Sheehan, Schiavoni, Jutras & Magliocchetti, LLP

Attorney Richard J. Sheehan, Jr.

Richard has been practicing law for over forty-seven years and is licensed in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He attended Boston College and graduated cum laude with a degree in Economics. He subsequently entered Albany Law School (New York). While in law school, he interned at the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Federal District of NY, and received his law degree in 1973.

Upon graduation from law school, he joined the current law firm which, at that time was known as Soroka, McDonald, Cogswell, MacDougall, Gleed and Laraba, where he was mentored by senior partners, including one who became a district court judge, and another who became a probate court judge. Since becoming a partner in 1976, the firm has grown under his leadership and guidance. Richard was born in Haverhill where he continues to reside today.

Outside the practice of law, Richard has served as an incorporator and director of various businesses including Haverhill Bank, Family Mutual Savings Bank, BayBank Merrimack Valley, First National Bank of Boston Regional Advisory Board, Haverhill Public Library, Greater Haverhill Foundation and Economic Community Development Corporation, Northern Essex Mental Health Services, Haverhill Chamber of Commerce and as trustee of Bradford College.

Richard is nationally ranked in the highest percentile of lawyers with AV Preeminent Status. He has developed a strong practice in the fields of commercial law and real estate, with particular emphasis in representing banks and developers active in the commercial and residential growth of greater Haverhill.

Attorney Timothy J. Schiavoni

Tim has been practicing law for over forty years. He earned a Bachelor Degree in Economics from Cornell University in 1969 and his law degree from Suffolk University in 1972. He is a member of the Massachusetts, Federal and United States Supreme Court Bars.

Tim has served as an elected member of the Haverhill School Committee and currently serves as a trustee of Pentucket Bank, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Holy Family Hospital.

Tim’s early years of practice were dedicated to extensive criminal and civil trials. He has pro bono and professional experience representing numerous non-profit agencies throughout Merrimack Valley including United Way, Habitat for Humanity, YMCA, Opportunity Works and Emmaus Housing Shelter.

Tim is a long-time member of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, serving as President in 1987, Director from 1985-2002 and is a multiple year recipient of the Chamber’s Jerry Loy Award for Leadership.

His community service includes directorships on the Merrimack Valley Workforce Investment Board, Northern Essex Community College Foundation, Lawrence Literacy Works and Northeast Cultural Arts Association. He is a Founding Director of the Haverhill Unit of the American Cancer Society.

Tim is the initial recipient of the Haverhill Bar Association’s Supreme Court Justice Moody Community Service Award, a Lifetime Member of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation and served as Community Service Committee Chairperson of the Massachusetts Bar Association from 1995-1998, serving as co-chairperson of the association’s state-wide Youth Violence Initiative and as a panelist on the Governor’s Commission Against Domestic Violence.

Tim’s practice areas include probate and trust administration, corporate law, zoning, estate planning, commercial and residential real estate transactions.

Attorney Robert A. (Bob) Jutras

Bob has been practicing law for over thirty two years and is licensed in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Bob attended the University of New Hampshire and Bob graduated with a degree in Business Administration, with minors in Economics and Philosophy. He subsequently completed his legal training at the University of Maine School of Law, graduating with his law degree in May 1988. He is admitted to practice in both state and federal courts in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and the First circuit Federal District Court. Bob has been a member of the SSJM team since 1988.

During Bob’s first decade as a lawyer, he primarily litigated commercial, business, personal injury and family law disputes. The financial and emotional cost of the traditional litigation model to Bob’s clients has caused him to redirect his professional energy. Although Bob frequently litigates appropriate cases, he now guides clients toward a collaborative and peaceful solution to their legal problems. In the collaborative method, clients maintain control, reduce legal fees and the emotional turmoil associated with litigation, all while maintaining privacy which does not exist in the litigation model.

Bob is a member of the Mass. Bar Association, NH Bar Association, Haverhill Bar Association, Middlesex County Bar Association, Salem, NH Bar Association, Essex County Bar Association, The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), MA and NH NAELA Chapters, the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), Massachusetts Collaborative Law Counsel (MCLC), Collaborative Law Alliance of New Hampshire and Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. Bob is a Certified Financial Litigator. Bob was nominated and voted as one of “10 Best Elder Law Attorneys” in Massachusetts from 2018-2020.

Bob’s practice areas include divorce and family law, estate and trust planning, elder and Medicaid planning, probate administration, business and corporate law, securities and commercial litigation, business general counsel, personal injury and wrongful death.

