Bringing knowledgeable, experienced and reasoned legal representation to family law matters in Massachusetts.
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Family Law
Hear from our clients:
"He has used his expertise as a lawyer to work out a divorce agreement that was very reasonable given the circumstances."
"He used his knowledge of legal intricacies to limit my ex-husband's ability to manipulate the court process."
"He is well-versed in divorce law. He knows the court system and has great relationships with the personnel. He is always truthful and always explains how situations may pIay out in court - or not."
"He is sensitive and concerned for my children's well being. He is still involved in my case, he immediately responds when I call him and he periodically checks in on us to ensure everything is okay."
"My original lawyer was helpful but he resigned when my ex-husband went to his private residence. He became afraid for his family's safety. I was lucky when a friend recommended Helman & Neustadt."
OUR PHILOSOPHY
We know that divorce is difficult, -- possibly the most difficult process you will ever experience. We also know that it's not something you can do alone. There are numerous issues to resolve; and not only does each one potentially have a great impact on the rest of your life, but each also has a body of law associated with it. You need experienced, professional guidance.
We believe that the best resolution to family law issues is a negotiated settlement. That means that you and your spouse will make the decisions rather than a judge who doesn't know you. If you can negotiate successfully with your spouse, then you retain control of the outcome. You, and you alone, choose what compromises to make, — where to give a bit and where to stand firm. If you and your spouse cannot reach an agreement, then the judge will make those decisions for you.
And if you are your spouse are unable to reach an agreement, you can be secure in the knowledge that we have already litigated every one of the issues facing you, numerous times. If negotiations prove unsuccessful, we will provide you with strong and effective representation in court.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
We know that divorce is difficult, -- possibly the most difficult process you will ever experience. We also know that it's not something you can do alone. There are numerous issues to resolve; and not only does each one potentially have a great impact on the rest of your life, but each also has a body of law associated with it. You need experienced, professional guidance.
We believe that the best resolution to family law issues is a negotiated settlement. That means that you and your spouse will make the decisions rather than a judge who doesn't know you. If you can negotiate successfully with your spouse, then you retain control of the outcome. You, and you alone, choose what compromises to make, — where to give a bit and where to stand firm. If you and your spouse cannot reach an agreement, then the judge will make those decisions for you.
And if you and your spouse are unable to reach an agreement, you can be secure in the knowledge that we have extensive experience litigating every one of the issues you face. If negotiations prove unsuccessful, we will provide you with strong and effective representation in court.
Already have a lawyer?
If you already have a lawyer, of course we’ll still be happy to speak with you. Maybe you have questions about what’s going on, or just aren’t comfortable with your current lawyer. Don’t be afraid to talk to us about it. Most of the time, it’s simply a communication problem with your current lawyer, and we can help you sort that out. There are many good family law attorneys. If you’re currently represented by one, we’ll tell you. Usually we end up advising people in that position that their current lawyer is doing a fine job and that there’s no reason to switch to us.
And if you do want to switch to Helman & Neustadt? There's no shame in that; it happens all the time. Nearly half of all our clients came to us after starting their case with another lawyer. If you decide after meeting with us that you would like us to take over your case, we'll work with you, your current lawyer and your spouse's lawyer to make the transition as smooth as possible.
What makes us different?
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We’re a small firm which specializes in Family Law. Unlike many of the larger firms, Family Law isn’t just another department in our firm along with Commercial Real Estate, Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, Bankruptcy and the rest. We practice Family Law.
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Because we’re a small firm, you’ll never call us and end up talking to the paralegal who works for the third level associate attorney working on your file. When you call us, you’ll talk to your lawyer. The one who's representing you.
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We use a team approach representing people in family law matters. Sometimes, for example, issues will come up regarding children, perhaps how the divorce affects them, or questions concerning custody or the parenting plan. We’re lawyers, not psychologists, and we’re not experts in child psychology. We know that. So we have established relationships with several locally and nationally recognized child psychologists, well known and respected in the field of child custody. Sometimes we’ll retain these people to help us prepare your case, or as experts to testify at your trial. Other times, we’ll have you talk to them for guidance as you navigate your way through complex and difficult issues. The same applies in other fields of specialization, too, such as tax planning, where we work with Certified Public Accountants who understand divorce and the special tax considerations which apply, or valuing family businesses, where we work with the top experts in the country.
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We charge differently, too. You’ll be able to tell right from the very start. We don’t charge for initial consultations. We don’t believe in it. After all, you can test drive a car before putting any money down, why shouldn’t you be able to talk to us to see if we’re the right people for you to work with during this time of transition and upheaval in your life before you put any money down?
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And we don’t charge for every little thing. Take copies. Other law firms charge for copies, 10¢, 25¢, we’ve even heard of law firms charging as much as 50¢ per page. We don’t view our copy machine as a profit center, it’s part of our overhead in running our office. We’re a law firm, not a copy shop. We don’t charge for postage for the same reason. We just don’t believe in it. We earn our money from our professional fees, not from nickel and diming you for the postage to send you your monthly bill.
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The large, downtown Boston firms in the beautiful skyscrapers have significantly higher overhead, -- take rent for example. Someone has to pay for that rent. And that someone is you, the client. In order to meet that overhead, they have to maintain large numbers of clients paying pretty high hourly rates. We don’t. We're in the suburbs, where the rent is much lower. And we’re selective about our clients. We don’t have to take on new cases just to keep our roster full and pay the overhead. We want to be sure that we’re going to be effective for you and that you’re going to be comfortable with us before we start working together. Since we don’t have scores of cases which are active at any one time, we can give you the individual attention you expect.
In short, our practice is focused on you, our client, what’s best for you, and how we can best help you navigate though a process which can be both difficult and complex.
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Information
The more you know about how this works, the more effectively we'll be able to work together.
Here's some information which we think will help you understand the process, the law, what judges consider when making decisions and the like. We hope that you find it useful and informative. Just click on a box to get more information.
This section is under continuing development.
Please be patient with us as we write, edit and review new topics before we post them here.
You may not fully realize the extent to which even an amicable divorce can impact your children. Read what some children have said about their parents' divorce.
Consider the Children
Choosing A Lawyer
This is probably the single most mportant decision you will make. Take your time and give it serious thought before deciding.
Here are some things to consider....
Questions?
Have a question that you'd like to ask us? Click here, and we'll do our best to answer you.
Law
Read some of the relevant statutes and caselaw which will help the judge rule on issues that come up in your case. You'll also find the procedural rules of the Probate and Family Court here.
Start Preparing Now!
Before anyone goes to court, even before you hire a lawyer, there are things you can do right now which will leave you in a stronger position throughout your divorce.
There are several different ways in which your case can begin its journey through the court process. Click here to find out more.
How The Court Process Begins
These are the rules that you and your spouse (or the judge) set up to keep your lives, and the lives of your children, as calm and as stable as possible during the divorce, until the process is complete.
Temporary Orders
Discovery
This is the time when you and your attorney gather information to support your case. Click here to find out how this important part of the process works and why it's important to your case.