About Us

1. About the Firm
2. Meet Our Team
3. Fees & Costs
4. Contact Us
5. Schedule an appointment

About the Firm

Knowledgeable, prepared, non-judgmental and committed to achieving the most favorable legal outcome.  These are some of the words used by fellow attorneys and former clients to describe the Worcester-based divorce lawyers and family law attorneys from The Massachusetts Family Law Group.

MFLG’s Central Massachusetts office is located on Main Street, across the street from the Worcester Probate and Family Court.  Contact us today for caring divorce advice for men or women, and to schedule your no-obligation consultation.

Our practice includes advice and representation in matters involving contested divorce, paternity, custody and parenting plans, property distribution, father’s rights, modifications, contempt issues, and even zealous defense against the Department of Revenue (DOR) and Department of Social Services (DSS).

The first stop on the path to divorce is to usually hire an attorney, but you may find that you need other resources, too – to help heal your heart, protect your finances, or focus on the best interest of your children.  To assist you, our firm’s network includes therapists, forensic accountants, tax specialists, computer experts and other experts who you may need to help you prove your case.

Early on, The Massachusetts Family Law Group was established to enable men and women of medium-to-high net worth develop strategies for getting what they want and deserve in their divorces.  The legal strategies, rules, general advice and belief systems they focus on may not be advocated by all lawyers, but the attorneys’ bottom-line philosophy keeps them focused on one thing:  informing their clients of the psychological and strategic steps that can be used to convince any spouse – or a judge – that they deserve a larger share of the divorce pie.

If you are contemplating divorce or are currently involved in the process, undoubtedly you fear failure and the unknown. You are not alone.  If you don’t know where to start or what to do, contact us. 

Our divorce lawyers and family law attorneys are zealous advocates and have each been before most, if not all, of the judges who sit in Worcester County.

If you are looking for a less expensive “cookie cutter” approach to divorce, you will not find it at The Massachusetts Family Law Group.  Our Founder, Attorney Irwin M. Pollack and the staff attorneys believe that every marriage, as well as every divorce situation, is unique and therefore deserves to be handled strategically.  Like the pieces of a puzzle, the attorneys handle each piece and strategically interlock it with the others until they get the fairest resolution in any case.

As the go-to lawyers for anybody facing divorce in Central Massachusetts, many insist that Attorney Pollack and Senior Attorney Maria M. Rivera-Ortiz take domestic relations law to a new level. Each has interviewed hundreds of divorced men and women and pride themselves on the firm’s unique quality of helping their clients “take charge” of their case, get them what they deserve, and move on to the next stage of their life.

To educate yourself about family law, download Attorney Pollack’s Special Report, “The Massachusetts Divorce Handbook.”  Next, download our worksheets to help you manage your case.  If you’re want to keep going, go to our quick link section of the website to learn about divorce planning, lawyers and fees, the divorce process, and overview of custody and visitation, discovery, the settlement process or post-divorce issues.

Clients of The Massachusetts Family Law Group come from all walks of life.  The attorneys have successfully represented business owners, athletes, moms, dads, celebrities, professionals, senior citizens and even young children throughout Massachusetts and across New England.

Attorney Pollack and his team have built their remarkable reputation largely on a willingness to step on toes, unapologetically challenge a spouse’s answers, and undertake bold and imaginative strategies to enhance their clients’ chances of success. 

Talk to any member of the firm and you’ll hear a consistent answer:  they claim that their role is that of a guided hand to protect their clients.   It saddens each one of them to think that clients, who may experienced so much pain, might walk away from their marriage with less than they deserve because another attorney may have chosen the path of least resistance.

When it comes to finances, one of the things that set MFLG apart from other law firms that handle divorce is that they get answers.  Attorney Pollack says, “People come to us because they want to know the truth about marital conduct and finances.  They want to know what happened and who was responsible.  They don’t want it swept under the rug.”

Through the discovery phase of litigation, MFLG’s Worcester team is the clear-cut leader amongst the five other teams of the firm.  The lawyers are master strategists and they dig deep.  Subpoenas.  Interrogatories.  Depositions.  Business valuation.  Production of documents and even forensic experts.  Until an attorney is satisfied that they have the truth, they keep going.    Attorney Pollack insists, “People come to our Worcester team because we zealously represent our clients and push until we get to the bottom line.”
 
The perseverance in discovering the truth is critical because, until you uncover all the evidence relating to each party’s conduct, and the 20 other factors relating to the marital history, you may never be able to persuade the court why you should get the larger share of the marital estate.

