Sheara F. Friend

Sheara Friend’s family law practice is built upon her reputation as a fierce advocate for individuals and families. A seasoned courtroom champion, Sheara has devoted over thirty years to the practice of family law, including all aspects of divorce and separation, complaints for contempt and modification, and appeals.   She is well-versed in high net-worth divorces, mediation, and collaborative law.  Sheara has experience in all aspects of family law, including parenting plans, contested custody matters, out-of-state removal, estrangement, alienation, children’s rights, child support, paternity, alimony/spousal support, domestic violence, restraining orders, neglect and abuse. Her practice also includes preparing or reviewing prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.

Sheara is a well-known trial lawyer who has successfully represented clients in numerous complex multi-day trials for divorce, custody and relocation in the Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts and has effectively argued appeals of Probate & Family Court judgments. Sheara also practices Collaborative Law and belongs to the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council.

Sheara has been involved with the Massachusetts Association of Guardians ad Litem (MAGAL) for more than two decades, serving on the Executive Board and Education Committee, and presenting regularly at MAGAL conferences, MCLE courses, training courses for GALs and mock trials.  She also served on the Committee that assisted in establishing the Court guidelines for Category F GAL appointments.  Sheara was also a co-founder of the Overcoming Barriers camp program for families experiencing extreme alienation issues.

Sheara frequently presents at conferences on a wide range of topics, including custody and parenting plans, parental alienation, legal custody standards and their interplay with child development, cultural issues in divorce and the courts, and domestic violence and abuse prevention.  She also appeared on the television program Chronicle to discuss restraining orders in Massachusetts.