
Karen Galat
Karen Galat, the principal of Newburyport Family Law & Divorce Mediation, was admitted to practice law in Massachusetts in 1982 after receiving her Juris Doctor cum laude from Suffolk University Law School. In 1983, she was admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. In 1990, she had the honor of being admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
Sonya Shaffaval
Sonya Shaffaval, of counsel with Newburyport Family Law & Divorce Mediation, was admitted to practice law in Massachusetts in 2010 after receiving her Juris Doctor with honors from Massachusetts School of Law. She is also admitted to practice before to the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Our Fees & Costs
In almost all cases, we charge by the hour and our rates are reasonable. Clients are expected to cover out of pocket costs, but we will ask for your approval before incurring any cost in excess of $100.
For those seeking assistance with only one issue or for only one court appearance, we offer Limited Assistance Representation (LAR). This allows us to appear for you in court just once, or act as your out of courtroom coach.
We can also prepare the documents you may need and provide you with instructions as to where to go when you get to court, how to get your file, where to file your documents and what to say to the judge, all without appearing along with you which can save you hundreds of dollars in legal fees. The advantage is that you will only incur attorney’s fees for those issues you cannot manage on your own but will have assistance at critical points in the negotiation or litigation phase of your case.
In every case, we offer a free, one-half hour consultation, so we may get to know each other, learn a little about your case and advise you as to what you might expect in terms of cost.