Our Team
Jolee E. Vacchi, Founding Attorney
jolee@foundationsfamilylaw.com
Known as "The Compassionate Divorce Attorney," Founding Attorney Jolee E. Vacchi is licensed in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She is a certified Coercive Control Trauma-Informed Attorney by the Coercive Control Consulting Institute.
While being an empowering and calming presence for her clients, Jolee also has the uncanny ability to transform into a zealous and compelling legal advocate when the occasion calls for it. Once dubbed “The Weapon” by an opposing party in a divorce case, one of her favorite sayings is: “Underestimate Me– That Will Be Fun.”
Jolee emphatically believes that the best outcomes for families in legal conflict most often result from negotiated settlements. She is a Collaboratively-trained attorney and Certified Divorce and Family Law Mediator and leverages her expertise and experience in alternative dispute resolution to obtain optimal results for her clients.
In addition to her interests in alternative dispute resolution and settlement negotiations, Jolee also enjoys working on high-conflict cases involving the potential removal/relocation of children out-of-state, representing survivors of domestic abuse and coercive control, and contested guardianships of a minor.
Jolee also prioritizes providing free divorce education and resources to empower clients to make informed decisions. She co-hosts the Divorce Detox podcast and also volunteers her time as a panelist at monthly divorce education webinars with the Vesta divorce organization.
Jolee is originally from Dartmouth, Massachusetts. After graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in U.S. History & Criminology from Stonehill College, she became a first-generation law school graduate earning her Juris Doctorate magna cum laude from Roger Williams University School of Law in 2012. In law school, Jolee focused her studies, internships, and clinical experiences on family law and mediation, which have always been her legal passions. She earned a position on the Editorial Staff for The Roger Williams University Law Review and interned at the Providence County Family Court Mediation Unit.
Outside of the negotiation room and the courthouse, Jolee can be found on her homestead caring for her mixed flock of chickens in the company of her husband and two children.
FUN FACTS
- Studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain
- Self-described “crazy chicken lady”
- Girl Scout Troop Leader
- Yoga practitioner
- Audible and podcast binger
- Met husband in a “History of Horror Films” college class
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Rhode Island Bar Association
- Coercive Control Consulting Institute
- Vesta Divorce - Mediation Professional
- Divorce Squad Member
- Fresh Starts Registry Expert
- Boston Business League - Central Mass. Chapter Leader
- Women's Business League
- The Sparrow Collective - Professional Partner
Bridgette Kelly, Senior Family Law Attorney
bridgette@foundationsfamilylaw.com
With her extensive court experience and deep passion for advocacy, Attorney Bridgette Kelly brings invaluable expertise and wisdom to Foundations Family Law. From her work in housing discrimination to her commitment to supporting survivors of domestic violence, Bridgette has consistently fought for those who need it most. Now, she channels her vast knowledge and dedication into guiding our clients through family law matters.
Bridgette's legal journey showcases her unwavering commitment to justice. She served as a litigator for the Boston Housing Authority, where she handled discrimination cases, including those before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the Boston Fair Housing Commission. Her success in these cases speaks to her skill and relentless dedication. She also served as an Assistant District Attorney in Essex County, specializing in prosecuting domestic violence cases— an area where attorneys are crucial in protecting vulnerable individuals and advocating for the abused.
Bridgette also has specialized training in mental health litigation and care and protection cases, working with the Committee for Public Counsel Services, a state agency responsible for administering indigent legal defense services in Massachusetts. In her role with the Mental Health Litigation Division, she defended the civil rights of individuals facing involuntary medical treatment, a role that required both compassion and a steadfast commitment to ensuring the best interests of her clients.
A proud graduate of Loyola University in Baltimore and Suffolk University Law School, Bridgette is also a mother of six children and an active member of the Medway Parent Organization. When she's not practicing law, you’ll likely find her cheering from the sidelines at her children’s sporting events.
FUN FACTS
- Has six awesome kids - four girls and two boys (all with traditional Irish names)
- An avid Boston sports fan (especially the Celtics!)
- Enjoys going on a good run
- Loves reading mystery novels
- A huge fan of all 80's music & movies
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- CPCS Mental Health Litigation Division
- CPCS Children and Family Law Division (CAFL)
Ashley Zink, Family Law Attorney
ashley@foundationsfamilylaw.com
After growing up in Massachusetts, Ashley attended Worcester State University for undergrad, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor's in Sociology. She credits Sociology for helping to open her eyes to the inequities of the world, and realized that she wanted to do work that made a difference.
She went on to study law at BU, and her first taste of family law through internships and clinics, and knew when she graduated in 2020 that she wanted to stay in this legal area of work. Starting at Community Legal Aid in Worcester, she did mostly family law for the first few years, but also handling cases such as eviction defense, wage theft, and tort.
