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On November 2, 2017, the House Ways and Means Committee issued H.R.1, called the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” a bill over 400 pages long, which contains provisions that will likely have a profound impact on family law practitioners, as it would eliminate the tax deductions relating to payments that some people are required to […]

We are pleased to announce that, this year, the following attorneys in our firm were named to the Massachusetts “Super Lawyers” list, an honor limited to approximately 5% of the lawyers state-wide: • Mary H Schmidt, estate planning & probate (an honoree since 2004); • Phyllis Federico, family law (an honoree since 2004); • Sandy […]

Two weeks ago, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued a decision in a case which addressed the question of whether and under what circumstances the Alimony Reform Act (M.G.L. ch. 208 §§48-55), permits a judge to award alimony based on a percentage of the paying spouse’s income. Given the importance of the issue, Sandy Durland […]

Recently, the S.J.C. issued a decision, in George vs. George, which addressed the issue of whether a trial judge, on a complaint for modification of an alimony judgment that predated the Alimony Reform Act, may deviate from the durational limits of M.G.L. ch 208 §49, on the basis that the alimony provisions of the parties’ […]

We are pleased to announce that Phyllis Federico, was honored last month at the 2016 Top Women of Law event, which celebrates exceptional women lawyers who have made tremendous professional strides and demonstrated great accomplishments in the legal field. The annual award honors and highlights women who are pioneers, educators, trailblazers and role models – […]

Schmidt & Federico is pleased to announce that five members of the firm have received a Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating of “AV.” Mary and Bill Schmidt, Sandy Durland and Phyllis Federico, as well as Jennifer Sevigney Durand. all received the AV® Preeminent™ (4.5-5.0) certification mark, indicating that their peers have ranked them at the highest […]

Recently, Representative John Fernandes filed Massachusetts House Bill HD4546 to amend the Alimony Reform Act of 2011, to address the decisions by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in Chin vs. Merriot – which our partner, Sandy Durland, argued to the S.J.C. – and in Rodman vs. Rodman and Doktor vs Doktor, which ruled that, insofar […]