When the dispute relates to the best interest of the parties’ children, clients who come to MFLG want their interests aggressively championed, as well as those of their children.
As a divorced parent himself, Attorney Pollack insists that if it weren’t for the children, he’d probably find himself in anther profession.

If you’ve given your marriage every opportunity to work, but it’s time to file for divorce, our aggressive attorneys are ready to help you serve the complaint, work out custody and visitation issues, obtain protection from violence and even work out asset and debt division. 

On the other hand, if you’ve just been served, our family lawyers are devoted to helping both men and women in difficult circumstances and emotional turmoil as they reluctantly face divorce and the often-associated matters of separation. 

We also have a team devoted to seeking and defending against Complaints for Modification as well.  When circumstances have changed and it’s time to revise your divorce agreement, contact us.

We are not only dedicated to providing exceptional legal services, but MFLG puts quality client service as a top priority.  To ensure that our priorities are met, we have implemented the following client service goals:

• Same day return of phone calls by either Senior Attorneys, attorneys or staff
• Multiple offices throughout Massachusetts
• Attorneys have hand-held, e-mail access
• Same day consultations available
• After-hour phone access to attorneys
• Detailed billing statements, twice monthly
• Major credit card payment options

Contact us for no-obligation consultation.  During the week, our first appointments begin at 5AM and we’ll also meet clients over the weekend.

Beyond Worcester, our other offices are in Springfield, Andover, Norwood, Plymouth and on Cape Cod.  No matter which of the 351 cities or towns of Massachusetts you live in, there’s an office of The Massachusetts Family Law Group to serve you.  Contact Us

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Meet Our Team

• Irwin M. Pollack, Founder & Lead Attorney
• Maria Rivera-Ortiz, Sr. Attorney (Worcester & West Mass)
• Rita DeMilia, Director of Operations
• Patty Hall, Chief Paralegal
• Renee Mahoney, Paralegal 

IRWIN M. POLLACK,
FOUNDER & LEAD ATTORNEY

Irwin M. Pollack, the founding partner of The Massachusetts Family Law Group, is a focused and goal-oriented strategic thinker who works on cases of contested divorce, business matters involving asset values of $1,000,000 or more, child custody cases (helping clients with both custody risk factors and evaluations), modifications, and issues relating to reducing alimony and imputing income to voluntarily underemployed spouses.

Ask him and he’ll tell you that one of the most appealing aspects of family law is the variety it offers. “Every case is different,” Attorney Pollack says. “On any given day I could be dealing with fathers’ rights in Boston, custody and parenting plans in Worcester or child support on the Cape or in any of our six offices across Massachusetts.”

An unwavering advocate for his clients, Attorney Pollack would rather divide assets than assign blame for a failed marriage. Many millionaire divorces end-up in his hands.  Some say that Pollack’s commitment to fathers’ rights is unmatched; he’s the first person anyone with divorce, support or custody issues should seek out.

Attorney Pollack exhibits straight-forwardness and integrity in a field often ridiculed as being populated with vultures preying on the weak. One client said, “Irwin is extremely kind, competent, and caring.  He actually bills honest hours, does not run up the bill, and finds the right strategy for the problem.”

Attorney Pollack has two qualities that clients like – he’s relatively inexpensive in comparison to most, and he doesn’t waste time. His philosophy is to resolve cases in the most cost-efficient manner and still achieve a reasonable objective. Pollack regularly rejects cases he considers outlandish, such as that of the father who traveled 200 days a year and wanted to file for sole custody.

His billing rate – $325 an hour – is considerably less than you might pay for legal fees at a large Boston law firm. His past clients rave about how this adjunct faculty member from The Massachusetts School of Law at Andover shares divorce secrets with clients, offers invaluable advice such as the importance of and is quick to sum up a case and, unlike many of his better-known peers, settles cases with ease.

A guy with street smarts who went through a messy divorce himself, Pollack, 47, knows the game. Nine times out of ten, he tries to reduce the animosity between the parties and settle the case amicably, for the long-term benefit of his client. But if the other party is unreasonable or unrealistic about their expectations, he is just as able to take them to court where he’ll act as a strong, faithful advocate for his client. He is able to change gears between personal compassion and toughness whenever necessary.

If your spouse walks into a deposition with Attorney Pollack, you know you’re in trouble. Thorough and brutal when he needs to be, Pollack can be one of the most feared divorce lawyers across Massachusetts.  He has an impressive business background and spots hidden assets and family-owned business problems in divorce in record time. 