For the last few years however, she's been working on only family law cases, handling clients that were survivors of sexual assault and/or domestic violence, including financial abuse and coercive control issues. She finds this work tough but extremely rewarding, and loves helping her clients take the first steps towards healing and moving forward in their lives.
FUN FACTS
- Has a 5 year old Pitbull/Lab mix that rules her world
- Enjoys hiking and travelling to places she can explore the outdoors -her most recent trip was the Scotland highlands!
- Loves live music, and hits up a concert every month (or more!)
- Has gone skydiving 15 times!!
- When she's home, you'll find her rewatching the same comfort show constantly
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Worcester County Bar Association Member
- Worcester Community Connections Steering Committee Member
- Massachusetts Bar Association Tiered Mentorship Program Member
- Seven Hills and Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Presenter for Pro Se Domestic Abuse Survivors
Lori Joyce, Case Manager
Foundations Family Law & Mediation Center is insanely lucky to employ the talents of the "GOAT" (Greatest of all Time) of family law paralegals in Massachusetts in Lori Joyce. With her incredible attention to detail, personal dedication to her cases and clients, and years of family law experience, Lori is beloved by clients and colleagues alike.
As the Firm's Case Manager, Lori oversees all case files and ensures that all attorney and client deadlines are met. She is a financial statement and discovery guru, and expertly assists our clients in the preparation of court required financial forms and the exchange of mandatory documents. Lori has the secret sauce that enables our firm to provide stellar service to all our clients. She truly is one-in-a-million.
Lori has worked in the legal field for over two decades. She graduated from Quincy College with a degree in Paralegal Studies. Lori joined Foundations Family Law & Mediation Center to continue working alongside Attorney Jolee Vacchi after they were colleagues together at a previous firm for over 4 years. Can you say, Dream Team!? We are confident that you will love working with Lori as much as we do.
FUN FACTS
- Master Vintage Crafter, specifically of crochet including baby sweaters & blankets
- Grandma to 2 granddaughters, who she loves to spend time doing "girly" things with (especially after raising 3 sons)
- Voracious reader, especially of mysteries and thrillers
- Has a New Zealandic penpal that she’s been writing to for 40 years (and visited!)
- Loves to travel and wants to visit every state. Her next travel goal is Alaska, to see the aurora borealis!
Chris Vacchi, Director of Operations
chris@foundationsfamilylaw.com
After growing up in Brockton, Ma, Chris attended Stonehill College where he not only majored in Sociology and minored in Criminology, but also met the love of his life in a History of Horror Films class. After college, he worked his way up the corporate ladder of a medical supply company in Rhode Island from specialist to manager over the years, but still felt like something was missing. With all the cases that the firm is taking on, there was a need for someone to manage the non-legal aspects and the team knew just who to turn to, as Chris was already considered an unofficial part of the firm with his undying support.
As the firm's Director of Operations, Chris will be working on implementing policies and procedures, overseeing bills and collections, onboarding new staff members, and building vendor relations, all while also being grounding moral support so FFL can stay focused on building client relationships and positive outcomes. Not all heroes are visible, but we know his presence will be felt through the team's success!
FUN FACTS
- Enjoys camping when the weather allows
- Loves the Live Free or Die State in the winter time
- Plans to visit Idaho, Norway and Iceland one day (not at the same time)
- Working on restoring a historic home built in the early 1900s.
- Actively involved in all his kids' activities, including baseball, dance and soccer!
Renee Carlson, Client Concierge
renee@foundationsfamilylaw.com
A New York state transplant, Renee has been living in Massachusetts for over two decades- ever since she moved here to attend college at Endicott College in Beverly. With a background and Master's degree in Education, Renee was a teacher for 10 years before leaving the field to raise her children full time. In recent years she began teaching yoga, but decided she wanted a bit more, and jumped at the chance to do good with a team of like-minded women and bring her positive and compassionate energy to a new field.
As the firm’s Client Concierge, Renee is the first point of contact for prospective clients with the firm. With her warm and peaceful demeanor, she gathers intake information, schedules consultations with attorneys, and helps to seamlessly onboard new clients into the FFL family. She also touches base with clients at designated times throughout their case to address any concerns, make connections with other divorce-adjacent professionals, and to lend an empathetic ear.
FUN FACTS
- Has a golden retriever named River, who is overly protective and VERY vocal
- Lives on Cape Cod with her two rambunctious kids - Henry (age 11) is an artist, swimmer and a runner while Stella (age 9) is a competitive gymnast and dancer.
- Loves to read and is often reading 3 or 4 books at one time
- Two-time hall of fame athlete who loves softball
- 200 hour registered yoga teacher who teaches not only HOT, but also some challenging vinyasa classes!
If you're ready to work with one of our team members, we invite you to connect with us to learn more about the possibilities for your personal circumstances.
You can also call (508) 635-8965 or fill out our contact form.