Attorney Paul A. Magliocchetti

Paul has been practicing law for many years and is licensed in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Paul attended the College of the Holy Cross and graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy. After college he started his own business as a manufacturer representative specializing in the defense industry and also invested in real estate. Upon obtaining financial independence Paul attended Suffolk University Law School and earned his law degree 1994.

After graduating law school Paul returned to business as an owner of his own manufacturing company. Paul developed and made components for advanced manufacturing systems for high tech manufacturing firms. In 2002, Paul’s interest in real estate led him to begin a law practice. During Paul’s first few years as a lawyer, he primarily specialized in small business law, real estate transactions, zoning and permitting. In 2004 Paul expanded his practice to include estate planning, probate and civil litigation.

Paul is a member of the Mass. Bar Association, NH Bar Association, Maine Bar Association, Haverhill Bar Association, Salem, NH Bar Association, Essex County Bar Association, The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), MA and NH NAELA Chapters, the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), Massachusetts Collaborative Law Counsel (MCLC), Collaborative Law of New Hampshire, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, an elected member of the City of Haverhill School Committee, a Director on the Board of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, a Director on the Board of Bethany Homes and a Director on the Finance Council at St. John the Baptist Parish.

Paul’s practice areas include real estate law, zoning, estate planning, probate administration, business and corporate law and civil litigation. Paul is also fluent in Italian.

Attorney Sonja Starins

Sonja has been practicing law for seventeen years.  She is currently licensed in Massachusetts.  Sonja graduated magna cum laude from Boston University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.  She subsequently earned her law degree from the University of Maine School of Law in 1999.

During the early part of her career, Sonja was an associate with a mid-sized firm in Portland, Maine where she focused on litigation.  Sonja then gained significant trial experience at the Los Angeles office of a leading national products liability firm.

After a four-year break which allowed Sonja to remain with her young children, Sonja returned to the practice of law in 2013.  As a member of the SSJM Team, Sonja is primarily dedicated to family law and estate and trust planning.  In her family law practice, Sonja represents the interests of individual clients or serves as a neutral mediator in all areas of family law including divorce, post-divorce issues, paternity matters, and pre- and postnuptial agreements.  As a collaborative attorney and trained mediator, Sonja understands the value of reaching a peaceful resolution outside of court.  Sonja works closely with clients to identify a strategy that best meets their family’s needs and objectives by emphasizing the importance of deescalating conflict and focusing on the best interests of the children.  In cases where litigation is inevitable, Sonja strives to reach a negotiated resolution.

In her estate planning practice, Sonja partners with clients, their wealth managers and tax attorneys to prepare a comprehensive estate and trust plan that addresses all facets of planning for her clients’ current and future needs and goals.  Sonja knows that having a clear understanding of family dynamics plays a critical role in developing a concrete estate and trust plan that meets her clients’ expectations at their particular age and under their specific circumstances.

Sonja is a member of the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council, the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation, the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Greater Newburyport Bar Association, the American Academy of Certified Financial Litigators, the Woburn Business Association, and USA500.

Attorney Thomas C. Tretter

Tom has been a practicing attorney since December of 1990 and is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He received his secondary school education at The Roxbury Latin School in Boston, Massachusetts. Tom attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History. He received his law degree from New England School of Law in 1990.

After graduating from New England School of Law, Tom was employed by City of Boston Law Department as an Assistant Corporation Counsel. Assigned to the Office of Litigation, Tom appeared as lead trial counsel for the City in hundreds of suits for monetary damages and declaratory relief. These lawsuits included personal injury claims against the City, federal civil rights actions against the Boston Police Department, and employment and labor law matters alleging sexual, racial or handicap discrimination. In addition to appearing before the state and federal trial courts on behalf of the City of Boston, Tom also briefed and argued appeals before the Appellate Division of the District Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

In 1996, Tom moved to Haverhill, the hometown of his wife whom he met at Holy Cross. Between 1996 and 2008, Tom worked in small general practice law firms in the Merrimack Valley with a personal concentration in civil litigation including motor vehicle negligence claims, premises liability, workers’ compensation, employment and labor claims, collections, and domestic relations matters. Prior to joining Sheehan, Schiavoni, Jutras and Magliocchetti, LLP, Tom was the Chairperson of the Litigation Department at a mid-sized Metro Boston law firm that specialized in representing the interests of secured creditors, particularly mortgage servicers and lenders. Tom routinely handled cases that challenged the validity of mortgages and foreclosures, defended suits requesting monetary damages and injunctive relief, and filed petitions to quiet title to real estate. He also handled eviction matters and landlord/tenant issues arising from the bank ownership of rental properties following foreclosure.

