Attorneys serving Massachusetts, Rhode Island

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Lisa M. Cukier

Partner

Office Phone: 617.345.3471
Location: Boston, MA
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Practice:

Bar Admissions:

Massachusetts

Experience:

Ms. Cukier concentrates her practice in all aspects of probate litigation, fiduciary litigation, planning & litigation for blended families, same-sex couples, guardianship, conservatorship, mental health law, elder law and domestic relations.

Prior to joining Burns & Levinson in 2002, Ms. Cukier served as Assistant General Counsel for the Department of Mental Health and as Assistant General Counsel for the Department of Mental Retardation. She prosecutes and investigates disabled persons abuse cases, and elder abuse cases, and represents Guardians, Trustees and Executors in petitions for fiduciary license to sell real estate, and estate plan petitions. Ms. Cukier also currently serves as an Executive Committee member of Burns & Levinson.

Memberships:

Boston Bar Association
Massachusetts Bar Association

Additional Information:

Trained in Conciliation of probate litigation and divorce matters and serves as parenting coordinator and mediator in contested custody disputes
Appointed to serve on the Board of Editors of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly
Past-President of the Massachusetts Family and Probate Inn of Court (2004-2005 term)
Served as Co-chair of the Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association (1997 - 2001)
Previously on the Board of Directors of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MA)

Education:

J.D., Suffolk University Law School, 1991
B.A., Northeastern University, 1986

Awards:

Ms. Cukier was selected by Best Lawyers in America® (2010) as a leader in her field, Family Law. Best Lawyers® is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which 16,000 leading attorneys throughout the country cast more than half a million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their specialties. Inclusion is considered a singular honor.
On May 5, 2006, Lisa M. Cukier was honored and presented with the 2006 MBA Community Service Award at the MLGBA Annual Dinner.
On June 18, 2005, Ms. Cukier was honored as a "Woman of Distinction In Law and Public Service" at the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers Annual Business Meeting and Banquet.
Massachusetts Super Lawyer in 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005. The selection of attorneys is based on a poll and internal research done by Law & Politics Magazine and reviewed by an independent blue ribbon panel of their peers. Listed attorneys and finalists consist of the top 5% of attorneys in Massachusetts. The listing appeared in the November issue of Boston Magazine and in New England Super Lawyers Magazine.

Quotes:

7/13/2009, WBZ News Radio - Commonwealth Suing Federal Government Over Gay Marriage
Lisa Cukier discusses equal rights for gay marriages.
8/10/2008, Sacramento Bee - Gay divorce has raised many tricky questions
Peter Zupcofska was featured in this article by Rob Hotakainen. Lisa Cukier was mentioned in this article.
10/19/2007, Boston Business Journal - Goodridge ruling doesn't simplify estate planning
Lisa Cukier was quoted extensively in this article by Chris Mahoney.
7/31/2007, WGBH/PBS - Interview with Emily Rooney
Lisa Cukier and Peter Zupcofska discuss the legalities surrounding same sex divorces with Emily Rooney. Emily Rooney Interview
3/5/2007, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly - Letter to the Editor
Lisa Cukier's letter to the editor disputes the Editor's position that the SJC is running scared and is retrenching from its stance in Goodridge (same sex marriage case). Lisa's letter argues that while the SJC's decisions look conservative, they are actually quite progressive; each of the SJC's decisions in related cases since Goodridge have all used traditional bright-line tests to equalize the rights of gay and straight citizens, which is really quite a revolutionary concept and totally progressive.
6/1/2005, MBA Lawyers Journal - "American Inns of Court Continue to Promote Professional Ethics"
Lisa Cukier was quoted in the article.
4/11/2005, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly - "When Aging Issues Lead to Family Conflict"
Lisa M. Cukier was quoted in this article written by Arline Kardasis and Rikk Larsen.
10/17/2004, National Public Radio - Interview: On Point (NPR)
Lisa Cukier was interviewed by Tom Ashbrook of National Public Radio - On Point. The interview was regarding the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.
5/18/2004, WBZ - Interview: "The David Brudnoy Show"
Lisa Cukier was interviewed on WBZ's The David Brudnoy Show regarding the general legal matters associated with same-sex marriages.
5/14/2004, Washington Blade - "Massachusetts Weddings a Legal Pandora's Box"
Lisa Cukier and Evelyn Haralampu were quoted in this article.
3/5/2004, Washington Blade - "Obscure Law May Stop Out-of-State Mass. Marriages"
Lisa M. Cukier was quoted in this article.
1/21/2004, Channel 9, BNN - "Legal Lines"
Lisa M. Cukier was interviewed regarding the Goodridge Same-Sex Marriage case.
6/19/2003, Boston Herald - "Gay Marriages in Canada may Cause Dilemma Across Border"
Lisa M. Cukier was quoted in this article.

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Recent Articles and Publications:

The Massachusetts Divorce Law Practice Forms
Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. (MCLE), 2009
Co-editors: Phyllis E. Federico, Peter F. Zupcofska, et al. Other Burns & Levinson contributing authors: Brian Bixby, Lisa Cukier & Jeffrey Soilson.

Recent Changes to MA Laws Affecting Guardianships, Conservatorships, and Durable Powers of Attorney
Private Client Update, October 2009

Marrying Expectations with Reality: 5 Year Retrospective on Gay Marriage
Boston Spirit Magazine, September/October 2009

Post-Divorce Estate Plan Updates
Boston Spirit Magazine, July/August 2009
Lisa Cukier and Robin Lynch Nardone (with Summer Associate Ryan Joyce) co-authored this article.

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Speaking Engagements:

Estate Planning for Same-Sex Couples, 10.22.2009
Location: Boston Estate Planning Council
Role: Presenter

Wills, Trusts, and Probate Law, 10.14.2009
Location: Newton Adult Education, Newton MA
Role: Speaker
Lisa Cukier and Clifford Cohen will speak at the Newton Adult Education Center on "Wills, Trusts, and Probate Law" on October 14 and October 21, 2009.

Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code, 7.7.2009
Location: Andover MA, MCLE Seminar
Role: Speaker

Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code, 6.30.2009
Location: Andover MA, MCLE Seminar
Role: Speaker

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