Attorneys serving Massachusetts, Rhode Island

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Lisa M. Cukier

Partner

Office Phone: 617.345.3471
Location: Boston, MA; Metro West, MA
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Practice:

Bar Admissions:

Massachusetts

Experience:

Lisa M. Cukier is a partner at Burns & Levinson and concentrates her practice in all aspects of estate and trust litigation, fiduciary litigation, probate law, child custody, parentage issues and divorce, planning and litigation for blended families and same-sex couples, adoption, guardianship and conservatorship, and elder financial exploitation.

Recognized for her expertise and skill, Ms. Cukier is a frequent speaker on the topics of trust and estate litigation, estate planning, and family law, including same sex marriage. She is also a regular contributor for various publications including Boston Spirit Magazine, and a columnist for the Weston Town Crier and Wicked Local Wayland. Prior to joining Burns & Levinson in 2002, she served as Assistant General Counsel for the Department of Mental Health and as Assistant General Counsel for the Department of Mental Retardation.

Memberships:

Boston Bar Association
Boston Estate Planning Council
Massachusetts Bar Association
Massachusetts Family and Probate Inn of Court

Additional Information:

Trained in Conciliation of probate litigation and divorce matters and serves as parenting coordinator, Guardian ad Litem and mediator.
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, past member on Board of Editors (2007-2009)
Massachusetts Family and Probate Inn of Court, Past-President (2004-2005 term)

Education:

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

Awards:

Ms. Cukier was selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® (2010-2013) in the Family Law category. Best Lawyers® is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 41,000 leading attorneys throughout the country cast almost 3.9 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Inclusion in Best Lawyers® is considered a singular honor.
Ms. Cukier was selected for inclusion in Massachusetts Super Lawyers® (2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005). Super Lawyers and Rising Stars employ an annual jurisdictional selection process. Only five percent of lawyers in the state were selected to the Super Lawyers list and 2.5 percent to the Rising Stars list. The listing appears annually in the November issue of Boston magazine and in New England Super Lawyers.
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.

Quotes:

3/27/2013, MYOB Radio - Running The Business While Sandwiched Between the Needs of Children and Aging Parents
Lisa Cukier will discuss the topic of protecting a family business at times of family need and crisis involving minor children and aging parents/in-laws.
Download an mp3 to listen
8/22/2012, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly - Bar, court still adjusting to probate code overhaul
Lisa Cukier was quoted in this article by Lisa Keen.
5/14/2012, www.Parenting.com - Financial Planning Missteps
Lisa Cukier was quoted in this article by Sarah Lorge Bulter.
3/21/2012, MYOB Radio - Alimony Law
Lisa Cukier discussed the new alimony law that went into effect on March 1, 2012.
2/6/2012, MYOB Radio - Legal Issues Facing Family Businesses
Lisa Cukier discussed advice for family businesses on MYOB Radio.
5/25/2011, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly - Probate Court to Lose 20 Percent of Judges
Lisa Cukier was quoted in this article by Christina Pazzanese.
3/24/2011, Boston Business Journal - Women execs talk advancement
Lisa Cukier was quoted in this article by Greg Walsh.
6/27/2010, The Boston Globe - Boston executives on issues of diversity
Lisa Cukier was quoted in this article.
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:

Treatment of Adopted Heirs Under Trusts
Boston Spirit Magazine, January/February 2013

Law excludes adopted heirs
Wicked Local Wayland, January 14, 2013

Law excludes adopted heirs
Wicked Local Weston, January 14, 2013

Protecting vacation home
Wicked Local Weston, December 11, 2012

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Speaking Engagements:

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Women's Breakfast Forum, 5.17.2013
Location: The University of Massachusetts Club - Boston, MA
Role: Panelist
Topic: Engaging the Business and Legal Community for Women’s Leadership

More info

Newton Community Education Seminar, 4.24.2013
Location: Newton North High School, Newton, MA
Role: Speaker
Topic: Aging Parents & Their Adult Children: Strategies & Solutions for Decision-Making

Newton Community Education Seminar, 4.3.2013
Location: Newton North High School, Newton, MA
Role: Speaker
Topic: Estate Planning and Estate Litigation
Lisa Cukier and Clifford Cohen will speak at the Newton Community Education Center on "Estate Planning and Estate Litigation" on April 3 and April 10, 2013.

Ameriprise Financial Seminar, 3.27.2013
Location: Club Cafe, Boston
Role: Speaker
Topic: Strategies for LGBT individuals, couples and families

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