In addition to practicing law, Tom has been a member of the Board of Arbitrators for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) since 1999. FINRA administers arbitration and mediation services for the securities industry including the NASDAQ and New York Stock Exchange. His experience as an Arbitrator has been an invaluable asset in assisting his law practice clients with their Alternate Dispute Resolution and negotiation needs.

Tom’s practice areas include personal and business litigation, criminal defense, personal injury, worker’s compensation and bankruptcy.

Attorney Marcia K. Rosenn

Marcia graduated from Amherst College with a degree in psychology and began her professional career in the mental health field working with severely emotionally disturbed children and their families. She then earned her law degree from Boston University and gained admission to both the New Hampshire and Massachusetts bars. Prior to joining Sheehan, Schiavoni, Jutras and Magliocchetti, LLP, Marcia served communities in New Hampshire for more than a decade as a prosecutor in both district and superior courts. She has successfully tried hundreds of criminal cases, including driving while intoxicated matters, drug offenses, burglaries, assaults, stalking, and thefts. She spent over six years prosecuting for the Derry Police Department, where she also routinely conducted Administrative License Suspension hearings, and before that served as an Assistant Rockingham County Attorney for nearly five years prosecuting felony cases in Rockingham County. Prior to becoming a prosecutor, Marcia worked at Nelson, Kinder, Mosseau & Saturley, PC in Manchester, New Hampshire in the civil arena, where she litigated claims of medical and mental health malpractice, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, covenants not to compete, commercial actions and products liability.

Marcia’s practice focuses on criminal defense, restraining orders, stalking orders, guardianships and conservatorships, and divorce and family law.  Marcia is also fluent in Portuguese and proficient in Spanish.

Attorney William D. “Bill” Chase

Bill brings a rare mix of experience from the highest levels of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and from his role as a management consultant to several large Government contractors involving data protection and cybersecurity.  Bill attended Westfield State University and graduated from Vermont Law School in 1981.  He began his legal career in the environmental law section of a large firm in Washington, D.C.  After two years of corporate practice, Bill decided to pursue a career at the FBI.  Over the next 25 years, Bill served in five FBI Field Offices including two tours at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.  Bill held almost every leadership position in the FBI from “Street Agent” to Special Agent in Charge of a major Division while assigned to many of the most important cases of his generation.  Bill also served in the FBI’s Legal Counsel Division where he handled Federal Torts Claim Act (FTCA) cases, Bivens claims, Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) cases.  Also of note, Bill was a Special Assistant to FBI Director William S. Sessions, where he handled ethics and legal matters.

After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Bill changed his focus from criminal cases to counterterrorism, counterintelligence and cyber programs.  He played an instrumental role in leading strategic change as the FBI transitioned from law enforcement to an intelligence driven organization.  In 2004, Bill was transferred to the Albany Division as Special Agent in Charge where he was responsible for all FBI operations in upstate New York and Vermont.  In 2006, Bill was transferred to the FBI’s Baltimore Division where he was responsible for all FBI operations in Maryland and Delaware including cyber operations, cyber threats from terrorist groups, criminal organizations, foreign governments and both international and domestic “Hackers”.

After 25 years, Bill retired from the FBI yet remains connected to the law enforcement and intelligence communities.  For example, Bill was the Director of Federal Law Enforcement Sales for LexisNexis Special Services before becoming the Director of Business Development for the Analytical Science Corporation (TASC).  Bill later created his own management consulting firm where he provided guidance to many of the largest defense and civilian government contractors in a variety of areas, including cybersecurity.  Over the past several years, Bill has focused on legal compliance and best practices in cybersecurity as well as the related field of Insider Threat.

Bill has joined the SSJM Team to lead the new Legal Compliance and Cybersecurity Practice Group.  In an expanding area of law, failure to comply with cybersecurity legal compliance can result in crippling liability and business destruction.  Bill’s vast and unparalleled expertise in the area of Legal Cyber Compliance and Insider Threat is the only comprehensive defense in this new world.  The SSJM Team now educates our business clients in the area of Legal Compliance with both state and federal cybersecurity law.  We then prepare a Cybersecurity Legal Compliance Report (CLCR) for each individual business.  The CLCR then provides the “Road Map” to achieve legal compliance and minimize enormous liability exposure.  Legal compliance with cybersecurity laws can NO LONGER be ignored.

