Massachusetts Bar Association President-elect Denise Squillante
has been appointed to a legislative task force charged with
studying the issue of alimony in the state. Created by the Joint
Committee on the Judiciary, the task force is being established to
review and make recommendations on reforming Massachusetts alimony
laws.
"The participation and input of the Massachusetts Bar
Association and other organizations is critical to building
consensus on the best way to reform our alimony laws," said Senate
Judiciary Chair Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem. "Denise's participation
will be invaluable to the work of the task force."
The new task force will address a wide range of issues,
including the duration of alimony awards, factors to be considered
in awarding alimony, modification of
alimony agreements, and consistency of alimony awards among
different juris-dictions.
"Certainly, there is no lack of ideas and I look forward to the
group's discussions and analysis on this important matter," said
House Judiciary Chair State Rep. Eugene L. O'Flaherty.
Squillante is co-chair of the joint MBA/Boston Bar Association
Alimony Task Force, which released a report earlier this year that
called for setting consistent and predictable alimony amounts and
timelines in certain divorce cases.
"The MBA is pleased to offer our input on this pressing matter
at the request of the Judiciary Committee," MBA President Valerie
A. Yarashus said. "We are delighted that Denise, a leader on this
timely and important issue, will serve on this key task force."
A solo practitioner in Fall River, Squillante concentrates in
the areas of family law, corporate law and injury and estates.
Long active in the MBA's Family Law Section and its associated
committees, Squillante is also a member of the Probate Court
Scheduling Task Force and is the MBA representative on the Equality
Commission - a collaborative effort of the MBA, BBA and Women's Bar
Association.
A former president of the Fall River Bar Association, Squillante
is currently vice president of the New England Bar Association and
a member of the Bristol County Bar Association Executive Board. She
is also an MBA delegate to the American Bar Association's House of
Delegates.