The Law Office of Joyce Kauffman provides legal services in all areas of family law, including divorce, dissolution, adoption, co-parent adoption, guardianship, collaborative law, mediation and agreements addressing the needs of both traditional and non-traditional families.  We also provide basic estate planning for our clients, including Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies, Living Wills and Directives.

1. •Divorce and Dissolution/Custody
   

2. •Adoption
   

3. •Guardianship
   

4. •Assisted Reproduction Technology
   

5. •Collaborative Law
   

6. •Mediation
   

7. •Estate Planning
   

Divorce and Dissolution/Custody

1. The Firm understands and appreciates the serious legal, financial and emotional issues
   

2. involved when people make the decision to end their significant relationships, whether they are married or unmarried.  We have experience negotiating and litigating divorces, dissolutions and equitable property claims.  We provide focused, creative and knowledgeable legal services to individuals during this very difficult time in their lives.
   
   

3. The Firm has considerable experience in child custody matters, not only in the context of divorce but also in situations where an individual may not have a legal relationship to a child he or she has parented.  In so-called de facto parent cases, it is crucial that the non-legal parent have adequate legal representation.    
   

Adoption

The adoption process is a joyful, though often stressful, adventure.  The Firm provides legal support throughout and is available for consultations regarding adoption options.  Attorney Kauffman is a frequent presenter at the annual New England Adoption Conference and has assisted hundreds of families through the adoption process in domestic, international, co-parent, and step-parent adoptions.

Co-Parent and Step-Parent Adoption:  Understanding the vital importance of protecting a child’s relationship to the individuals he or she knows as parents, the firm works with you to obtain the legal recognition your child deserves. 

Guardianship

1. Guardianship proceedings provide a way to create a legal relationship between a child and the adult or adults who are caring for the child, usually on a temporary basis although sometimes for many years.  Guardianship is different from adoption because it is not necessarily permanent and, although it creates a relationship akin to parentage, a guardianship will expire when the child turns 18 or when the legal parent(s) regain custody.
   

Assisted Reproduction Technology

For many individuals and couples, the dream of bringing children into their lives requires detailed planning due to lack of access to sperm or eggs or due to infertility.  Reproductive Technology offers an alternative route to parenting, whether that is through donor insemination or gestational surrogacy.  We can draft or review Agreements to help you meet your parenting goals and, whenever possible, obtain pre-birth orders of parentage so that the child’s birth certificate accurately reflects the child’s intended parentage.

Collaborative Law

Collaborative Law is an alternative to traditional litigation and provides separating couples with a way to constructively resolve disputes about the dissolution of their relationships outside of the court system. In the Collaborative Law process, couples and their attorneys engage in a series of meetings to discuss and determine how to move forward in a fair and reasonable way with the goal of responding to the parties’ individual needs and preventing the acrimony and expense so often associated with litigation.  Collaborative Law has detailed rules that encourage all involved to keep working towards resolution rather than resorting to litigation.

Mediation

Mediation is a non-adversarial process that offers a forum for individuals in dispute to meet with a neutral third party to try to reach a resolution.  The mediation process often results in a mutually-agreed upon resolution geared to the particular needs and strengths of the individuals involved.  Mediation provides an alternative to costly and lengthy litigation.

Estate Planning

Basic estate planning provides families with security in the event that a party should become ill or incapacitated and in the event of the death of a party.  Whether you are married, single or partnered, documents such as a Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney can provide the comfort of knowing that your wishes will be respected even if you are unable to express them yourself.