Attorney Andrea M. Wells

Attorney Andrea Wells has over twenty-two years of domestic relations experience.  She handles a broad variety of family law issues, including Divorce, Paternity, Adoption, Pre-nuptial Agreements, Alimony, Child Support and Parenting Plans.  Andrea offers an array of process choices, including traditional litigation, Mediation, and Collaborative Law.  Andrea strives to resolve matters quickly and fairly with compassion and integrity.

Andrea was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1996, has been a trained Mediator since 2008, and a Collaborative Attorney since 2012.  She continually trains and stays up to date on changes and developments in the family law arena.  She is approved by the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court to serve as a Guardian ad Litem in a variety of family law matters.  Additionally, Andrea has experience in Probate matters and is now serving clients’ Estate Planning needs as part of her practice areas with SSJM.

Andrea earned her Juris Doctorate from Western New England University School of Law and her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Connecticut. She began her legal career as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Justices of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court, where she honed her legal research and writing skills.  Prior to joining SSJM, Andrea practiced law for over 18 years at a domestic relations firm in the Merrimack Valley, and prior to that she was an associate attorney at a boutique family law firm in Boston.

Andrea serves on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation, and the Board of Directors for the Western New England University School of Law Alumni Association.  She is a member of the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council (MCLC), the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), the Massachusetts Association of Guardians ad Litem (MAGAL), the Massachusetts Women’s Bar Association, RESOLVE New England, and ACONE – Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps.  Andrea was appointed by Chief Justice Paula M. Carey to the Massachusetts Trial Court Standing Committee on Dispute Resolution in 2016 and she continues to serve in that role.

Attorney Kristin Yasenka

Kristin graduated cum laude from Tufts University in 2000 and studied abroad at the University College London. She earned her law degree from Boston College Law School in 2003 where she participated in the Grimes Moot Court Competition and was a member of Phi Alpha Delta.

Kristin is admitted to the New Hampshire and Massachusetts state bars, the United States District Court for the Districts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and the Court of Appeals for the First and Ninth Circuits.

Kristin is the founder of Yasenka Law PLLC, a New Hampshire-based law practice specializing in litigation. Previously, Kristin gained legal experience at the national level while at Nixon Peabody LLP, a Global 100 law firm, where she focused her practice on complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts across the country. Kristin litigated claims for trade secret misappropriation, breach of non-competition, non-disclosure, and non-solicitation agreements, and violations under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act in New Hampshire and Massachusetts State and Federal courts. Kristin also defended national banks in class action lawsuits in federal courts and on appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Her practice in state courts included representing creditors in actions to protect their rights in bankruptcy and financial institutions in litigation based on trustee status and defending officers and directors in breach of fiduciary duty claims.

Prior to Nixon Peabody, Kristin worked for two of New Hampshire’s largest firms, McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, PA, and Nelson, Kinder, Mosseau & Saturley, PC, where she litigated civil commercial actions, including breach of contract claims, close corporation breach of fiduciary duty and conversion claims, trade secret infringement and breach of non-compete agreements, commercial insurance coverage actions, appeals to state and federal courts from municipal land use boards, product liability actions, and professional liability defense in engineering and construction disputes. Kristin has also represented clients in administrative hearings, including the Department of Safety Motor Vehicle Industry Board, the Department of Labor, and the Attorney Discipline Office.

Attorney Matthew W. Simulis

Matt is a lifelong resident of Haverhill. After earning his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, he chose to further his education and pursue his dream of becoming an attorney. Matt went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from New England Law Boston and passed the Massachusetts Bar Exam. He chose to remain in his hometown of Haverhill and practice law with the Sheehan, Schiavoni, Jutras & Magliocchetti, LLP. His deep-rooted ties to Haverhill have made practicing in the region a personally rewarding endeavor.

Matt has a deep understanding of the people and business owners of Haverhill and the Merrimack Valley. He’s devoted to helping clients navigate the complexities inherent in Estate Planning and Probate matters, which are his primary areas of practice. Matt understands the emotional and financial impact that these legal challenges can have on a person. With that in mind, he works closely alongside other members of the Sheehan, Schiavoni, Jutras & Magliocchetti legal team to achieve positive outcomes for our clients. As a member of our legal team, our clients can rely on Matt to leave them with a lasting sense of security.

When he isn’t busy advancing our clients’ interests, Matt enjoys golfing, skiing, tennis and spending time with family and friends.