Skylark Law & Mediation, PC – We help families resolve conflict!

WE HELP RESOLVE CONFLICT PEACEFULLY
END FAMILY DISPUTES TOGETHER.

“…Justin Kelsey and his team find a way to manage the delicate balance between emotion and practicality – always putting the needs of my kids, first. Justin’s diligence and reasonableness kept us out of Court with a result that satisfied all parties. I highly recommend him.” – Client Review posted on Google

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Tools & Calculators:

Parenting Plan Worksheets
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We have created a Parenting Plan Worksheet to help you compare potential or proposed schedules. We encourage everyone to use this form to assist in evaluating and settling parenting time disputes. We have also created a Gender-Neutral Worksheet as well.

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Alimony Calculators
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To view the Massachusetts formula and calculate Alimony view the Massachusetts Alimony Calculator here. This calculator calculates the alimony as identified in M.G.L. Chapter 208 §53b and does not take into account the changes in tax law in The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Click here for more information on Alimony in Massachusetts.

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Child Support Calculator
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To calculate Child Support per the Massachusetts formula view the 2021 Massachusetts Child Support Calculator (effective 10/04/21). We encourage everyone to use this user-friendly form to assist in evaluating possible support calculations and evaluate different scenarios.

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Skylark Team:

Jennifer Hawthorne Kelsey (she/her)

Jennifer (Jen) Hawthorne Kelsey, Esq. (she/her) is a Partner at Skylark. She is a trained mediator & collaboratively trained attorney who focuses her practice on Divorce and Family Law.

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Justin L. Kelsey (he/him)

Justin L. Kelsey, Esq. (he/him) is a Partner at Skylark. He is an MCFM Certified Mediator & collaboratively trained attorney who focuses his practice on Divorce & Family Law. He is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®.

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Karen Van Kooy (she/her)

Karen Van Kooy, Esq. (she/her) is of counsel at Skylark. She is a trained mediator & collaboratively trained attorney who focuses her practice on Divorce and Family Law.

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Mending Fences

Mending Fences is a podcast about dispute resolution and effective ways to communicate and live across differences, with hosts Patrice Brymner and Jennifer Hawthorne.

Divorce transforms relationships, requiring former spouses to reinvent themselves as effective co-parents. In this thoughtful exploration of post-divorce parenting, Patrice Brymner and Jen Hawthorne Kelsey unpack the critical elements of creating sustainable parenting arrangements that truly serve the changing needs of children and parents.

What makes a ”good enough” parenting plan? Rather than rigid schedules or perfect-on-paper arrangements, successful co-parenting requires adaptability, patience, and honest communication. Drawing from years of professional experience, Patrice and Jen outline four essential mindsets for navigating this challenging transition: maintaining an open mind to try different approaches, exercising patience throughout the process, avoiding competitive parenting dynamics, and prioritizing quality over quantity in parent-child interactions.

Jen and Patrice share practical advice, like the importance of regular check-ins—both with yourself and your co-parent—to assess what's working and what needs adjustment. They offer concrete strategies for sharing information between households, establishing appropriate boundaries, and creating systems that minimize conflict while keeping both parents informed about their children's lives.

Takeaways: divorce ends marriages, but families continue in new configurations. By approaching co-parenting as an ongoing evolution rather than a fixed arrangement, parents can build foundations for healthy relationships that support their children. Whether you're currently navigating divorce or helping someone who is, these insights provide a roadmap for transforming painful transitions into opportunities for growth and healing.

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The Evolution of a Parenting Plan, Part 1

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Embracing Change: Conflict as Transformation

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GUEST: Attorney William Hickey on Divorce Mediation v. Litigation Myths

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De-escalation: A First Step to Resolution

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GUEST: Dr. Susan Boardman on Strengthening Relationships with Couples Mediation

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GUEST: Karen Van Kooy on the Language of More Peaceful Dispute Resolution

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2024 U.S. Presidential Party Platforms - What are the policy positions that could affect families? October 2, 2024
While the laws that affect family formation, marriage and divorce are often made at the state level, there are also many policies and laws at the federal level that affect families and children. Just some examples from recent years that have impacted families in my mediation practice include changes to the federal tax laws (such […]
Can you Deviate from the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines? October 2, 2024
When completing the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines Worksheet, many people are surprised by the resulting amount. The court treats the worksheet amount as presumptive, which means that the amount in the worksheet is likely to be ordered by the court unless there is a good reason to deviate. A common question in mediation between parents […]
The Most Common Complaints about Family Court and How Collaborative Law Solves Them August 28, 2024
It's common knowledge that family court is a place you want to avoid if you can. While the court is a resource that can help people in need of a resolution to various family conflicts, no one hopes to end up there, and there is readily available data on what the most common complaints are […]
Financial Statement Drafting Lessons from recent Massachusetts Appellate Decisions July 17, 2024
We recently posted a lengthy review of the the Massachusetts SJC decision in Cavanagh v. Cavanagh (2002) and a similar overview of the subsequent SJC decision Openshaw v. Openshaw (2024). Both of these cases had significant rulings that should be reviewed in child support and alimony cases in Massachusetts. Here, though, we want to focus on […]
Massachusetts Family Court Financial Statement - Instructions & Best Practices July 17, 2024
During a divorce, or other case in the Massachusetts Probate & Family Court that involves your finances, such as a child support case, you will likely be required to file a court form Financial Statement. In Massachusetts there are two versions of this form: a "short form" if your income is under $75,000 and a […]