Laura F. Arbeitman, Esq.

Laura F. Arbeitman has built her law practice, made her home, and raised her children in the Pioneer Valley since 1984.  Her roots in the valley are deep.

Laura works with clients flexibly.  In addition to full representation in court, Laura offers consultation with clients, and limited assistance representation (LAR) in which she represents clients in selected hearings instead of the entire divorce or modification.  Laura often acts as an adviser to clients who mediate their divorces. Laura is trained in Collaborative Divorce, a constructive alternative to traditional divorce litigation. Laura has also represented many clients in the Family Resolutions Specialty Court (FRSC). In all of these roles, Laura zealously advocates for her clients.

In addition to her extensive experience litigating cases in the Probate and Family Court, Laura is a highly trained mediator who has helped many couples resolve their family law disputes outside of court in an amicable and satisfying manner. 

Along with a crackerjack independent real estate paralegal on her team, Laura works closely with clients on the purchase, sale and refinance of their homes, from soup to nuts.  Laura is approved by all areas lenders and is a title insurance agent.  

Attorney Arbeitman has represented scores of lesbian couples in second parent adoptions since the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court first approved second parent adoptions in 1993.  Second parent adoptions are still critically important to safeguard the non-biological parent’s relationship with the child even if the couple is legally married.

Laura also represents clients in single parent adoptions, a little-known mechanism utilized to perfect the known donor’s surrender of parental rights. She is one of the few attorneys in Massachusetts to have represented a lesbian couple in a three-parent adoption with the children’s known donor father.  She has also worked with many clients on donor agreements and surrogacy contracts.

Laura and her paralegal Ann work with clients to meet their estate planning needs—from Wills to living trusts to powers of attorney–and to probate the estates of their family members, providing a lot of support throughout the process. 

Laura has a long-standing commitment to advocating for survivors of partner violence. She was previously an officer of the board of Safe Passage in Northampton. Laura is currently serving on the board of NELCWIT (New England Learning Center for Women in Transition) in Greenfield, the sexual and domestic violence crisis center of Franklin County.  

Attorney Arbeitman also regularly volunteers as case conciliator and Lawyer for the Day in the Hampshire Probate Court. 

See Laura’s education, training, boards, and memberships.

Phone: (413) 586-8538 | Fax: (413) 586-5706 | lfa@arbeitmanlaw.com

Ann Picard

Ann joined the Law Office of Laura F. Arbeitman in 2015.  Before coming to the firm, Ann worked for 15 years as both business manager and personnel manager for special needs alternative school programs for at-risk youth.  

At our firm, Ann wears many hats: estate planning and probate administration paralegal; bookkeeping and billing administrator; and office manager.  

Ann lives in Easthampton with her husband and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.  

Phone: (413) 586-8538 | Fax: (413) 586-5706 | apicard@arbeitmanlaw.com