About
A small-community philosophy with more than a century of combined partner experience.
Clifford, Debelius & Boynton, Chtd. offers experienced attorneys practicing in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Founded in 1975, our firm is located in Olde Towne Gaithersburg in Montgomery County, Maryland. Jim Clifford, Jim Debelius, and Lynn Boynton, the three named partners in the firm, have a combined total of over 100 years of legal experience.
Over the years, our firm has distinguished itself within the Maryland legal community. Multiple partners have been elected President of the Montgomery County Bar Association and other partners have been appointed to the Bench, becoming Judges in the District and Circuit Courts for Montgomery County, Maryland. Moreover, as time has passed, our firm has integrated technological advances that have enabled us to become more efficient.
While we have welcomed these changes, we have always strived to maintain the spirit of a small community by embracing our original philosophy – that every client should be treated as though he or she was our only client. We know that choosing an attorney is a very personal decision, and we appreciate the trust that is put into our hands. We know that a client often requires our services in times of a crisis or perceived crisis.
We understand this, and strive to do everything possible to alleviate the anxiety and frustration clients suffer from the legal process; by educating you so that you make well informed decisions, therefore allowing us to facilitate the plan needed to make those decisions or choices a reality.
Our staff is made up of loyal, experienced paralegals and administrative assistants who work closely with the attorneys and our clients to ensure you are kept apprised of the status of your case. The firm represents both individuals and businesses in several jurisdictions, and is dedicated to achieving the best possible results for its clients.
We welcome you to browse our website and encourage you to review the information here. We hope you will find some of the information useful, and we welcome the opportunity to serve you, your family or your business.
Attorneys
Meet the partners.
JC
James R. Clifford, Sr.
Partner · Attorney at Law
Clifford@debelius.com
Areas of Practice: Real Estate; Land Use and Development; Business Law; Wills and Estates.
JD
James J. Debelius
Partner · Attorney at Law
JDebelius@debelius.com
Areas of Practice: Wills, Trusts, Probate and Estates.
LB
Lynn Caudle Boynton
Partner · Attorney at Law
LBoynton@debelius.com
Areas of Practice: Estate Planning; Real Estate; and Business Law.
James R. Clifford, Sr. profile
Jim received his B.A. from the University of Maryland in 1973, and graduated from George Mason University School of law in 1978. Jim is a part time farmer in the Poolesville area and has been involved extensively in the agricultural community in Montgomery County, land use and development issues, property rights and farmland preservation for over four decades.
Jim's practice involves advising property owners regarding the development potential of their individual property and property assemblages, the possibility of preservation easements, estate planning and contract negotiations relating to property sales. Jim was on the Montgomery County Agricultural Advisory Committee for six years and is a member of the Real Property Review Board for Montgomery County. He also currently serves on the board of directors for Old Line Bank.
Jim was also a former Board Member and District Chair of the National Capital Area Council Boy Scouts of America, former Scout Master and former Eagle Advisor for local Boy Scout Troop 1094 in Darnestown. Jim is an active open water ultra-marathon swimmer.
Having successfully completed the swims around Manhattan Island, Catalina Channel and the English Channel at the age of 63 Jim held the World Record as the oldest Triple Crown Winner and the fastest swimmer over the age of 50 to swim the English Channel.
Jim is AV rated by Martindale and Hubbell, a national peer rating service. "A" represents competency and "V" represents ethics, both of which are the highest ratings an attorney can achieve.
- Bar Admissions: Maryland 1980; Virginia 1978; Pennsylvania 2007.
- Education: George Mason University School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1978; University of Maryland, Bachelor of Arts, 1973.
- Biography: Montgomery County Bar Association; Maryland State Bar Association; Associate Member of the Virginia Bar; Associate Member of the Pennsylvania Bar; Former District Chairman, Black Hill District; Former Assistant and Head Scoutmaster Troop 1094; Board of Directors, National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America; Former Member, Agricultural Advisory Committee; Upper Montgomery County Farmers Club; Legal Counsel for Montgomery County Agricultural Center, Inc.; attorney for the Darnestown Civic Association; member, Our Lady of the Visitation Parish; Former Board Member, Damascus Community Bank and Old Line Bank 2008-2019; Montgomery County Property Review Board Chair 2012-2016; Advisory Board for the Mid-Atlantic Region for WesBanco Bank and Regional Loan Advisory Board for WesBanco Bank.
James J. Debelius profile
Jim graduated with highest honors, summa cum laude, from the University of Maryland in 1976 with a B.S. in Business Administration. He then attended the University of Maryland Law School, from which he received his J.D., with honors, in 1979. While in law school, Jim interned with the Montgomery County State's Attorney's office, assisting in prosecutions of cases in the District Court; and worked as a law clerk for the defense firm of Gallagher, Clarke, Martell and Donnelly.
On graduation from law school in 1979, Jim worked as Law Clerk to the Honorable William M. Cave, Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland, 1979-1980, sitting in on trials and assisting with all matters handled by Circuit Court Judges.
After completion of his Judicial Clerkship, Jim then worked for three years as a litigation associate in the Chevy Chase office of Sachs, Greenbaum and Taylor, primarily handling civil litigation matters.
