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We help thousands of intended parents from all over the world fulfill their dream of starting a family.  Attorney Leslie Lightholder has specialized in reproductive law since 2006, and is licensed to practice in both Massachusetts and Connecticut. She has extensive experience drafting and negotiating gestational carrier agreements, representing both intended parents and carriers. Licensed in two jurisdictions, Leslie routinely obtains Pre-Birth Orders for clients and appears in both the Massachusetts Probate & Family Court, and also in the Family Division of the Connecticut Superior Courts.  Leslie’s practice often involves complicated international surrogacy arrangements during which she collaborates with attorneys in her clients’ home countries to assist in establishing their legal rights as parents both in the U.S. and abroad.  She also has many years of experience advising intended parents on insurance coverage for a surrogate pregnancy.  Leslie’s experience, combined with her contacts on both the professional and judicial side of reproductive law gives her clients the best possible advantage.  Her attention to detail and deep understanding and appreciation of the human elements involved are what separate Leslie from her peers.. Attorney Lightholder graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1998, and received her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Western New England University School of Law in 2001.  After being admitted to both the Massachusetts and Connecticut bar, Leslie began her legal career serving as a Judicial Law Clerk, providing legal research and draft decisions to the judges then presiding in the Massachusetts Juvenile and Probate and Family Courts.  She also served for a year as an Assistant Clerk running the Magistrate Court Sessions in the Windham Judicial District of the Connecticut Superior Court.  Leslie’s time spent in these courts helps to give her practice a practical and realistic perspective on the law.  Leslie joined the firm in 2006, and since then has exclusively practiced reproductive law, with a particular focus on gestational carrier agreements and parentage orders.  In 2012, Leslie was named a Partner in the firm.  Most recently, she was invited to author a chapter on surrogacy and gestational carrier arrangements in the 2017 edition of the MCLE (Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education) book: Adoption and Reproductive Technology Law in Massachusetts, which is currently pending publication.. Outside of the office, Leslie and her husband happily have their hands full with their their three children, which includes a set of boy/girl twins, and 2 cats. When not rushing the kids to a dance rehearsal, gymnastics, taekwondo, or to the soccer field, Leslie enjoys baking, watching movies, binge watching TV drama series, and starting knitting projects.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in United States and surrounding areas.

Michael has been serving the Scottsdale, Arizona community through appeals and divorce/family law since 2017. He is dedicated to securing justice and fairness for all of his clients, and he enjoys seeing the law upheld and developed for the good of his community. Michael began his career in family law while still attending law school in southern Illinois. There, he realized what would become a lifelong passion in both working with the law and representing families’ needs in court.. In addition to the professionalism displayed in handling family law cases, Michael’s passion for appeals has made him our primary appellate attorney – he handles the research, drafting, and final oral representation in appellate court. Families and individuals in Scottsdale who are in need of an attorney to represent their needs should contact Michael today. He is an exemplary model of the careful attention an attorney should be giving to your case.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in United States and surrounding areas.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in United States and surrounding areas.

When Attorney Jenifer DeCristofaro first became a lawyer nearly 20 years ago, she chose to concentrate on family law because she wanted to help people in a meaningful way, providing sound legal counsel and zealous advocacy for men and women dealing with intensely personal and highly emotional matters that have a profound impact on the rest of their lives.. Attorney DeCristofaro loves the personal relationship she develops with each of her clients, and she’s represented hundreds of men and women of all ages and financial statuses, in a variety of divorce and family law matters over the years. Whether it’s a simple or complex divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, modification of support or parenting plans, parental alienation, fathers’ rights, or grandparents’ rights, she has handled them all.. “Family law is about so much more than just the law -- it’s about children and families and marriages and messy, busy lives,” she says. “I’m the attorney who always hugs my clients and holds their hands while they cry. But I am also always honest with them about what they can realistically expect to see in their situation. It’s hard for clients to see the big picture when they are dealing with so many emotions and that is my job, to keep their focus where it needs to be in the case.”. She also has extensive experience dealing with clients whose divorces involve immigration issues, including those with spouses are all over the world or in parts unknown. She has successfully divorced clients here with spouses in Iceland, the Congo, Rwanda, Ghana, and Canada.. With nearly 20 years of experience in the Massachusetts probate and family courts, Attorney DeCristofaro knows all of the judges and clerks and the ins and outs of the system so she knows how best to make things happen, quickly and efficiently.. Her clients rave about her extensive knowledge of divorce and family law and her masterful skills in negotiations and in the courtroom. She is known as a straight shooter who takes time to get to know her clients and listens to their needs. But what they love most is her genuine care and concern for them and their families. Her clients take comfort knowing that once they’ve hired Jenifer she’s got their back and they’ve got her support every step of the way.. “I’m honored that my clients trust me, literally with their lives,” Attorney DeCristofaro said. “That’s why I put my heart and soul into each and every case – and I will make you laugh, even in your darkest hour.”. Attorney DeCristofaro said that being the mother of two small children has made her an even better, more compassionate family law attorney. She understands when clients are distracted by their children, often telling them: “Get the kids to bed, grab a glass of wine and call me at 9 or 10 p.m. so we can really focus on what needs to happen.”. She also takes time to talk to clients about life after divorce; how to move forward and manage their new financial situation, as well as encouraging them not to give up on love or marriage despite all they’ve been through.. “My favorite part of being a family law attorney is helping families create their ‘new normal’ so that divorce does not become a crushing life change,” Attorney DeCristofaro says. “I love when people who originally came to me distraught and feeling trapped are able to triumph and take back their lives.”. Attorney Jenifer G. DeCristofaro is a graduate of Davidson College in Davidson, NC, and the New England School of Law. She also attended University College Galway in Ireland. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court. She’s a member of the Middlesex Bar Association and the Essex Bar Association, and she is a notary public in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. When not working with clients, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, as well as playing tennis. She also is an avid reader and writer of fiction and short stories.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in United States and surrounding areas.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in United States and surrounding areas.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in United States and surrounding areas.

I want to be a part of changing lives for the better and my life has lead me in that direction.. Graduated from University of Nebraska-Omaha with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 2003. During this time, I worked as Team Leader for a Residential Treatment Center treating minors with co-occurring disorders and it was there that I observed best interest attorneys, who focused deeply on an individual basis of how to support their clients with empathy, compassion, and a focus on how they would thrive long-term.. It was then that I knew this is who I wanted to be, in my work everyday.. I went on to receive my Juris Doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Law, May of 2007. During my time at law school, I focused on Criminal and Family Law. After graduation, I moved to Arizona to work at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office as a Law Intern. Passing the Arizona State Bar exam that was conducted the Summer of 2007 was a great accomplishment. Shortly thereafter, I became a Deputy County Attorney in January of 2008 for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. As Criminal Prosecutor for the majority of my career, I have fine tuned advocacy. As a trial Attorney, I have prosecuted both jury and bench trials. Additionally, I have presented cases before the Grand Jury. As a prosecutor I primarily practiced in Juvenile Delinquency matters. The last decade specifically was spent working with Juveniles with Sexually Maladaptive Behaviors and sexual boundary concerns.. After twelve years as prosecutor, the time became right to transition into private practice. Why? I realized, however, that I was missing something. I was missing the ability to go back to what sparked my interest in doing this work everyday by being able to work with clients directly, having a direct impact, and being able to help them thrive long-term. Today, as founder and owner of my firm, I work with clients like you in a people-centric way, focused on how to help you in the space where you need it most. My focus is advocating for my clients in Domestic Relations topics and Juvenile Law with personalized compassion.