Rachel A. Deering
Partner
Rachel lends her experience and unique perspective to assisting clients of all backgrounds in navigating the challenges and complexities of divorce, child custody, and other family related matters.
Rachel has practiced family law for over a decade. Admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, New York, and Maine, Rachel focuses her practice on divorce, child custody, removal, paternity, alimony, modification proceedings, and contempt proceedings. She has also handled international child abduction litigation under the Hague Convention before the Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Rachel also represents clients in guardianship and conservatorship matters and has authored several chapters in Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education publications on both topics. Rachel is a Certified Financial Litigator (“CFL”) and obtained her accreditation from the American Academy of Certified Financial Litigators. An experienced litigator, Rachel has appeared, argued, and tried cases throughout Massachusetts, including high conflict custody and parenting disputes, removal disputes, contested Guardian Ad Litem investigations, and complex asset division involving the valuation of financial assets and closely held businesses. Rachel also has extensive experience assisting clients with Guardian Ad Litem investigations and working with Parenting Coordinators. In addition to her courtroom advocacy skills, Rachel uses her skill and creativity to resolve matters for her clients and design and negotiate the agreements implementing those resolutions. Rachel regularly works with clients to negotiate and structure prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.
Rachel has been recognized as a Massachusetts “Rising Star” by Boston Magazine and the Super Lawyers publication – a designation reserved for only 2.5% of Massachusetts attorneys based on peer nominations and a rigorous selection process. She is listed in Boston Magazine as a “Top Lawyer” in family law. Rachel has moderated numerous panels and has lectured on family law topics for the Massachusetts Bar Association and Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education.
In addition to advocacy on behalf of clients both in and out of the courtroom, Rachel volunteers her time and skills to the “Attorneys Representing Children Program” (“ARC”) at the Norfolk Probate and Family Court, where the Court appoints her to represent the interests of children in high conflict divorce and probate matters. As a certified conciliator under Uniform Dispute Resolution Rule 8, Rachel also donates her time to the Settlement & Early Resolution Volunteers Project (“SERV”) at Suffolk Probate and Family Court and serves as “Lawyer of the Day” in Middlesex and Norfolk counties. Rachel is also a member of the U.S. Department of State’s Hague Convention Attorney Network for Massachusetts and Maine.
As a working mom, Rachel understands firsthand the challenges facing individuals in family law matters and believes that providing clients with knowledge and helping them to develop confidence leads to empowerment in divorce and beyond.
Services/Industries
Education
- Suffolk University Law School (J.D.)
- University of Massachusetts, Amherst (B.A., cum laude)
Public Service
- Volunteer, Attorneys Representing Children (“ARC”) Program
- Volunteer, Settlement and Early Resolution Volunteers (SERV) program at Suffolk Probate and Family Court
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Maine
Court and Other Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Memberships
- Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
- Boston Bar Association
- Certified Financial Litigator and Member, American Academy of Certified Financial Litigators
- Co-Vice Chair of the Young Lawyers Committee for the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association (2025-2026)
- Family Law Section Council, Massachusetts Bar Association (2023-2025)
- Greater Newburyport Bar Association
Honors
- Selected by peers for inclusion in Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Stars under Family Law
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch® under Family Law in Boston, Massachusetts
Learn more about the third-party ratings, rankings, and selection processes used for inclusion.
Publications
- Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education
- Chapter co-author, “Elder and Disability Law in Massachusetts” (September 14, 2023)
- Chapter author, “Guardianship and Conservatorship Practice in Massachusetts” (2023)
- Co-author, “Trends and Developments,” Child Relocation 2026 (USA-Massachusetts), Chambers and Partners
Events
- Moderator, 33rd Annual Family Law Conference MBA (October, 2024)
- Panelist, 31st Annual Family Law Conference-Massachusetts Bar Association (October, 2022)
- Volunteer, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (“MCLE”) Trying Divorce Cases Program (November, 2018)
Resources
Events