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A Lawyer for Our Community | Salem Legal Services, LLC represents all individuals and business owners, including non-traditional couples and families. Our areas of practice are as diverse as the clients we serve
Non-Traditional Families/Partnership Issues

Salem Civil Union Lawyer

Partnership Agreements • Civil Unions and Dissolutions

A Family Law Attorney for Non-Traditional Families

Despite the passage of civil union legislation in New Hampshire and same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, gay and lesbian couples are not fully protected under the law. You need an experienced GLBT lawyer to draft the documents to safeguard your legal interests and will represent you in legal disputes with a partner or outside party.

Salem Legal Services, LLC offers capable and compassionate legal counsel for individuals and couples in non-traditional relationships, whether formalized or not. Based in Salem, we practice in the surrounding counties in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. Call 603-898-6954 to arrange an appointment.

Mary Notaris is a Justice of the Peace in New Hampshire, available to perform civil union ceremonies.

Civil Unions and Partnership Agreements

Individuals joined in civil unions or gay marriages are treated as spouses under state law regarding inheritance rights, hospital visitation and other matters. However, partners are not entitled to federal benefits and protections such as joint tax returns, Social Security benefits or immigration status for non-citizen partners.

Whether you are cohabitating or have a legally recognized union, a partnership agreement offers additional protections and simplifies matters in the event of death, illness or end of the relationship. Mary Notaris drafts thorough and legally sound:

  • Property agreements that clarify which assets are separately owned and which are jointly purchased and owned
  • Estate planning documents establishing inheritance, powers of attorney, health care proxies and guardianship over a partner or children
  • Household agreements that allow for different ways to set up households, including accounts and finances
  • Adoption/guardianship documents for same-sex parents

Dissolutions and Other Litigation

Civil unions are brand new in New Hampshire and same-sex marriage is relatively new in Massachusetts. Also, recognition of civil unions in New Hampshire allows for the opportunity to dissolve civil unions entered into in other states. Many contested issues have not yet been fully resolved by the courts. Mary Notaris has practiced in family law and related GLBT issues since 1991. She conducts seminars on legal matters affecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, and has been an active advocate for gay marriage and second parent adoption.

Mary is a talented negotiator who strives for an out-of-court settlement, but is also a proven trial lawyer who can protect your interests in court:

  • Dissolution of a civil union or marriage, including division of property, child custody, child support and alimony.
  • Family member assertions of legal rights to child custody or property against our gay and lesbian clients in the event of a partner's death, or challenges to guardianship or medical intervention in the event of incapacity.

Contact our Salem office at 603-898-6954 to arrange a consultation with a knowledgeable civil union and GLBT lawyer.