Codman Square

599A Washington Street, Dorchester, Massachusetts 02124

Telephone: 617-929-0404 | Facsimile 617-929-0403

It is always preferable to have a Will. A Will states your preference as to what should happen to your property, including everything from the home you live in to the small keepsakes you cherish. Without a Will, all of your property will be disposed of according to the state's rules, but with a Will, you make the rules. A Will can -- and should -- be changed as your circumstances and preferences change. Even if you take measures to avoid probate, you should have a Will as a back-up. A Will should always be drawn up by a qualified attorney familiar with your financial circumstances, family situation, and your wishes for your estate.

The office was originally based in Springfield, Massachusetts, and primarily served western Massachusetts communities and residents until 1994 when a second office was opened in the Greater Boston area. Beginning in 1996, Attorney James consolidated the Springfield and Boston offices and the firm moved to its current location in Dorchester. The office is multilingual with fluency in English, French, and Kreyol (Haitian Creole), and a working knowledge of Spanish.

The law office focus includes:

• Litigation
• Estate Planning -- Wills and Trusts
• Family Law: adoption, custody, and divorce
• Criminal Defense
• Personal Injury, including medical malpractice and motor vehicle accidents
• Immigration

Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Appointments can also be arranged for Saturday mornings.

Attorney James earned a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a J.D. from Western New England College School of Law.

Before founding the law firm Attorney James worked for six years with the Committee for Public Counsel Services in Springfield, Massachusetts, where she represented indigent defendants involved in the state criminal justice system. Her trial experience with CPCS, as well as her private practice experience, includes capital murder cases. Attorney James also has extensive civil litigation experience.

• Recipient of the "Women of Justice Award" in 2009
• Delegate, Massachusetts Bar Association
• Member, Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
• Member, Supreme Judicial Court Commission to Study Racial/Ethnic Bias in the Courts
• Member, Board of Trustees, Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Boston
• Lecturer, Massachusetts Bar Association and Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education
• Participant, various Greater Boston Radio and Television Educational Programs
• Mentor, Mock Trials, various School Districts
• Guest Speaker, various School System Bilingual Education Programs

William Sprouse earned a B.A., cum laude, from the University of Albany, State University of New York. He earned a J.D., cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School in 2010 and recently sat for the Massachusetts and New York bar exams. While in law school, William interned for a Massachusetts Probate and Family Court Judge, worked on behalf of indigent clients at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, and published an article in the Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy, for which he served as a Note Editor. He joined the Law Office of Elda S. James in March, 2010.