Claudette-Jean Girard - Springfield, MA
Attorney at Claudette-Jean Girard, Attorney at Law
Family Law Lawyers in Springfield, MA
1380 Main Street Suite 302 Springfield, MA 01103
- Free Consultation
Springfield Family Law Lawyer
Updated: 04/08/2026
Areas of Practice
- Family Law
Litigation: 100%
Attorney Information
Overview
Attorney Girard is a skilled and knowledgeable professional in the areas of divorce and family law. She brings to her clients empathy, understanding and compassion through first-hand professional expertise and personal experiences. Attorney Girard realizes the stress, frustration and complexities of divorce along with the affects it has on her clients and families as a whole and supportively guides her clients though this painful process.
A lifelong resident of western Massachusetts, there, she raised her "blended" family of six children.
One of Attorney Girard and her former husband's sons was born severely disabled. Through this life-altering experience, Attorney Girard has navigated the system from the ground-up. Like many of her clients, Attorney Girard initially did not know where to turn and was forced to fight to enforce her son's rights and to obtain the services he deserved and needed. Attorney Girard has made it her mission to provide that same level of dedication and much-needed assistance, care and advocacy for all her clients.
Attorney Girard recognizes and understands that each and every child is an individual, not a statistic, and should never be categorized on the basis of disability diagnosis alone. Attorney Girard shares with her clients a sincere human element and comprehension of the stress and frustration families and parents go through when dealing with the imperfections of the system.
Attorney Girard graduated magna cum laude from Elms College in Chicopee Massachusetts with a degree in Psychology and graduated in the top third of her graduating class from Western New England School of Law and is an active member of: Massachusetts Bar Association (Family Law Section), Hampden County Bar Association, Hampshire County Bar Association, and is a trained advocate through the Federation for Children with special needs.
Attorney Girard is a loving grandmother and continues to practice in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Education
-
Legal Education
-
Western New England University School of Law,
Springfield,
Massachusetts, 2001
J.D.
-
Western New England University School of Law,
Springfield,
Massachusetts, 2001
-
Non Legal Education
-
Elms College,
Chicopee,
Massachusetts, 1996
B.A.
Honors: magna cum laude
Major: Psychology -
Federation for Children with Special Needs
Advocate/Parent Consultant Certificate
-
Elms College,
Chicopee,
Massachusetts, 1996
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Attorney
Classes and Seminars
-
Hampden County Bar Association Children's Law Project Training
-
IEP Development, Speech & Language Developmental Center
-
Palmer Parent Advisory Council
-
Elms College Homecoming Weekend 2008
-
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (“AFCC”) Fall Symposium, regarding “Pesky Third Parties”, October 9, 2014
-
Children and Family Law (“CAFL”) Training, Regarding Representation of a Parent in a Contested Guardianship Case Before the Probate and Family Court, June 2, 2015
-
AFCC Annual Conference, on Children with Special Needs: Challenges for Families and the Family Court. Attorney Girard lectured on the topic of Guardian Ad Litem investigations with Special Needs Children, April 1, 2016
-
Basic Rights for Parents in the IEP Process, Palmer Public Schools, hosted by Parent Advisory Counsel
-
Basic Rights for Parents in the IEP Process, East Longmeadow Public Schools, hosted by Parent Advisory Counsel
-
Grandparents raising grandchildren 11/19/2019
- Procedural Aspects of adoption and divorce 3/26/2021
Pro Bono Activities
- Senior Partners for Justice, 2009 - Present
- Pre Trial Clinic, 2010 - Present
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts, 2002
- Connecticut, 2002
Other Affiliations
- Massachusetts Bar Association (Family Law Section)
- Hampden County Bar Association
- Hampshire County Bar Association
- AFCC (Association of Family and Conciliation Courts) Massachusetts Chapter, 2017 - 2020 (Board Member)
- Behavioral Health Network Human Rights Committee (Board Member)
Fraternities and Sororities
- Kappa Gamma Pi
Contact
1380 Main Street
Suite 302
Springfield, MA 01103
Email: Send a message
Hours: 9am to 5pm, Evening and Weekend Appointments Available
Disclaimer
Your Profile? Update Now
When viewing a listing, consider the state advertising restrictions to which lawyers and law firms must adhere, as well as our FindLaw.com Legal Directory disclaimer. Some lawyers publish comparative information regarding the services that they provide which may be subject to specific comparative communications restrictions.
How do I choose a lawyer?
Consider the following:
- Comfort Level – Are you comfortable telling the lawyer personal information? Does the lawyer seem interested in solving your problem?
- Credentials – How long has the lawyer been in practice? Has the lawyer worked on other cases similar to yours?
- Cost – How are the lawyer's fees structured — hourly or flat fee? Can the lawyer estimate the cost of your case?
- City – Is the lawyer's office conveniently located?
Not sure what questions to ask a lawyer?
Here are a few to get you started:
- How long have you been in practice?
- How many cases like mine have you handled?
- How often do you settle cases out of court?
- What are your fees and costs?
- What are the next steps?
Want to check lawyer discipline?
It is always a good idea to research your lawyer prior to hiring. Every state has a disciplinary organization that monitors attorneys, their licenses, and consumer complaints. By researching lawyer discipline you can:
- Ensure the attorney is currently licensed to practice in your state
- Gain an understanding of his or her historical disciplinary record, if any.
- Determine the seriousness of complaints/issues which could range from late bar fees to more serious issues requiring disciplinary action.