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DAVID E. CHERNY is a founding partner of the Boston Law firm of Atwood & Cherny, a nationally recognized law firm concentrating in the practice of Family Law.  David and his firm have been involved in numerous family law cases and appellate decisions which have had a significant role in shaping family law in Massachusetts. He has made appearances on ABC's Good Morning America, NBC's Dateline and Today, Court TV as well as other television, radio, and newspaper interviews in connection with some of the firm's high profile cases.  He has represented clients in a Writ of Certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United States. David has also represented clients in numerous cases before the Massachusetts Appeals Court and Supreme Judicial Court in the areas of religious freedom in custody cases, pre-marital agreements, durational alimony, inherited wealth and division of assets, to name a few.  Many of David’s cases have been instrumental in shaping family law legal principles in Massachusetts.

BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts
• First Circuit Court of Appeals
• United States Tax Court
• Supreme Court of the United States
• State of Texas

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Fellow (Past President, Massachusetts Chapter)
• International Academy of Family Lawyers, Fellow
• American Probate & Family Inns of Court, Member
• American Bar Association
• Massachusetts Bar Association
• Boston Bar Association

PUBLICATIONS & COURSES

• Frequent lecturer to judges and lawyers in the field of Family Law
• Co-Author: Massachusetts Family Law Manual, MCLE

RECOGNITIONS

• Who’s Who in America 
• Who’s Who in American Law
• Massachusetts Super Lawyers
• New England Super Lawyers
• Best Lawyers in America

NOTABLE CASES

• ​Van Arsdale v. Van Arsdale (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 2017), application of the Alimony Reform Act to duration based alimony awards;
• Young v. YoungYoung v. Young (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 2017), application of the Alimony Reform Act to percentage based alimony awards;
• Rodman v. Rodman (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 2015), application of new Alimony Reform Act to alimony termination on retirement;
• Zaleski v. Zaleski (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 2014), attribution of income to alimony recipient;
• Pierce v. Pierce (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 2009), post retirement alimony;
• Braun v. Braun (Massachusetts Appeals Court, 2006), college educational expenses;
• DeMatteo v. DeMatteo (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 2002), prenuptial agreements;
• L.M.M. v. E.N.O (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1999; cert. denied U.S. Supreme Court) Rights of De-facto parents in custody cases.
• Kendall v. Kendall (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1998), religious issues in child custody determinations;
• Wansong v. Wansong (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1985; cert. denied U.S. Supreme Court), effect of 5th Amendment invocation in divorce proceedings;

​EDUCATION

• Suffolk University Law School - J. D. 1981 (cum laude)
• Boston University School of Management - BSBA, 1978 (cum laude)

DAVID E. CHERNY, Founding Partner
dcherny@atwoodcherny.com
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