Family Law

• Guardianship
  Lawsuits involving trusts and estates, such as guardianship and estate settlement matters, require substantive knowledge of fiduciary law, forensic science, medicine and psychology as well as strength in trial advocacy. These often-complex cases can also trigger highly charged emotions among litigants.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  Attorney Karolina Weagle joined the firm in 2022 and concentrates her practice on estate planning. Prior to joining Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin, PC, Attorney Weagle worked at a firm in Boston representing clients in litigation and criminal defense matters, and later returned to western Massachusetts where she practiced in the areas of real estate, estate planning, and estate administration. Originally from Southampton, Mass. and now residing in Westfield, Attorney Weagle graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice and Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Westfield State University in 2015. Soon after, she enrolled at New England Law | Boston, where she graduated cum laude in 2018. While in law school, Attorney Weagle made the dean’s list every semester, was awarded the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Property II in spring 2016, and earned the New England Scholar Award for 2015–2016. Attorney Weagle is also fluent in Polish.

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  Founding Attorney Steven J. Schwartz was selected for his expertise in the fields of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Corporate Law.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  Founding Attorney Steven J. Schwartz, a resident of Monterey, concentrates his practice in the areas of family business planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate law and estate planning. His practice involves representation of principals in family business planning (including exit planning for business owners), representation of individuals and corporations in the purchase and sale of business enterprises, strategic planning for the future of clients’ businesses, and providing advice as to alternatives in financing through loans and venture capital. Attorney Schwartz is a graduate of Boston University Law School (1966) and Babson College (1963). Regularly selected to both the Super Lawyers and
• Business Formation
  Mr. Fenton represents principals in business formation and succession planning, businesses in the purchase and sale of enterprises, lenders and borrowers in commercial financing transactions, developers in the acquisition and permitting of projects, and individuals in establishing comprehensive and sophisticated estate plans. As an attorney with background in tax and a master’s degree in business administration, he provides added value to clients with business planning concerns. In addition, Attorney Fenton has extensive land use experience that includes zoning, subdivision, project permitting and environmental matters. A significant part of his practice revolves around estate planning. He also develops sophisticated estate plans to facilitate access to public services and the preservation of assets.
• Business Disputes
  As experts in the realm of business law, Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin P.C. serves as general counsel to business entities of all types and in diverse industries. We provide advice and counsel to businesses at all stages of development and in all types of transactions, such as...
• Business Transactions
  Conway resident and one of the firm’s founders, Attorney Gary S. Fentin, was selected for his work in the fields of Banking and Financial Law and Commercial Transactions/Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Law.
• Limited Liability Companies
  Formation of entities, including limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, corporations and partnerships, and conversions of “C” corporations to “S” status
• Trade Secrets

Employment Law

• Wrongful Termination
  Employment issues from either a management or employee perspective, including claims of sexual harassment, wrongful termination and discrimination based on age, race, sex and disability, and counseling employers regarding employee discipline and discharge procedures, organizational restructuring and reduction in force
• Employment Contract
  Operation and management issues, including employment agreements, employee manuals, non-qualified and qualified retirement plans, sales rep agreements, confidentiality agreements and non-compete agreements, and phantom stock plans
• Employment Litigation
• Non-compete Agreement
• Sexual Harassment

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  As one of the area’s leading real estate law firms, we represent local, regional and national financial institutions both as lenders and facilities counsel. We serve as counsel to Verizon Wireless, one of the world’s largest wireless telecommunications companies, providing counsel for site acquisition, permitting and issues arising under the Federal Telecommunications Act. We have acted for over twenty years as counsel to Home Depot in permitting and transactional matters.
• Real Estate Transactions
  The nationally recognized attorneys at Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C., concentrate their practices in the areas of business planning, estate planning, elder and special needs law, estate settlement, commercial lending and tax-exempt bond financing, commercial real estate transactions, environmental law, zoning and permitting, trust and estates litigation, commercial litigation, tax law and bankruptcy. The firm’s institutional clients range from nonprofit corporations and closely held family enterprises to multinational corporations with operations throughout New England. The firm’s philosophy is to place the client’s needs first by providing tailored, results-oriented, cost-effective approaches to problem-solving and keeping current with innovative strategies. Founded in 1969 by two legal services attorneys, the firm of 14 attorneys has offices in Springfield and Northampton, Massachusetts. Additional information about Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin can be found on its website...
• Land Use and Zoning
  Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin P.C. represents diverse clients in the development, leasing, permitting and financing of real estate, including major, regional and national developers of shopping centers, office buildings, apartments, conventional and affordable housing, congregate care retirement communities, residential subdivisions and industrial properties. We have extensive experience in all forms of permitting and approvals by local, state and federal regulatory authorities, zoning and environmental permits, historic certification, and highway and sewer extension permits and approvals.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
• Medicaid Planning

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin P.C., established in 1969, is a firm of fourteen lawyers specializing in business and estate planning, elder law, commercial and tax-exempt bond financing, real estate, litigation and bankruptcy.
• Wills
• Trusts
  Draft irrevocable trust with assets including vacation home, retirement assets, and investments for purposes of Medicaid eligibility and avoidance of creditors
• Power of Attorney
  A basic individual estate plan involves will preparation, as well as the establishment of durable power of attorney, health care proxy and living will. In addition to basic planning, Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin P.C. offers the following estate planning services...
• Probate
  We are a law firm with offices in Springfield and Northampton, Massachusetts, and Albany, New York. Founded in 1969, we are currently composed of fourteen attorneys specializing in business planning; estate planning and probate law; commercial and tax-exempt bond financing; real estate development and permitting; litigation and bankruptcy.

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  The Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin bankruptcy team provides counseling and representation encompassing all areas of business and personal bankruptcy*, workout and reorganization, representing...
• Foreclosure
• Tax Law
  Estate and gift tax reduction. If your estate exceeds estate tax exemptions (federal or state) or federal gift tax exemptions, you may need to plan to avoid having your survivors pay transfer tax at your death. Tax planning may also be necessary if you have remarried or if you have special assets, such as a closely held business or property in another state.