What we can do for you
The Bureau has a robust Family Law practice dedicated to representing clients in a variety of family law issues and cases. Our attorneys are trained and equipped to handle some of the most personal, intimate, and emotional cases arising from familial conflict, including:
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- Helping clients file for divorce;
- Helping clients respond to a spouse’s divorce filing;
- Advocating for clients in child custody and/or child support cases;
- Drafting and negotiating settlement agreements for divorce, child custody, and/or child support;
- Helping clients in Special Juvenile Immigration Status (SIJS) proceedings for minor children who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected;
- Assisting clients with protective orders against abusive partners or spouses;
- Establishing paternity;
- Connecting clients with community resources and professionals specializing in domestic violence, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and/or psychological abuse;
- Securing adequate alimony and/or child support; and
- Representing clients in hearings and trials related to divorce, custody, child support, and SIJS.
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The Bureau generally does not represent non-custodial parents; however, there are some exceptions to this policy. As with all potential clients, the Family Law practice reviews intakes and potential cases involving non-custodial parents on a case-by-case basis.
Intake process for accepting new clients
The Family Law practice accepts new clients using our intake system. The intake process generally consists of two parts: (1) a series of questions related to your demographics, income, geographic location, etc. and (2) a series of questions related to your case and the circumstances that led you to the Bureau. Because the intake process is how we determine the details of your family law case, we may ask difficult questions related to any relevant abuse, harassment, or conflict. When contacting us to schedule an intake, please let us know if there is a particular day and/or time when you would feel most comfortable having a conversation about potentially triggering topics. All conversations during the intake process are completely confidential, and information shared during the process will not be disclosed to anyone outside of the Bureau.
Due to the limited capacity of our Family Law attorneys during a period of high demand for our services, we are only accepting new Family Law clients on a referral basis. This means that another organization must have recommended to you that you contact our Family Law practice. If you have been referred to the Bureau by another Massachusetts community organization, please reach out to us directly to schedule an intake at 617-495-4408.
Representing yourself
In the event that the Bureau is unable to accept your case and represent you at this time, we offer a class about the Massachusetts divorce process. For more information, see our Pro Se Divorce Clinic page.