Jonathan E. Fields

Boston Family Law Attorney & Divorce Mediator

top-bostom-ma-divorce-mediatorAttorney Jonathan Fields has more than 28 years experience representing clients with a high level of personal care and professionalism. His approach to the complex area of family law is innovative, compassionate and geared to the best interests of his clients.

Attorney Fields is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). The AAML, according to its website, is “comprised of the top 1,600 matrimonial attorneys throughout the nation.” The AAML website notes that Fellows “are generally recognized by judges and attorneys as preeminent family law practitioners with a high level of knowledge, skill, and integrity.” Mr. Fields is one of only 49 Fellows in Massachusetts.

Mr. Fields is widely published and a sought-after national speaker on topics ranging from trusts and inheritances in divorce, prenuptial agreements, and cryptocurrency and divorce.

Mr. Fields has also earned the Super Lawyers distinction as well as U.S. News and World Report’s Best Lawyers in America for the past several years.  Fields and Dennis has also earned U.S. News and World Report’s Best Law Firm, Family Law, in the Boston Metropolitan for the past several years.

He has successfully litigated complex family law cases throughout his career involving matters such as inheritances, closely-held businesses, trusts, hedge funds, private equity firms, startup companies, venture capital firms, 401-k plans, 403-b plans, defined benefit plans, cash balance plans, deferred compensation, 457 plans, stock options, restricted stock units, excess benefit plans, employee stock purchase plans, parenting plans, mental health issues, addiction issues, special needs children, and international child custody disputes.  He also has experience dealing with bitcoin and other cryptocurrency in divorce.

Mr. Fields believes that while the law is always critical in a family law case, his experience has taught him that most of the time it is the psychodynamics of the parties and counsel that determine whether and how a case settles.  That is why process is so critical to resolution — and why choosing the right “container” is vital.  Put another way: “getting there” is important but the way you get there is just as important.  Mediation may work for some clients.  Collaborative Law may work for others.  Sometimes, a more traditional representation or litigation is appropriate.  Often, there may be a creative combination of processes that will suit a certain dynamic.

Mr. Fields served a two year term as president of the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation (MCFM) and has been on the board of MCFM since 2006.

Attorney Fields was honored by the prestigious Journal of the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers for his “exceptional” article about prenuptial agreements:  “Forbidden Provisions in Prenuptial Agreements: Legal and Practical Considerations for the Matrimonial Lawyer,” Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Appointments

Massachusetts Trial Court Child Support Guidelines Taskforce — 1 of 4 private attorneys appointed by the Chief Justice of the Trial Court

Hearing Committee Member of the Board of Bar Overseers of the Supreme Judicial Court

Experience as a Neutral

Family Law Mediator

Parenting Coordinator — Approved per Standing Order 1-17

Hearing Committee Member, Board of Bar Overseers

Guardian Ad Litem

Fee Arbitration Panel, Massachusetts Bar Association

Family Law Conciliator

Divorce Arbitration (Certified by AAML)

Discovery Master

Recent News Media

“Snap Judgments: Lawyers predict issue that will dominate legal landscape in 2021” December 31, 2020 (subscription required) (Jonathan Fields quoted)

Attorney Jonathan E. Fields Interviewed (Audio) on Mix 104.1 with Mike Mullaney, (Jan 2020)

“Family Law Bar: Need for Alimony Tax Fix Urgent,” Kris Olson, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2019) (subscription required) (Jonathan Fields quoted)

“Meet Jonathan Fields of Fields and Dennis in Wellesley,” Boston Voyager (Jonathan Fields interviewed) (2018)

Interview with Jonathan Fields on Terrible Things People to Do to Each Other in Divorce by Eric Parker, Esq. on Inter Alia podcast (to be released 2019)

Interview with Jonathan Fields on Grey Divorce  on That’s The Law!  NewTV (2018)

“Bitcoin Bitterness Starts to Make Messy Divorces Even Worse,” Hannah George, Bloomberg News (Quoted in Article) (2018)

“Divorce Lawyer Fends Off ‘Negotiating Malpractice’ Suit,” Pat Murphy, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (Quoted in Article) (2017)

“2017 Divorce Statistics and their Stories,” Avvo Stories (Quoted in Article) (2017)

“Legal Tender: Insights and Tips from Legal Professionals,” Ellen M. Keiley, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (Interview with Jonathan Fields) (2016)

Recent Speaking Engagements

Jonathan E. Fields spoke at MCLE about Inheritance, Trusts & Divorce on 10/14/2021. When a divorce may be at stake, every Estate planning and Family law attorney must be prepared for numerous questions that will likely arise in the interplay between inheritance, trusts and divorce. What steps should estate planning attorneys take to protect assets prior to or in anticipation of divorce? What is the procedure for courts to value a trust interest for purposes of equitable distribution and/or support payments? What are the recent legal decisions that influence practices related to inheritance, trusts interests, or divorce? ? Jonathan Fields and other expert faculty answered these questions and others when these topics collided..

