About Law Offices of Paul J. Sweeney · Boston
The Law Offices of Paul J. Sweeney is a boutique Boston law firm led by attorney Paul J. Sweeney, who has practiced divorce, probate, and family law in Eastern Massachusetts for more than 35 years. Before opening his practice, he served as Assistant Register of Probate at the Norfolk County Probate and Family Court, giving him deep insight into Massachusetts domestic-relations and estate matters. The firm represents clients whose families are in transition, handling contested and uncontested divorces, child custody and support, prenuptial planning, estate administration, and related litigation with an emphasis on fairness, compassion, and cost efficiency. The main office is at 63 Chatham Street, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02109, with a second location in Jamaica Plain, MA.
Founded by Paul J. Sweeney, the Law Offices of Paul J. Sweeney is a boutique family-law and probate firm headquartered in downtown Boston (63 Chatham Street, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02109) with an additional office in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Attorney Sweeney has been a divorce, probate, and family-law attorney in Eastern Massachusetts since 1989 (with practice experience dating back to 1984), after first serving as Assistant Register of Probate at the Norfolk County Probate and Family Court from 1984 to 1989. He holds a J.D., cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School (1988) and an LL.M. in Taxation from Boston University School of Law (he is sometimes credited with both degrees in different sources), giving the firm particular strength in complex asset division, high-net-worth divorce, and tax-aware estate planning. The practice covers the full range of Massachusetts domestic-relations work, including divorce (joint petitions and contested complaints), alimony and child support, child custody and parenting-time disputes, paternity, guardianship and adoption, restraining and abuse-prevention orders, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, collaborative divorce, mediation, modifications, and post-judgment enforcement. On the probate and estate side, the firm handles estate planning to avoid probate and minimize estate tax, Medicaid planning, will drafting, trusts, and full probate administration. Sweeney has earned an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion Award (2020), a Pro Bono Publico Excellence 'First Justices' Award,' and a Certificate of Recognition for Pro Bono from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, Boston Bar Association, and Norfolk County Bar Association. Sweeney is joined by paralegal Susanne Paullin (with the firm for over 20 years) and associate Lauren Standiford, a Suffolk Law graduate also holding a master's in psychology. The firm prides itself on a relationship-based approach — educating and coaching clients through difficult transitions — and offers a free initial phone intake before scheduling in-person consultations.
- In business
- Founded 1989 (Paul J. Sweeney has practiced since 1984; in private practice at his own firm since 1989)
- Owner
- Paul J. Sweeney (Lead Attorney)
- Serves
- Eastern Massachusetts, including Boston, Jamaica Plain, Brookline, Canton, Lexington, Norfolk County and surrounding communities
- Rating
- 9.4/10 on Avvo; AV Preeminent on Martindale-Hubbell
About the Firm
The Law Offices of Paul J. Sweeney is a boutique Massachusetts law firm representing clients whose families are in transition. Attorney Paul J. Sweeney has been a divorce, probate, and family-law attorney in Eastern Massachusetts for more than three decades, having served previously as Assistant Register of Probate at the Norfolk County Probate and Family Court from 1984 to 1989. The firm is headquartered at 63 Chatham Street, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02109, with a satellite office in Jamaica Plain. The practice emphasizes trust, compassion, and experience, with a relationship-based approach that educates and coaches clients through divorce, custody, and estate-planning matters. Sweeney's stated philosophy is to focus on what is fair and reasonable under the law and what a judge is most likely to order, in order to avoid wasting the client's time or money.
- Boutique family-law and probate firm
- Lead attorney Paul J. Sweeney
- Boston HQ at 63 Chatham Street, 3rd Floor
- Additional Jamaica Plain, MA office
- Free initial phone intake; in-person by appointment
Meet the Team
Paul J. Sweeney is the Lead Attorney and founder. His paralegal, Susanne Paullin, has been with the firm for more than 20 years. The associate attorney is Lauren Standiford, a Suffolk Law School graduate who also holds a master's degree in psychology, whom Sweeney personally trains and mentors. Together the team handles every category of Massachusetts domestic-relations litigation, from routine child-custody matters through complex trials involving business evaluation.
