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IN THIS NEWSLETTER — THE GRATITUDE EDITION
• WHAT'S NEW? Professional Activities, Webinar, Staff News
• LEGAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE QUARTER: Coercive Control
• ARTIST OF THE QUARTER: Randi Freundlich
• MINDFULNESS MATTERS: Maybe Yes, Maybe No
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UPDATES FROM CYNTHIA RUNGE
SUPER LAWYERS AND BEST LAWYERS
Peridot Family Law was recognized as a Best Law Firm by Best Lawyers for 2025. In addition, Cindy was recognized by Super Lawyers for the 6th year in a row and was also recognized as one of the top 50 Women Super Lawyers in Massachusetts.
Recent Activities
FIVE MINUTES WITH FRIED
On October 15, 2024, Cindy’s interview with Michael Fried of Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein, LLP, a matrimonial attorney in New York City, was released on Youtube. You can find it here. It was a great time! Cindy has been licensed in MA and NY since 1991.
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LAWYER STORIES: BOSTON CONNECT
On October 24th, 2024 Lawyer Stories came to Boston for an evening of inspiring stories and networking. Peridot Family Law was a sponsor for the event! (See picture). Cindy will be speaking to Benny Gold during an upcoming Podcast – stay tuned for more details!
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MASSACHUSETTS BAR ASSOCIATION FAMILY LAW CONFERENCE
Cindy attended the 33rd annual Family Law Conference in Brewster on October 25th and 26th. Cindy has been a member of the Family Law Section of the Massachusetts Bar Association for the past several years. The Conference is a gathering of family law practitioners from across Massachusetts. It is a great opportunity to stay current on cutting edge issues in family law.
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Upcoming Activities
AAML Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL
Cindy will attend the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers on November 6th through the 9th. The AAML is a national fellowship of matrimonial attorneys who aspire to practice at the highest level for the benefit of the bar and their clients. The agenda includes courses on Qualified Domestic Relations Orders, high conflict parenting disputes, and the use of ADR in international custody disputes. It is sure to be packed with lots of information for our clients!
William James College and Massachusetts College of Pharmacy
“Strategies and Supports for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren"
In a repeat performance from last Spring, Cindy will present at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in Worcester on November 13th as part of “Legal Considerations for Grandparent’s Raising Children.” Cindy has a passion for helping children and families through the guardianship process.
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UPCOMING QUARTERLY ZOOM WEBINAR
"Finding Gratitude When Experiencing
Divorce-related Losses During the Holiday Season"
Thursday, December 12, 2024
12:15–1:00 pm EST
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During the holidays, many people may struggle with feelings of loss associated with divorce. Join Cindy Runge, Magdalena Ellis and Kimberly Hutchins as they explore the challenges and benefits of developing gratitude during times of loss and sadness. How does cultivating gratitude help? What does it involve and how can you start?
Magdalena Ellis, Esq., ACC, MSMHC, is a certified life coach, psychotherapist, and divorce mediator with legal and financial background. Magda has over 10 years of experience helping clients navigate the emotional roller coaster associated with divorce and providing support through difficult decision-making in any stage of the divorce (before, during, and after). In addition to working 1:1 with clients, Magda facilitates divorce groups and mediates divorce disputes.
Kimberly Hutchins, LMHC is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in children and families.
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Video of July 2024 Quarterly Zoom
"Helping Kids Through Play and Self-Expression" with Kelly Walsh, Executive Director of the New England School of Performing Arts (NESPA) and Monica Wisco, LICSW is now up on our Youtube Channel. Monica and Kelly provide insightful observations and resources to help families and kids handle challenging and complex emotions during adolescence and times of transition.
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TESTIMONIAL OF THE QUARTER
“I cannot express enough gratitude for the exceptional service provided by Attorney Cynthia Runge during such a challenging time in my life. From the initial consultation to the finalization of my divorce, Cynthia demonstrated professionalism, empathy, and a thorough understanding of the legal process. Her guidance was clear and grounded in a wealth of experience, making me feel confident and secure.
What truly sets Cynthia apart is (her) communication. I was always kept informed and never felt out of the loop, providing excellent comfort and relief.
Additionally, her team was supportive and responsive, handling every detail efficiently. I was treated with kindness and respect, which helped to reduce the stress and made me feel truly valued as a client.
I highly recommend Cynthia to anyone seeking a knowledgeable, compassionate, and dedicated divorce lawyer. Her expertise and commitment to her clients make all the difference, instilling confidence in her abilities. Choosing Cynthia was one of my best decisions during this challenging time.”
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STAFF NEWS
Welcome Attorney Karen McCall!