 

“Family Law Financial Forensics,” MCLE — upcoming July 2019

“Updating Separation, Paternity and Postnuptial Agreements,” MCLE — upcoming March 2019

“Crypto and Divorce: Not Just a Shiny Penny,” MCLE — upcoming May 2019

“Bitcoin and Divorce for the Practitioner,” MetroWest Peer Group (2019)

“Trust Interests and Divorce: What the Practitioner Should Know,” MetroWest Collaborative Practice (2019)

“Cryptocurrency and Divorce: What Every Matrimonial Practitioner Needs to Know,” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers – Virginia Chapter, Richmond, Virginia (2019)

“Mediating Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements: Challenges and Opportunities,” co-presenter with Vicki Shemin, Association of Professional Family Mediators (Webinar) (2018)

“Grey Divorce:  Tips for the Matrimonial Practitioner,” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers — Utah Bar Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah (2017)

“Inheritance, Trusts & Divorce,” MCLE (2016, 2018, 2019)

“The New Tax Law and its Impact on Family Law,” Boston Bar Association (2018)

“Updating your Boilerplate in Separation and Prenuptial Agreements,” MCLE (2018)

“Gray Divorce: Representing the Elderly Divorce Client”, Panelist, Massachusetts Bar Association (2017)

“Making the Collaborative Law Shoe Fit the Clients: Creative Options for A Better Fitting Practice Model,” Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council (co-presenter with Vicki Shemin) (2017)

“Prenups and Business Partnerships: Collaborating for Love and Money,” Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council, co-presenter (2015)

“I’m OK, You’re a X$!#@&%!!!: High-Conflict Behavior in Family Law Cases,” Panelist, Massachusetts Association of Guardians Ad Litem (2014) (co-panelist with Bill Eddy, J.D., LCSW)

Family Law Update MCFM Fall Institute (2013) (2014) (2015) (2016) (2017)

Recent Publications

 

“A Divorce Practitioner’s Bitcoin Primer” Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, By Richard West and Attorney Jonathan Fields (2020)

MCLE’s 6th edition 2020, Jonathan Fields was a contributing editor to Chapter 7 of TRYING DIVORCE CASES IN MASSACHUSETTS entitled “Doing your Digging: Discovery in Divorce Actions” and to Chapter 8 entitled “Uncovering Hidden Assets and Income.”

“What Every Divorce Lawyer Needs to Know about Cryptocurrency” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2019)

“Premarital Agreement Law in Massachusetts,” Drafting Prenuptial Agreements, Ronald Brown ed. (Wolters Kluwer) (2019) (with Gabrielle Clemens)

“Child Tax Credit and Dependency Exemption: Will the New Law Affect You?” Divorce Magazine (2018)

“Tips for the Practitioner Handling Grey Divorce,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2018)

“Grey Divorce:  Tips for the Matrimonial Practitioner,” 29 J. Am. Acad. Matrim. Law. 57 (2017)

“Inheritance, Trusts & Divorce,” MCLE Chapter in Financial Aspects of Divorce (2017)

“Parenting Coordination: The Emancipation Proclamation,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, by Vicki Shemin and Jonathan Fields (2017)

“Revoking the Irrevocable Trust in a Divorce or Never say Can’t, Say Decant” (Parts & II) (2016)(2017)

“More Questions than Answers After Bott,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2012)

“The Psychodynamics of Mediation: Overcoming Ego to Resolve Conflict,” Family Mediation Quarterly (2011)

“Mediating Prenuptial Agreements in Massachusetts and the Problem of the 23C Disqualification,” Family Mediation Quarterly (2008)

“Forbidden Provisions in Prenuptial Agreements: Legal and Practical Considerations for the Matrimonial Lawyer,” Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (Received AAML award) (2008)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Spring 2008)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Summer 2008)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Winter 2008)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Fall 2009)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Spring 2010)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Summer 2010)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Fall 2010)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Spring 2011)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Fall 2011)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Winter 2012)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Spring 2014)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Spring 2015)

Family Law Updates, Family Mediation Quarterly (Winter 2015)

“A Brief History of the Enforcement of Prenuptial Agreements in Massachusetts,” submitted at MCFM Fall Conference, (2007)

“Prohibited Subject Matter in Prenuptial Agreements,” Family Law Update, s.1.01, 2006 Family Law Update, Ronald L. Brown & Laura W. Morgan, eds., Aspen Publishers (2006)

Education

Mr. Fields received a J.D. from Boston University School of Law (1990) and holds a B.A., cum laude, from Amherst College (1986).

 

 

Contact Attorney Jonathan Fields for a confidential consultation.

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