In 1983, Jim's brother John, later a Circuit Court Judge, and good friend Jim Clifford asked Jim to join their law firm in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which later became Debelius, Clifford and Debelius in 1985. Jim spent the 1980s as a general practitioner, acquiring a broad base of experience in most areas of the law including complex civil litigation. Jim's practice has since gradually evolved to now primarily focus on estate planning, Wills, Trusts, and Probate.
Jim is licensed to practice law throughout the State of Maryland, most often appearing in the Courts in Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Howard and Prince Georges County. He is also admitted to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
Jim stays current in the frequently changing areas of Maryland and federal estate taxes and has a very active practice in the areas of Wills, Trusts and Estates. He is a trusted advisor to hundreds of clients for whom he has prepared estate planning documents. For those who seek to avoid probate, he has extensive experience in drafting Revocable Trusts.
Jim is AV rated by Martindale and Hubbell, a national peer rating service. "A" represents competency and "V" represents ethics, both of which are the highest ratings an attorney can achieve.
Jim has been active in the Montgomery County Bar Association, serving on numerous committees, including but not limited to several appointments to the Judicial Selections committee, which reviews applicants for Montgomery County Judicial positions.
Jim was born and raised primarily in Montgomery County and has maintained a law office in Old Town Gaithersburg since 1983. He was active in coaching youth softball during his daughter's playing career.
He has been active in the local community, having previously served on the Town Council for Washington Grove, 1993-1996; as attorney for Gaithersburg Chamber of Commerce, 1987-1988; as attorney for the Gaithersburg Washington Grove Fire Department, 1985 to 2015; and as a frequent speaker at community events, most often regarding Wills and Estates.
Jim lives with his wife in Silver Spring, Maryland, along with two dogs. He loves outdoor activities and sports of all kinds, is an active bicycle rider, several times completing the 300+ miles from Pittsburgh to Washington DC along canal, and enjoys travel with family and friends.
- Bar Admissions: Maryland; United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
- Education: University of Maryland, Juris Doctor, with honors, 1979; University of Maryland, B.S.B.A, summa cum laude, 1976.
- Biography: Montgomery County and Maryland State Bar Associations; Maryland Association for Justice; Beta Gamma Sigma.
Lynn Caudle Boynton profile
Lynn Caudle Boynton earned her B.A. from the University of Maryland in 1979 and her J.D. from the University of Baltimore in 1982. Ms. Boynton is a member of the Maryland and District of Columbia Bars. She is a long-time resident of the Washington Metropolitan area. Lynn is Past President of the Bar Association of Montgomery County, Maryland, and Past President of its nonprofit, the Bar Foundation for Montgomery County, Maryland; a 3,000-member organization.
She currently serves on the nonprofit board, Montgomery Miracles, which supports the Mental Health and Drug Courts of Montgomery County, Maryland. She also serves on the board of Manor Connections, a nonprofit board created to help seniors age in place in their homes.
Ms. Boynton has practiced locally since 1982, beginning with her clerkship to the Honorable John F. McAuliffe, then a Circuit Court Judge, who was ultimately the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of Maryland, now known as the Supreme Court of Maryland, Maryland’s highest court. Lynn was associated with the firms Conroy, Fitzgerald, Ballman & Ridgeway, her current firm, then known as Debelius, Clifford & Debelius, Henry C. Clarke, Jr., Esquire with whom she co-owned Signature Settlement Services, and was a partner at Ethridge, Quinn, McAuliffe, Rowan & Hartinger in Rockville before returning to Clifford, Debelius & Boynton, the firm where she began her legal career as a law clerk while still in college.
Lynn is a member of the Bar Association of Montgomery County, MD, Maryland State Bar Association, Women’s Bar Association, and American Bar Association.
Lynn has substantial experience in a broad range of real estate matters, as well as estate planning and business entity formation. In addition to being a partner at Clifford Debelius, Lynn is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell, a national peer rating service. “A” represents competency and “V” represents ethics, both of which are the highest ratings an attorney can achieve.
Lynn has been chosen as a “Super Lawyer”, featured in Bethesda magazine, named “Best of Wall Street” and chosen as a “Law Leader” by her peers. Lynn represented Montgomery County, MD in the purchase of 26 properties that comprise the Silver Spring Urban Renewal Project and has also represented Maryland National Capital Parks and Planning in real property acquisition transactions.
She has often been appointed by the Court in complex estates, guardianships, and trustee sales due to her attention to detail and fortitude in problem solving.
Lynn’s extensive real estate background over 35 years coupled with her estate planning practice and former probate practice make it possible for her to protect clients’ best interests taking into consideration the implications a real estate transaction may have on estate planning and she is capable of “funding” trusts for estate planning clients if it is part of the agreed upon estate plan.
Lynn resides in Rockville with her husband, their blended family of adult children, four of whom are married to wonderful spouses, nine grandchildren and many grand dogs. Lynn has always been active in her community, sitting on her children’s school boards and community associations since the early 1980’s, volunteering and acting as counsel for Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County, MD and Stepping Stones Shelter.
Lynn’s favorite job is being a mother and grandmother. Therefore, she finds great satisfaction in helping families remain intact and work together to honor a client’s wishes so that, when they lose a loved one, she helps clients prepare for the inevitable in advance.