Selected to the "Boston" magazine Top Lawyers™ list for 2023 in Divorce and Family Law
Michael is a successful and experienced trial lawyer. He has more than 20 years of experience working with families in distress caused by divorce, custody, child removal, modification, guardianship, will contests, and related issues in all of the Probate and Family Courts in Massachusetts. Michael’s practice includes the representation of clients in matters involving complex asset division and high conflict parenting disputes.
Michael zealously represents his clients in all aspects of a family law matter, including negotiating difficult cases and bringing matters to trial if and when necessary.
He is often appointed by the Courts as a Discovery Master, a Guardian ad litem, and as a Attorney for children.
Michael makes it a priority to stay up-to-the-minute on the complex and ever-changing laws by participating in a wide range of professional seminars, conferences, and training programs. He has presented and spoke at numerous conferences on topics involving child support, high conflict parenting matters, complex asset matters, and evidentiary issues in trying cases. As a result, his clients benefit from knowing that their attorney is on top of the latest laws, trends, decisions, claims, challenges, and precedents.
Not only does Michael continue to educate himself about these legal issues, he teaches other professionals about them as well. He was a faculty member of Suffolk University Law School’s Continuing Legal Education program titled, Same-Sex Marriage, Divorce and Parentage Issues. Michael spoke on the topics including, What is the Portability of Legal Rights for Same Sex Couples: Marriage, Divorce, Parentage, Adoption, and Helping Your Clients With Cultural Issues/Differences in the Courtroom.
When necessary, Michael can be a powerful opponent in the courtroom, having successfully tried a wide variety of white-collar criminal litigation and domestic relations cases, in all Massachusetts courts. Prior to his work as a private practice attorney, Michael was an assistant district attorney in the office of the Bristol County District Attorney, where he gained some early experience in litigation and criminal prosecution.
Fresh out of law school, Michael began growing his legal skills as a law clerk to the Superior Court Justices of Massachusetts, which gave him an excellent foundation upon which to build his own legal practice.
2016-2023: Selected to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers List in the practice area of Family Law
2012: Elected to Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association Board of Directors
2010-2012: Named a Rising Star by Massachusetts “Super Lawyers” in the area of Family Law
2010: Elected to Northeastern University School of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors
March 26, 2024: Speaker, Massachusetts Bar Association CLE Program, “In the Aftermath: ‘Openshaw’ and Savings as Need for Purposes of Alimony”
October, 27, 2022: Panelist, Social Law Library webinar, “Electronic Discovery in the Probate & Family Court: When the ‘E’ in ‘E-mail’ Stands for Evidence.”
October 2022: Panelist, Massachusetts Bar Association’s 31st Annual Family Law Conference, “Perfecting Your Technique: A Continuing Bootcamp for Trial Advocacy”
October 2020: Panelist, “LGBTQ Alumni Network”
October 2018: Panelist, “High Conflict Custody Matters, Contact Resistance, and Putting the Children in the Middle–How Can This be Fixed?”
October 2017: Panelist, MCLE Program, “Modification & Contempt Proceedings in Divorce Cases,”
October 2017: Moderator, 27th Annual Family Law Conference, “Child Support Guidelines 2017 – The Update”
October 2017: Faculty, MCLE Program, “Modification & Contempt Proceedings in Divorce Cases”
July 2017: Speaker and Panelist, Child Support Update, MCLE Program, “Overview of Guideline Changes”
June 2017: Speaker, Inheritance, Trusts & Divorce, MCLE Program, “More on Marital Assets: Rights of Withdrawal; Expectancy Interests; Effect of Side Letters”
March 2015: Panelist, New England Law | Boston OUTLaws Symposium, “Symposium on the Development and Future of Marriage Equality in the US”
September 2012: Guest Speaker, Massachusetts Probate Probation Association’s Fall Meeting, “The Defense of Marriage Act – Current Status and Recent Cases”
January 2011: Panelist, MCLE Program, “Representing Non-Traditional Families”
May 2010: Faculty/Speaker, Same Sex Marriage, Divorce and Parentage Issues, Suffolk University Law School Program, “What is the Portability of Legal Rights for Same Sex Couples?: Marriage, Divorce, Parentage, Adoption,” & “Helping Your Clients With Cultural Issues/Differences in the Courtroom”
Education
Northeastern University School of Law, J.D., 1999
College of the Holy Cross, B.A., 1996
Bar Admissions
Massachusetts
United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Memberships & Affiliations
President, Greater Boston Family Law Inns of Court