- Paul J. Sweeney — Lead Attorney
- Susanne Paullin — Paralegal (20+ years)
- Lauren Standiford — Associate Attorney (Suffolk Law, M.A. in Psychology)
Family Law Practice Areas
The firm's family-law practice covers the full range of Massachusetts domestic-relations issues. Cases begin either with a joint petition for divorce (when the parties have already agreed on every issue) or with a complaint for divorce filed by one spouse, and most resolve by Separation Agreement rather than trial — though the firm is prepared to litigate when necessary. The practice routinely handles custody, parenting-time, and support disputes alongside the divorce itself, and represents clients in modifications, enforcement, and post-judgment matters as family circumstances change.
- Divorce
- Alimony & Support
- Property Division
- Collaborative Divorce
- High Conflict Divorce
- Divorce Settlement Agreements
- Abuse & Restraining Orders
- Alternative Dispute Resolution / Mediation
- Modifications
- Child Custody Disputes
- Child Support
- Parenting Time
- Paternity
- Guardianship / Adoption
Divorce Process
Massachusetts divorces generally take a few months when both spouses agree, or 14 months to two years when contested. The firm bills hourly for contested divorces but can prepare joint petitions for a flat fee where parties have already reached a full agreement and no discovery or negotiation is needed. The two principal paths to resolution are a negotiated Separation Agreement and a Trial; the vast majority of cases resolve by Agreement, with contested trials reserved for situations where settlement is not possible.
- Joint petition for divorce (flat fee when fully agreed)
- Complaint for divorce (hourly billing)
- Negotiated Separation Agreement vs. Trial
- Collaborative divorce option
- Mediation / alternative dispute resolution
Probate and Estate Planning
Drawing on his background as Assistant Register of Probate and his LL.M. in Taxation, Sweeney handles all aspects of probate law plus forward-looking estate planning. Planning work is designed to avoid probate, minimize estate tax, and structure Medicaid eligibility, while probate-administration representation covers the full lifecycle of an estate proceeding.
- Wills and trust drafting
- Estate planning to avoid probate
- Estate-tax minimization
- Medicaid planning
- Full probate administration
- Business valuation in connection with divorce and estate matters
Credentials and Honors
Paul J. Sweeney holds a J.D., cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School and an LL.M. in Taxation from Boston University School of Law, and has been a Massachusetts-licensed attorney for over 40 years. He has been recognized with an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell — the highest peer-review rating — and a Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion Award (2020). He has also received a Pro Bono Publico Excellence 'First Justices' Award' and a Certificate of Recognition for Pro Bono from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Boston Bar Association, and the Norfolk County Bar Association.
- J.D., cum laude — Suffolk University Law School
- LL.M. in Taxation — Boston University School of Law
- AV Preeminent — Martindale-Hubbell
- Client Champion Award (2020) — Martindale-Hubbell
- Pro Bono Publico Excellence — First Justices' Award
- Pro Bono Certificate of Recognition — Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
- Member — Massachusetts Bar Association
- Member — Boston Bar Association
- Member — Norfolk County Bar Association
Service Area
From its downtown Boston and Jamaica Plain offices, the firm serves clients throughout Eastern Massachusetts, including Brookline, Canton, and Lexington. The mailing and primary office address is 63 Chatham Street, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02109; phone (617) 720-2500. The Jamaica Plain office provides a convenient option for clients in that neighborhood and surrounding Boston suburbs.
- Boston (HQ) — 63 Chatham Street, 3rd Floor
- Jamaica Plain, MA — additional office
- Brookline, Canton, Lexington, Norfolk County and surrounding communities
- Phone: (617) 720-2500
Getting Started
New clients typically begin with a free phone intake; in-person meetings are scheduled by appointment afterward. The firm emphasizes cost efficiency and clarity about likely outcomes, so that clients can make informed decisions about whether to negotiate, mediate, or litigate. Sweeney has described his practice as 'the relationship business,' with a coaching-oriented approach that walks clients through every stage of the divorce or estate-planning process.
- Free initial phone intake
- In-person meetings by appointment
- Hourly billing for contested matters
- Flat fees available for joint-petition divorces
- Coaching and education throughout the case