The verdict on him is split among fellow attorneys – those who work cooperatively claim how he’s reasonable, while those who are contentious by nature dread having to deal with him or the most common motions he files in court.  

Clients worship him. In nasty divorces where parties want blood, most of his clients come away satisfied especially as it relates to how divorce effects children, cases where one parent wants to move away, allegations of abuse or drug use or those associated with bad mouthing, bashing and brainwashing from a former spouse.

Working hand-in-hand with each of the firm’s attorneys, Attorney Pollack begins client conferences as early as 5 o’clock each morning and has been known to meet clients over the weekend when necessary. He represents clients in each of the 351 towns and cities in Massachusetts.

During the past year, Attorney Pollack logged more than 30,000 miles on Massachusetts highways traveling to and from offices in Norwood, Andover, Worcester, Springfield, Plymouth and on Cape Cod. He appeared before 31 Probate and Family Court judges and seven First Justices. He has appeared in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and Boston Magazine. He’s been heard on radio stations across the Commonwealth and produced two different CD programs relating to divorce and child custody-related matters. 

As a young boy growing up in Los Angeles, Irwin spent his summer vacations taking public transportation to courtrooms to watch trials. It was a form of entertainment at the time, but it sowed the seeds of interest in a man who has become fast on his feet, a quick study of small business and entrepreneurship, and fiercely determined.

Attorney Pollack is member in good standing of both the Massachusetts and Connecticut Bars.

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MARIA M. RIVERA-ORTIZ
SENIOR ATTORNEY – WORCESTER & WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

Maria M. Rivera-Ortiz leads The Massachusetts Family Law Group’s efforts in Worcester and across Western Massachusetts.  Prior to joining MFLG, Attorney Rivera-Ortiz was an attorney in the Family Law Unit by the Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts and also an Assistant District Attorney for Worcester County prosecuting domestic violence cases. 

Quite often, prospective clients come to Maria when questions arise about alimony and spousal support.  Attorney Rivera-Ortiz gives prospective clients the bottom line:  “Alimony gets treated differently from child support on your tax return.  Alimony is tax deductible to the person who pays it, and included in the taxable income of the person who receives it.  Child support, by contrast, is not taxable to the person who receives it and not tax deductible to the person who pays it.  That means that when you and your spouse have dramatically different incomes, there may be some tax advantages to using alimony, even if a judge in Worcester, Springfield or Northampton wouldn’t ordinarily award it.”

A good portion of Maria’s clients find her as they contemplate a change in attorneys.  She makes her position clear:  “If your divorce is not progressing the way you had hoped, or you’re frustrated with the lack of communication between you and your lawyer, you do have a right to make a change.  You do not want to choose your lawyer lightly, but you are not obligated to stay where your needs are not being met.”  As the word spreads about Maria’s stellar client service, she beams like a Christmas tree saying, “Getting my clients to the next stage of their life is Priority Number One to me!”

As a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School, Attorney Rivera-Ortiz is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and the federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court.  She is an active member of the Worcester Bar Association.

Attorney Rivera-Ortiz offers an important advantage to her Spanish-speaking clients.  When you come to Maria’s office, you can speak directly with your lawyer in your native language, rather than through a translator.

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RITA DeMILIA,
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

In developing The Massachusetts Family Law Group, Attorney Irwin M. Pollack knew the firm needed a leader on the inside who would be considered the rock star of the firm, complete with adoring employees, treasured clients and, in some cases, the ability to stand up to him and convince him that he should handle the law and clients on the outside while somebody should navigate the business on the inside.

When Rita DeMilia joined the firm, Attorney Pollack announced her arrival by saying, “Throughout history, certain people have plied their knowledge of business to help others learn the ins and outs of success.  They’ve stepped inside companies to offer wisdom about time management, human relations, slashing costs, or motivating the troops.  While law firms have yet to be run as businesses first, MFLG must be a leader in this arena, and when it comes to Rita DeMilia’s track record, she’s going to help our lawyers, clients and business model make it to the top.”

Rita has an impressive 20 year background in business management.  And while her background is in the manufacturing and distribution industries, Attorney Pollack was impressed with her desire, and ability, to work under enormous pressure to produce results.  On her first interview, Pollack remembers how Rita said, “Anything – an idea, a tool, a word – that can keep us ahead of the pack is fair game.”

On a daily basis, Rita admits that she gets paid to analyze complex situations and recommend a course of action.  On top of that, Attorney Pollack wants answers, not a long story.  He and the firm focus on courses of action and solutions they can implement tomorrow, not a 300 page book.  That’s why Rita DeMilia was put at the top of the pack.

