OUR TEAM

We take pride in our well-qualified team of attorneys, legal assistants and staff members. John and Alison participate in a family and firm tradition established by their father, Jack. Alison, John and Allen actively serve professional, civic and charitable organizations in the community where they both live and work.



JOHN F. FREEBORN

A native of Clearwater, Florida, John grew up in Dunedin. He is a graduate of Haverford College, Haverford, PA (B.A. Economics), Tulane University School of Law, New Orleans, LA (J.D. with Honors), and New York University School of Law (L.L.M. Taxation) and is licensed in Florida and New York. John practiced in the Trusts and Estates Department of a New York law firm before returning to Florida in 1992 to join his father’s practice. John is Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates. He is a member of the Florida Bar, the Clearwater Bar, and was Chair of the Clearwater Bar Probate and Guardianship Law Committee for 2009-2010. John has served on several Boards in Pinellas County including Planned Giving Advisory Council for Morton Plant Mease Healthcare Foundation, Dunedin Rotary Club Foundation, Pinellas County Estate Planning Council, the Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Committee for the City of Dunedin, and the Dunedin Fine Arts Center. John is a past President of the Dunedin Rotary Club. He also served on the board of Mease Life. In his leisure time, John enjoys his two old English Sheepdogs, kayaking and paddle boarding, gardening, and travel.


ALISON K. FREEBORN

Alison was born in Clearwater, Florida. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA (A.B. History, 1987), and the University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison, WI (J.D., 1990). Alison is licensed to practice in the states of Illinois and Florida. Alison practiced at McDermott, Will & Emery, a large Chicago law firm, and later Burke, Bosselman & Weaver, a litigation boutique firm, before joining the family firm in 1994. She is a member of the Florida Bar, the Clearwater Bar and its Probate and Guardianship Law Committee.  She is also a member of Attorneys Title Insurance Fund.

Alison lives in Clearwater with her husband and two children who are in college in Virginia and Maine. She enjoys tennis, swimming, reading, and going on walks with her dogs. Alison is very active in the local community through volunteer work. She is a Board Member and the Parliamentarian of the Dunedin Fine Arts Center serving on its Executive, Governance, Education and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committees. She is also a member of the Dunedin Public Library Foundation, a Past President of the Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin, a former Board member and membership chair of the Dunedin North Rotary Club, past chair of the School Advisory Committee (SAC) of San Jose Elementary School in Dunedin, past Trustee of the UPARC Foundation, and former Board Member at the Lighthouse of Pinellas.


allen kynes dunedin attorney

C. ALLEN KYNES, JR.

Allen was born in El Paso, Texas, but moved to Jacksonville, Florida and grew up in Miami. After graduation from the University of Florida (BS-1966) Allen served as a Captain in the US Air Force, later graduating from the University of Oklahoma (MA- 1972) and the University of Tulsa (J.D.- 1974).  He moved to Pinellas County in 1975 and practiced law as a partner in the Clearwater firm of Harper, Kynes, Geller & Greenleaf P.A. until 2020 when he joined our firm “of-counsel”. He has been a resident of Dunedin, Florida since 1979.  Married to Deborah Pointer Kynes since 1975, he currently enjoys travelling, gardening, his children and grandchildren as well as spectacular Dunedin sunsets. Allen’s legal practice is principally in Real Property law including sales and acquisitions, commercial and residential leasing, title insurance, contracts, closings, and loan documentation. Allen has served on many boards locally including the Dunedin Library Foundation (Vice President), Clearwater Bar Association (Treasurer), the Dunedin Fine Arts Center (Past President), City of Dunedin Charter Review Board, City of Dunedin Board of Adjustment and Appeals and Ordinance Review Committee. Allen has been President of the Rotary Club of Dunedin North, the Dunedin North Rotary Endowment Foundation and the Community Dental Clinic Board of Directors, the Dunedin Instructional Soccer Association Board and Attorney’s Title Circuit Advisory Board.


OUR STAFF

Sharon Benson,

our probate and trust administration paralegal, has worked for Freeborn & Freeborn for over 25 years and has 38 years of experience. Sharon’s extensive experience in handling a variety of estates has given her the skills to help expedite the process, anticipate issues and best represent the personal representative or trustee through the administration. From the opening papers through the final accounting and discharge, Sharon effectively assists our clients and addresses their needs and concerns.  Sharon was born in Indianola, Mississippi and has three children.

Cyndi Janssen

has over 35 years of paralegal experience. She is a graduate of St. Petersburg College (A.A. Legal Assistant) and Columbia Southern University (B.A. Criminal Justice). She coordinates real estate document preparation and closings, handles the preparation of trust and estate planning documents, and fiduciary services for our clients. Cyndi’s role in assisting with bill paying, payroll and other needs related to their personal care is critical in providing our homebound clients the professional services and attention needed and directed by the client or their fiduciary. Cyndi was born in Watseka, Illinois.

Gayle Briske began working in the legal field in 1972 when she graduated from St. Petersburg (then Junior) College with an AA in Legal Secretaryship, the pre-curser to the current Legal Assistant program.  She has been active in several professional organizations in the area throughout her career and was a Florida Registered Paralegal. Out of almost 50 years legal experience, 38 have been spent in the specialty area of real estate.  Gayle came to work for us with Allen Kynes when he joined our firm “of counsel”, after working with Allen for more than 25 years.  Her knowledge and experience is a great benefit to our firm and our clients.  Gayle was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and has been married to her husband for 47 years. They have two children and two grandchildren.


In Memoriam

JOHN B. FREEBORN (1925-2008)

John and Alison’s father, Jack founded the firm and was active until his death in 2008. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and practiced law in Dunedin, Florida from 1957 to 2008. He graduated from Georgia Tech (B.S. Engineering), University of Illinois (M.S.) and Stetson College of Law (J.D). He served as Vice President and Trust Officer for First National Bank of Dunedin before entering private practice. Jack was Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates, a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel, a Member of the Clearwater Bar and its Probate and Guardianship Law Committee, the American Bar Association and the Florida Bar.