Fields and Dennis LLP, is proud to have 4 lawyers recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2023 in America.

Fields and Dennis LLP, is proud to have 4 lawyers recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2023 in America.

It is a tremendous honor to announce that attorneys Sheryl J. Dennis, Jonathan E. Fields, Vicki L. Shemin, and Wendie E. Murstein have all been selected by Best Lawyers®.

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. More than 116,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), and we have received more than 17 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world.

For the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, more than 12.2 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 71,000 leading lawyers honored in the new edition.

Back to School is the Perfect Time for the Fledgling Plan!

School is starting up again soon. Do you know a student or young professional over the age of 18 who could use the Fledgling Plan. This estate plan includes a Will, HIPAA Authorization, Health Care Proxy, and Power of Attorney for a single person at an affordable rate.

For more information please visit the link below.

 

Attorney Wendie E. Murstein Discusses Prenuptial Agreements on Going Solo Network (Video)

if you’re like most people, you probably don’t know too much about prenuptial agreements. Well, in this show, Attorney Wendie E. Murstein is going to change that. As she explains what a prenup is, how it works, how it can save you money and why you should consider signing one before getting married. So grab a cup of coffee and join me as we take a closer look at understanding the Prenuptial Agreement.

Listen and follow the steps and watch your life shift. This show is sponsored by GoingSoloCommunity.com and MeetTheRight1.com Cece Shatz, Doyenne of Relationships, Divorce, Dating & Relationship Coach. WGSN-DB Going Solo Network 24/7 Live Streaming Radio, TV & Podcasts – #1 Internet Singles Talk Network

A bit more about Attorney Wendie E. Murstein: Attorney Wendie E. Murstein has more than 17 years professional experience representing clients in the area of family law. Since 2001, Ms. Murstein has concentrated her practice on the area of domestic relations and family law. She focuses on all aspects of matrimonial law including: negotiation of prenuptial agreements, valuation of closely held businesses, valuation of residential and commercial real estate, treatment of trusts and inherited property, and division of retirement accounts. In addition, Ms. Murstein specializes in understanding the various components of executive compensation, employment benefits, tax implications of asset division and child support/alimony, custody and parenting plans of minor children, and the negotiation of effective parenting plans that serve the best interests of children. Ms. Murstein has handled a number of paternity cases in the Massachusetts Probate & Family Court. Experienced at both the trial and appellate levels, she has co-authored several briefs and appeared as co-counsel before the Supreme Judicial Court. She is a Certified Financial Litigator.

 

Sheryl J. Dennis Quoted in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly – Partition action dismissed after death of joint tenant

Attorney Sheryl J. Dennis was recently quoted in the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly article entitled Partition action dismissed after death of joint tenant.

On the other hand, Sheryl J. Dennis, an estate planning attorney in Wellesley Hills, said she found the decision well-reasoned.

“It’s really following the statute,” Dennis said. “You in some ways feel bad for the decedent’s heirs because they’re left out. But the property was held as a joint tenancy with right of survivorship, so frankly, on [Dunn’s] death, it goes to the surviving joint tenant.”

Dennis added that the most important takeaway for real estate attorneys is to be very careful with how properties are held, because what happened here could happen to anybody.

Partition action dismissed after death of joint tenant
Commissioner had accepted purchase offer by time of passing
By: Eric T. Berkman April 22, 2022

The Supreme Judicial Court has decided that a partition action should have been dismissed after the plaintiff died, even though the partition commissioner had already accepted an offer to purchase the property.

Plaintiff Charles R. Dunn and defendant Barbara A. Howard owned real property in Dorchester as joint tenants with a right of survivorship.

During proceedings to partition the property, Dunn passed away at age 93.

A Land Court judge proceeded to deny Howard’s motion to dismiss the petition, despite Howard’s argument that with respect to a partition by sale, the operative act that severs a joint tenancy is a conveyance of the property by deed to a buyer.

To read the full article please visit Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (subscription required.)

 

Vicki L. Shemin J.D., LICSW, ACSW Contributed to a New Book on Family Conflict During the Pandemic

Family Conflict During a Pandemic: Stories of Struggle and Hope – [Print Replica]Kindle Edition

Vicki L. Shemin J.D., LICSW, ACSW contributed a chapter in section 4, “Advice on co-operative co-parenting….”  The book highlights the continuing strain on families who are struggling with the consequence of the pandemic – illness and death, lockdowns, economic catastrophe, distance learning, virtual work, and anxiety caused by constant uncertainty.                               

