homes to provide safe, comfortable living conditions. When facilities cut corners, ignore maintenance, or fail to prepare for extreme weather, they put residents in grave danger.