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We are excited to welcome Karen McCall to Peridot Family Law! Prior to becoming an attorney in 2019, Karen devoted her career to promoting the systemic reform necessary to better serve crime victims. Her work involved assisting adults and children in NH and MA who had been victimized by domestic or sexual abuse. She worked alongside law enforcement, medical professionals, community crisis counselors and attorneys. Her legal representation focuses on family law, intimate partner abuse related matters, and child welfare matters.
Welcome Karen!
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We thank our two summer interns, Rossvierlin Cajigas and Dahni Cenci for their assistance to us this past summer and wish them both well in their future family law pursuits. | |
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LEGAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE QUARTER
“Coercive Control” under Section 1 of c. 209A
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
In September 2024, the so-called “Coercive Control” law went into effect. The law follows the lead of six other states which classifies coercive control as domestic violence. According to the MA law, “Coercive Control is defined as: a pattern of behavior intended to threaten, intimidate, harass, isolate, control, coerce or compel compliance of a family or household member that causes that family or household member to reasonably fear physical harm or have a reduced sense of physical safety or autonomy.”
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ARTIST OF THE QUARTER
At Peridot Family Law we prioritize wellness and believe in the power of art to heal. For the well-being and enrichment of our clients and staff we present the work of Boston area artists on the walls of our offices through our “Artist of the Quarter” corporate exhibition program.
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RANDI FREUNDLICH
Randi Freundlich’s photography exhibit has been extended through the end of the year! If you haven’t seen it yet – please stop by. You can see more about Randi and her work in our last newsletter here.
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We are Accepting Applications for
ARTIST OF THE QUARTER!
Are you interested in being an Artist of the Quarter? Know an artist who would be? We offer four quarterly exhibition slots per calendar year in our Financial District office. We are looking for art that aligns with our mission and values through themes such as families, relationships, healing, transformation, nature, and growth. All exhibiting artists receive a stipend and are included in our newsletter and on our web site.
To submit your work for consideration, please send 6 images of the artwork and your web site link to: peter@peridotfamilylaw.com
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MINDFULNESS MATTERS
MAYBE YES, MAYBE NO
by Cynthia Runge
As I reflect upon the year and the upcoming holidays, I think about what has happened over the course of the year. Each year, like most people, I like to set personal and professional goals. Some of them I hit and others I don’t. Admittedly, I can get discouraged when I do not hit them all, even though I hit many of the ones I set.
It is easy to focus on the things that don’t work out and let those preoccupy your mind, even when there is a lot of other great stuff happening. Through time, I have become grateful for some of the more challenging experiences in my life as I can see how they have shaped who I have become. I love the parable of the Chinese farmer. I am not sure of the correct attribution, but it goes something like this:
“Once upon a time there was a Chinese farmer whose horse ran away. That evening, all of his neighbors visited him to commiserate, saying, 'We’re so sorry to hear your horse has run away. This is most unfortunate.' To which the farmer simply replied, 'Maybe.'
The next day the horse came back bringing seven wild horses with it, and in the evening, everybody came back and said, 'Oh, what luck! What a great turn of events. You now have eight horses!' The farmer again simply said, 'Maybe.'
The following day the man’s son tried to break one of the wild horses, and while riding it, he was thrown and broke his leg. The neighbors came again and said, 'Oh dear, we’re so sorry to hear about your son’s leg. That’s truly unfortunate.' The farmer simply responded, 'Maybe.'
The next day an enlistment officer came to the farm looking to draft young men into the army, and upon seeing the boy’s broken leg, he left the farm allowing the boy to stay with his father. Again all the neighbors came around and said, 'How lucky you are that you can keep your son! Isn’t that great!” Again, the farmer simply said, “Maybe.'”
https://www.thekinnardhomestead.com/the-parable-of-the-chinese-farmer/
“Maybe yes, Maybe no.” What is fortunate and what is not? Sometimes it is not so easy to see, unless we can change our perspective. For example, many years ago, I was divorced. It was painful at the time, but through time and perspective, I can see how in actuality, it was one of the most pivotal moments in my life and helped shape who I am today. Had I not gone through that experience, I would not have the family, or life I do today. It is an odd thing to say, but I’m grateful for having had that experience, because it helped me move forward in a direction that I couldn’t previously have imagined. This is not to say that getting divorced is a positive experience. Clearly, divorce is to be avoided unless there is no other option and all other interventions fail. I mention the above example only because it is my personal story, which is one of the reasons I choose to help people through the divorce process today. I do see the possibility for personal growth and change when faced with challenging circumstances. It also helps when you have someone you can count on to help you through the process.
How does the story of the Chinese farmer resonate with you?
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Peridot Family Law is a full-service family law firm based in Boston, Massachusetts. Our goal is to help our clients transition through their family law matter in the best possible way. We do this by listening to our clients' goals and objectives. We meet our clients where they are in the process and offer practical, reasonable solutions to produce a positive outcome for their situation.
Cynthia Runge, Founder and Sole Member.
Admitted to the bar in Massachusetts and New York.
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