1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006-5811
T: 202-861-6603
F: 202-659-4503
Christy A. Tinnes
Entering Christy's office, her passions are unmistakable - South Carolina, where she grew up, and sailing. Her walls are decorated with scenes from her home state and pictures of past sailing trips - many of them with Groom colleagues serving as crew. In fact, she is a part-time liveaboard on her sailboat, Carolina Girl, in Annapolis, Maryland, and says she is most proud of the fact that she lived aboard full-time for a year, including the winter.
She joined the firm in 1998 after graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Law, where she wrote for the South Carolina Law Review. Before law school, Christy earned her B.S. and Master of Accountancy from the University of South Carolina and worked as a certified public accountant in the litigation consulting division of a Big-5 accounting firm in Washington, D.C. She still maintains ties to her home state through her involvement in the South Carolina State Society and as treasurer of the past two South Carolina Presidential Inaugural Balls.
At Groom Law Group, Christy is involved with all aspects of health and welfare plans. She works with plan sponsors and health insurers to structure and draft their welfare plans and insurance products. She regularly advises clients on regulatory issues, including HIPAA portability and privacy, wellness program requirements, the DOL claims and SPD rules, and Medicare Secondary Payer provisions. More recently, she has worked with plans to navigate the various rules regarding electronic distribution of documents and electronic signatures, and the new Medicare Part D regulations.
And when the workday is over, Christy often heads back to Carolina Girl. She feels that sailing not only balances her life but has taught her important lessons, "I've learned not to be afraid to try something new. I love taking on a new challenge that is somewhat daunting, learning everything I can about it, and working hard to conquer it - whether it's sailing in a new area or navigating new legislation."
