The Family Law Practice of Harsip & Stuart, P.C.


Skillful Family Law Advocates in Acton, Massachusetts

Few law firms in the Acton area offer the same level of family law experience as do the attorneys of Harsip & Stuart, P.C.

Legal Excellence in the Area of Family Law

Barry S. Harsip has practiced family law for 32 years, 28 of which have been in Acton and the surrounding area. Barry is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, an organization of family law lawyers who are recognized by judges and colleagues as expert practitioners. Barry is also a member of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Inn of Court, a legal organization whose mission is to foster excellence in the legal community.

Barry is joined in Harsip & Stuart's family law practice by attorney Sarah E. Stuart, who worked as a law clerk for the Judges of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court for close to two years.  During that time, Sarah worked closed with the judges in Norfolk, Middlesex, Suffolk and Worcester counties.


A Full-Service Family Law Practice

At Harsip & Stuart, we offer our clients practical advice and protective representation in every area of family law.

  • Divorce: We encourage individuals who are considering a divorce to seek early legal advice, even if the decision to separate has not yet been made.
  • Mediation and collaborative law: There are ways to end a marriage that discourage conflict and may be faster and less expensive than a traditional divorce.
  • Child support: Calculation of child support obligations during divorce can be straightforward or they can be difficult, depending on each spouse's employment and the needs of the children.
  • Child custody and visitation: If you and your spouse cannot agree on a parenting plan, the divorce process can take a long time and cost a lot of money. Let us help you from the beginning, to maximize the possibility of finding the best result for your child.
  • Alimony and spousal support: We will analyze your finances and your spouse's finances — as well as the circumstances of your marriage — to determine whether an alimony award will be a factor in your divorce proceedings.
  • Property division: Who gets the house? Who pays the mortgage? Who gets which car? How are retirement funds divided? These and other questions are common as a marriage ends.
  • Modification and enforcement of decrees: The final divorce decree is not always the end of the story. We can help if you need to modify or enforce a child support or child custody order, or other provisions of your divorce agreement.
  • Prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements: Entering into a written agreement before marriage can ease conflict down the road. Similarly, a written agreement after the marriage can solidify agreements about property in the case of a later divorce or other legal proceeding.
  • Paternity cases: We represent unmarried mothers and unmarried fathers in paternity lawsuits to establish legal fatherhood and set up child support and visitation arrangements.
  • Adoptions: We guide clients through the process of stepparent adoptions as well as agency and private adoptions.
  • Nontraditional families: Nontraditional families, including lesbian and gay couples, face many of the same challenges that arise in a heterosexual marriage. Although the legal issues may be identical, the emotional and social issues may be completely different. At Harsip & Stuart, we offer compassionate service to LGBT clients.

Request a Free 20-Minute Consultation

We offer a complimentary 20-minute consult to potential new clients. To make an appointment, call 978-264-0250 or use our online contact form.

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