Patricia S. "Pat" Fernandez - Lawyer in North Andover, MA

Patricia S. Fernandez is the founder of Fernandez, Socci Nieves, founded in 2018. Prior to that, she operated Patricia S. Fernandez Associatess, operating from 1996 through 1999 and from 2003 through 2018. Concentrating in domestic relations practice since 1986, Pat handles divorces, modifications, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and paternity issues. She provides mediation, arbitration and conciliation services. She is certified as an arbitrator through the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She also has experience as a Receiver, Trustee, Conciliator, Discovery Master and Guardian Ad Litem. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Pat employs her extensive experience to craft intelligent solutions to clients' problems and to guide clients towards realistic goals. While aiming to resolve matters in the manner most cost-efficient and beneficial to her clients, Pat has ample trial experience from which to draw, should it become necessary. Pat has conducted numerous trials (one as long as 15 days) in the Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts, often involving complex business or commercial real estate valuation issues. Pat has consistently appeared in «Best Lawyers in America» since 2006 and has been named a «Massachusetts Super Lawyer» every year since 2005.

From 1999 through 2003, Pat was a founder and partner of the family law firm Perocchi Fernandez, LLP in North Andover, MA. Prior to founding her own domestic relations practices, Pat worked for ten years in the family law division of Brown, Rudnick, Freed Gesmer, P.C. in Boston, MA.

Pat's pro bono activities include serving as a conciliator through the Essex County Bar Association Conciliation Program and serving as Trustee of the Violet H. Simmons Scholarship Fund. Pat has served in leadership roles in the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Massachusetts Family Probate American Inn of Court, Massachusetts Bar Association and the Lawrence Bar Association. In 2010 Pat was appointed a hearing committee member of the Board of Bar Overseers which handles professional misconduct issues.