Grace C. Roessler
Partner
Boston Office Coordinator Marie L. Ritt
Grace is a partner in Mirick O’Connell’s Family Law and Divorce Group. Grace concentrates her practice in the areas of divorce and family litigation, including pursuing and defending the following actions:
- Divorce
- Custody
- Child Support
- Modification
- Contempt
- Requests to permanently remove children out of the Commonwealth
- Paternity
- Restraining Orders
- Department of Children and Families Investigations
- Elder Divorce
- International Child Custody Issues
- International Hague Convention Wrongful Removal and Retention Matters
She also represents clients in equity actions, including petitions to partition real estate, claims for life insurance proceeds against an ex-spouse’s estate, and actions for relief from a court order or judgment.
Grace has experience serving as a third party neutral, including court-appointed discovery master, and is a certified mediator. While she aims to settle cases amicably and efficiently, including attending voluntary mediation or conciliation, Grace is prepared to litigate the matter if it is in the best interest of the client.
Grace regularly appears before Probate and Family Court judges for motions and trials to litigate on behalf of her clients. She volunteers with the Middlesex and Suffolk Probate and Family Court Lawyer for the Day programs, is an active member and contributor to the Boston Bar Association, and serves as Co-Chair of the Boston Bar Association Pro Bono Committee.
Grace was included in the 2025 and 2024 editions of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America™ for her work in the field of Family Law. First listed 2021. She was also listed as The Best Lawyers in New England: Ones to Watch© 2021 in the field of Family Law, Boston. Grace has been named a Massachusetts “Rising Star” by Boston magazine and Law & Politics every year since 2019. In 2021, Boston magazine named Grace one of their Top LawyersTM 2021 in Family Law and Divorce.
Prior to joining Mirick O’Connell, Grace was an associate at the firm of Brick, Sugarman, Jones & McBrien, LLP.
Bar & Court Admissions
- Massachusetts
- Wisconsin
- Certified Mediator
- New England School of Law JD, cum laude (2011), named “Most Promising Mediator”; associate editor, New England Journal on Criminal and Civil Confinement
- University of Wisconsin BA, with honors (2009), Phi Beta Kappa National Honors Society
Publications/Presentations
- "Coercive Control, New Changes to the 209A Restraining Order Abuse Standard,” MBA Family Law Conference (October 25, 2024)
- “Ask the Experts,” Jane Does Well (October 24, 2024)
- Quoted in “"The Experts Weigh In - Should You Get a Dog "If" You Are Going Through a Divorce?,“ Pet Lifestyles Magazine, September 2024
- “Cardi-B Filed for a Divorce & is Pregnant What You Need to Know in These Situations,” The Divorce Hour with Ilyssa Panitz podcast (August 2024) (guest)
- “Pet Custody Issues Post Divorce,” The Divorce Hour with Ilyssa Panitz podcast (May 2024) (guest)
- “Why a Settlement Agreement in a Divorce Needs a Provision for Death,” The Divorce Hour with Ilyssa Panitz podcast (May 2024) (guest)
- "Protocols for Dealing with Pro Se Litigants in the Probate & Family Court,” MCLE Seminar (March 27, 2024)
- "Divorce Fundamentals Series: The Divorce Client Interview," Boston Bar Association Series (November 1, 2023)
- “Ask the Experts,” Jane Does Well (December 14, 2023)
- Quoted in “Why The Kevin Costner’s Divorce Continues to Go From Bad to Worse,” Authority Magazine, August 15, 2023
- “Discovery and Depositions in Family Law Cases,” MCLE New England Seminar (June 23, 2023)
- “Life Insurance Policies and Divorce,” The Divorce Hour with Ilyssa Panitz podcast (May 2023) (guest)
- “Upgrade your Medicaid Toolbox: The impact of divorce on Medicaid eligibility,” MassNAELA Elder Law Institute (May 11, 2023)
- “Divorce Fundamentals Series: The Divorce Client Interview,” Boston Bar Association Training Series (October 18, 2022)
- “Divorce Fundamentals: Post-Judgment Issues: Division of Retirement Assets, Contempts, and Modifications,” Boston Bar Association webinar (May 18, 2021)
- “February is Heart Awareness Month,” On Air with Mirick O’Connell legal podcast (February 2021)
- “Remembering RBG: Her Life and Legacy,” On Air with Mirick O’Connell legal podcast (November 2020)
- “Divorce Fundamentals: The Divorce Client Interview,” Boston Bar Association webinar (September 30, 2020)
- After Department of Revenue v. Grullon,” Massachusetts Bar Association webinar (July 22, 2020)
- “The Role of Life Insurance in Divorce Matters,” On Air with Mirick O’Connell legal podcast (June 26, 2020)
- “Family Law and Divorce during COVID-19,” On Air with Mirick O’Connell legal podcast (March 29, 2020)
- "Client Interview Process" Divorce Fundamental Series, Boston Bar Association (December 2019)
- "Unknown U: Emergining College Issues in Divorce Actions," Boston Bar Association Family Law Newsletter, Fall 2019 (co-author)
- "Fur Baby Divorces: Tackling Pet Ownership, "Custody" and Costs in Divorce Litigation," Boston Bar Association Family Law Newsletter, Spring 2019
- “Hey, That Was Supposed to Be Mine! The Tort of Intentional Interference with Expected Inheritance,” Bloomberg Tax, March 2019
- "It Takes Two: The Payee’s Duty to Secure and Actively Monitor the Payor’sLife Insurance Obligation,” Boston Bar Association Family Law Newsletter, Fall 2018
- "Bankruptcy After Divorce: Protecting The Bargained-For Contract," Boston Bar Association Family Law Newsletter, Spring 2018
- "What About Johnny's Blanket? Navigating Personal Property Division Early and Effectively in Divorce Proceedings," Boston Bar Association Family Law Newsletter, Fall 2016
- “Late Love: Pre Nuptial and Post Nuptial Agreements for Seniors and Their Families,” Community Advocate, September 2016
Professional / Community Affiliations
- Boston Bar Association, Co-Chair of the Pro Bono Committee of Boston Bar Association Family Law Section (2022- present), former Co- Chair of the Communications Committee (2018-2022), Attorney Mentor, Family Law Mentoring Program
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Harvard Radcliffe Community Chorus
- Wisconsin Alumni Association, Boston Chapter
