FAMILY LAW - DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS

Brenda Feigen has been an outspoken proponent of same-sex marriage for years. In the process, she has guided many lesbians and gay men through the maze of domestic partnership arrangements, civil unions and even marriage. (Since 1970, she has been admitted to the practice of law in Massachusetts, the only state that today sanctions same-sex marriages.) When necessary, Ms. Feigen has facilitated the termination of those relationships as well, following her clients' wishes while at the same time aiming for fairness. Termination of a Domestic Partnership generally is similarly to obtaining a Divorce for a married couple. Again, Ms. Feigen works in concert with investigators whenever it makes sense to do so

Ms. Feigen wrote a comprehensive article for the Harvard Women’s Law Journal on the subject of same-sex marriage. Not only is she an outspoken advocate for it, but she brings to the issues raised by same-sex relationships a passionate advocacy for what’s fair and possible. She is also in the forefront of analyzing what will – and should – happen when states like California convert from domestic partnerships to marriage, a highly likely and welcome possibility largely because the leading case on the subject is being heard now by the California Supreme Court. Originally challenging San Francisco’s right to marry gay and lesbian couples, the state remains intent on maintaining second class status for same-sex couples in the form of Domestic Partnerships rather than Marriage. As popular opinion grows rapidly for same-sex marriage, as it has in the past few years, Ms. Feigen remains optimistic that the laws will change for the better. She also remains fully cognizant of what legal challenges will arise for lawyers who want to be sure, as Ms. Feigen does, that their clients are fully protected.

To read Ms. Feigen's article on the subject, please see "Same Sex Marriage" reprinted from the Harvard Women's Law Journal.