Jonathan Fields was featured in the fiftyplus advocate article “Gray divorce on the rise as gender equity, life expectancy increases”

The fiftyplus advocate featured Attorney Jonathan Fields on navigating divorce issues. Attorney Fields discussed some of the specific legal issues that are unique to gray divorce that must be considered when assessing financial matters, including mental competency concerns such as dementia. “From a lawyer’s perspective, a big concern is whether and to what extent each party is competent to represent their own intentions,” he stated.

While the 35-to 50-year-old cohort remains his practice’s largest divorce demographic, Fields suspect he has seen more gray divorce clients compared to 10 years ago, particularly between ages 60 and 65. “It is a growing area for sure,” he affirmed. Please see the article on gray divorce if you would like more information.

 

 

FIELDS AND DENNIS LLP ANNUAL FUNDRAISER TO BENEFIT: K9s FOR WARRIORS

Fields and Dennis LLP is once again sponsoring a fundraiser for K-9 for Warriors from Dec 13, 2021 – December 31, 2021.  K9s For Warriors provides highly-trained Service Dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma. With the majority of dogs coming from high-kill rescue shelters, this innovative program allows the K9/Warrior team to build an unwavering bond that facilitates their collective healing and recovery. Every 65 minutes a veteran commits suicide according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many Veterans are suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). We hope you can support our fundraiser for K9s For Warriors. Please visit the link below to help support this worthy cause.

http://support.k9sforwarriors.org/goto/FieldsAndDennisLLP

Attorney Jonathan Fields Quoted in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly on New Child Support Guidelines

Family bar on board with new child support guidelines

Changes address combined income amount, treatment of alimony

By: Pat Murphy October 22, 2021

Family law attorneys say the revised child support guidelines that went into effect at the beginning of October provide needed clarity and consistency in the determination of parental payment obligations.

Trial Court Chief Justice Paula M. Carey unveiled the new guidelines in early August. The revisions address a wide range of issues, highlighted by an increase from $250,000 to $400,000 in the maximum combined available income level for the parties in a case, clarification of the treatment of alimony as income in the calculation of support, and clarification of the types of Social Security payments to be considered in the calculation.

Lynette Paczkowski of Worcester said the revisions reflect the economic realities of living and raising children in Massachusetts.

“There was a recognition that Massachusetts is a fairly expense place to live,” Paczkowski said. “Regardless of whether or not the average income in Massachusetts is higher than elsewhere, not every household meets that average, but every household is subject to the cost of living here.”  

Jonathan E. Fields, a Wellesley attorney who served on the task force that recommended revisions to the child support guidelines that went into effect in 2017, also lauded the new changes.

to read the full article please visit: https://masslawyersweekly.com/2021/10/22/child-support-guidelines-massachusetts-family-law/

Attorney Vicki L. Shemin has been appointed to serve on the Family Law Section Council of the Massachusetts Bar Association effective Sept. 1, 2021.

 

The Family Law Section is designed to improve the Probate and Family Court’s accessibility and efficiency to benefit lawyers, judges, staff and the public by offering educational seminars, providing updates on legislative activity, and facilitating bench/bar networking opportunities.

“I am pleased and proud to be serving on the MBA’s Family Law Section Council during a pivotal time for families and family law in Massachusetts, especially as the community continues to adjust to the unprecedented challenges wrought by COVID.”

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    The Boston metro family law, divorce and estate planning attorneys at the law firm of Fields and Dennis LLP are based in the Newton Wellesley area and serve the city of Newton: Auburndale, Chestnut Hill, Newton Centre, Newton Corner, Newton Upper Falls, Newton Lower Falls, Nonantum, Oak Hill, Waban and West Newton and town of Wellesley: Babson Park, Wellesley Hills, Wellesley Square Fields and Dennis also serves many clients in the Greater Boston and Massachusetts region including Ashland, Dover, Holliston, Medfield, Needham, Sherborn, Westwood, and all of Massachusetts. Attorney Jonathan Fields is a recognized authority on bitcoin and divorce

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