For over 20 years, Richard M. Novitch has represented business owners, professionals, and other individuals in various types of matrimonial and child-centered litigation, arbitration, and mediation. He also is frequently called upon to draft prenuptial agreements to protect business interests and premarital, inherited, and gifted assets.
A veteran courtroom attorney, Mr. Novitch has tried numerous cases in the Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts involving a wide range of matters, including divorce, child custody and relocation cases, support modification actions, and complaints for contempt. He recently persuaded a court to permit his client to relocate to California with the parties’ daughter. And in another, he secured the retroactive termination of an alimony obligation on behalf of his client, which included an award of tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
Having worked at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Mr. Novitch is equally adept as an appellate attorney with extensive experience briefing and arguing cases of first impression before the Supreme Judicial Court and Massachusetts Appeals Court. His recent appellate experience includes:
Jones v. Jones, 101 Mass. App. Ct. 673 (2022)
Shak v. Shak, 484 Mass. 658 (2020)
Miller v. Miller, 478 Mass. 642 (2018)
Sbrogna v. Sbrogna, 92 Mass. App. Ct. 639 (2018)
Popp v. Popp, 477 Mass. 1022 (2017)
DeMarco v. Demarco, 89 Mass. App. Ct. 618 (2016)
Alexander v. Alexander, 72 Mass. App. Ct. 1118 (2008)
A tireless advocate, Mr. Novitch additionally has advanced arguments and helped shaped the trajectory of matrimonial law as amici curiae (friend of the court), in such cases as:
Bassichis v. Flores, 490 Mass. 143 (2022)
Malachi M. v. Quintana Q., 483 Mass. 725 (2019)
Chin v. Merriot, 470 Mass. 527 (2015)
Mr. Novitch also has extensive experience in litigation involving fiduciaries – including post-death disputes over business and partnership interests, the enforceability and interpretation of wills and trusts, the removal of trustees, and challenges to various estate planning vehicles based on a lack of capacity or undue external influences. In one recent case, he secured summary judgment and the dismissal of a challenge to a will. In another, he persuaded a trial court to void and annul a marriage after the death of the husband and, as a matter of first impression, to invalidate a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity more than 10 years after its execution.
Mr. Novitch is a frequent lecturer on matrimonial and fiduciary litigation matters for the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Boston Bar Association, and Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), and has been quoted in the media, including The New York Times and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. He is deeply knowledgeable of cutting-edge legal issues and innovative courtroom tactics. Mr. Novitch combines his scholarship with practical experience to provide well-rounded, sound, and creative representation for clients.
Mr. Novitch previously served as a staff attorney for the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and was a law clerk for the Massachusetts Superior Court and Massachusetts Probate & Family Court. He is a former hearing officer for the Board of Bar Overseers.
Panelist, 27th Annual Family Law Conference, MCLE, May 2024
Presenter, Real Estate Valuations and Sales, 2023 Domestic Relations Financial Summit, MCLE, February 2023
Panelist, "Post-Death Litigation Involving Non-Probate Assets," Massachusetts Bar Association's 10th Annual Probate Law Conference, November 2022
Co-Moderator, "Game-Changing Impact of Cavanagh on Determining Child Support & Alimony," MCLE, October 2022
Panelist, "The Confidentiality and Privilege Conundrum: What Can Be Asked and What Can't Be Answered," Massachusetts Chapter, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, October 2022
Panelist, Boston Bar Association, Practice Tips for Family Law Appeals, March 2022
Panelist, Asset Valuation: What is it Really Worth?, MCLE Domestic Relations Financial Summit 2022
Presenter, "Social Media Evidence: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," Greater Newburyport Bar Association, October 2021
Panelist, Massachusetts Association of Guardians ad Litem Fall Conference, September 2021
Panelist, "Sexts, Texts, and Tweets: The Use and Misuse of Social Media and Electronic Information in Family Law Disputes,” American Family and Conciliation Courts, April 2021
MCLE Panelist, "Securing & Collecting Your Fees in Family Law Practice," February 2021
MCLE Panelist, "Complex Issues in Asset Division," October 2020
MCLE Panelist, "Evidence Admissibility in Family Cases, July 2020
Panelist, "The Shak Decision and Beyond," Boston Bar Association webinar, June 2020
MCLE Panelist, "Complex Issues in Asset Division in Family Law Cases," October 2019
Speaker, Massachusetts Bar Association's Annual Family Law Education program, "Massachusetts Appeals Court Update," June 2019
Speaker, Massachusetts Chapter of Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Annual Dinner, March 2019
Co-Chair, Massachusetts Bar Association 28th Annual Family Law Conference, November 2018
MCLE Panelist, "Complex Issues in Spousal Support," October 2018
MCLE Panelist, "Domestic Abuse in Divorce and Custody Litigation," June 2018
MCLE Panelist, "'1st Look' at the Impact on Family Law of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act," February 2018
MCLE Panelist, "Proving and Defending Allegations of Domestic Abuse in Family Law Cases," May 2017
MCLE Panelist, "Top 25 Cases Every Divorce Lawyer Should Know" January 2017
Panelist, Important Family Law Cases of 2015, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (2016)
Panelist, Advocating Under the Alimony Reform Act, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (2014 and 2015))