Having been through the divorce process herself, and being a single mother of two young children, Rita was both intrigued and touched by the fact that Attorney Pollack puts the best interest of the children first.  Somewhere throughout every day, you will hear her say, “Don’t forget, it’s all about the children!”

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PATTY HALL,
CHIEF PARALEGAL

Regarded as one of the most accomplished paralegals of
the Massachusetts Bar, Patty Hall shows no signs of slowing down as she heads into her 19th year of domestic relations work.

Upon retaining the firm, Patty gets clients up-to-speed faster as it relates to their financial statement, discovery, worksheets and learning about the entire court process step-by-step.

Given the firm’s high-worth clients, Patty is Attorney Pollack’s “go-to person and right hand” when it comes to engaging forensic accountants, business valuation experts, or even the nebulous matter of pricing and splitting goodwill.

Some of the best stories Hall shares are about the times she and Attorney Pollack meet – as early as 4:30 or 5 o’clock in the morning – as they prepare for trial.  The two are a real team because word has it that Attorney Pollack won’t go into a deposition or head to trial without Patty at his side.

After working at Boston law firms for years, Patty is proud to be working in her home town of Norwood.  “The only reason we have a Norwood office is because if we were to ever leave, Patty wouldn’t be a part of our family,” Attorney Pollack says with a smile. 

The two of them have their weekly ritual as they share their weekly lottery ticket every Friday morning.

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RENEE MAHONEY
PARALEGAL

Renee Mahoney joined The Massachusetts Family Law Group in 2007, bringing with her the reputation as one of the brightest minds in the legal community.

Her area of practice is domestic relations where emotions run high and clients are living through the worst time of their lives, and Renee insists she finds the practice very satisfying.

Serving as paralegal, Renee is an essential part of the firm helping clients get through the Pre-Filing stage, money matters and sensitive issues relating to children and divorce.

Starting her day at 6am, Renee is the often the first voice to greet clients.  One thing is for certain – she’s the only one who volunteers to help Attorney Pollack each morning with his routine of tracking where all the attorneys are, reminding him of where he has to go himself and reassuring him that “everything will be just fine!” 

Her favorite part of the job is helping clients and sharing Attorney Pollack’s divorce secrets for women.

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Fees & Costs

When you contact us for a consultation, we will provide you with our best estimate of the range of legal fees based on your answers to several simple questions. 

The old axiom that you get what you pay for is often true with regard to attorneys.  You may find attorneys that charge a little bit less per hour than others, but have limited experience.  Attorneys who have less experience often spend more time on a case, thus you may spend as much or even more for a less experienced attorney.  On the other hand, you should not have to pay exorbitant fees for quality representation.

Before we begin representation, we require a retainer and a signed fee agreement.  The client is charged between $225 and $325 per hour.  If and when the retainer is close to being depleted, we may require an additional retainer if it appears the case has become more time consuming than initially anticipated or is still progressing through the process of getting ready for trial.  Of course, where it is appropriate, we will seek to have the other party reimburse you for your attorney’s fees. 

The fees include all consultations between you, the client, and our firm including phone calls, meetings, email, and any other contact.  The fee further includes all of the fees often itemized by other firms including postage, fax and photocopy charges.

These retainer ranges are effective as of October 2006.  These may differ based upon the simplicity or complexity of your individual case:

• Our most common retainer for contested divorce ranges from $3,500 to $7,500.

• For divorces with custody disputes, matters which have already had substantial legal proceedings, are set already for trial, or matters involving complex assets or business valuations, our retainer range begins at $8,000 and could be substantially higher.

• In post-judgment cases where you need representation as you go back-to-court, our retainer ranges from $3,000 to $5,500.

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Contact our Worcester Divorce Attorneys

Learn what you might face in your divorce and how to get control of the process before it happens.  There are specific things you can do – right now – to protect your future.

How Can We Help You?

Although Massachusetts Rules of Conduct prevent Attorney Pollack from giving you any legal advice until we are formally retained, we will be happy to discuss your case or meet with you regarding your Massachusetts family law matter.  If you would like to schedule an hour-long, no-obligation consultation, please complete this form as fully as possible and forward the information requested below.  We need this information to understand your individual situation.  Please be assured all information we receive will be kept strictly confidential.

Thank you for providing this information. We will get back to you as quickly as possible. Please rest assured all information we receive will be kept strictly confidential.

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