Our Team

Jolee E. Vacchi, Founding Attorney

Founding Attorney Jolee E. Vacchi is a respected, experienced, and compassionate family law practitioner licensed in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Most recently, prior to establishing Foundations Family Law, she worked for several years at a mid-sized family law firm in the Worcester, MA area rising to the title of Supervising Attorney.

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, coercive control and narcissistic abuse, and contested guardianships of a minor.

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, ducks, and Nigerian Dwarf goats 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

Alicia MacManus, Family Law Attorney

alicia@foundationsfamilylaw.com

Alicia, a Seekonk, Massachusetts native, blossomed in the field of Natural Resource Conservation during her undergraduate studies. However, her path took an unexpected turn when she embarked on her journey at Oregon Law. The intention was to dive deep into the realm of environmental law, but little did she know that her heart had a soft spot for the human side of things. Cue the plot twist!

Alicia interned at both the District Attorney's office and the Animal Legal Defense Fund in sunny California. Additionally, she developed the curriculum of an innovative undergrad course called "Animals and the Law" which she taught alongside a professor.

Oregon couldn't get enough of Alicia's awesomeness, as she lived and breathed the Beaver State for a solid 8 years. However, she decided to return to Massachusetts to raise her adorable kiddos around the rest of her family. She practiced estate planning, guiding clients through life's major decisions with a calming sense of humor.

Described as a warm-hearted whiz at putting clients at ease, Alicia helps her clients navigate rough waters with a smile, making the entire process a tad less daunting.

FUN FACTS

Met her husband in an Ecosystem Management class and that professor spoke at the wedding
Was an educator at Disney’s Animal Kingdom after college
Almost hit Danny DeVito with her car when she was learning to drive in Providence, RI
Competitive Jeopardy player
Has written blogs published by Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Scary Mommy and Pregnant Chicken

Marianna Nava, Family Law Attorney

marianna@foundationsfamilylaw.com

Marianna is originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil and moved to the United States when she was thirteen years old. After attending Providence College for her Bachelor's, Marianna earned her Juris Doctorate cum laude from Roger Williams University School of Law where she was among the first of four law students nationwide selected to receive a Federal Magistrate Judges Association Fellowship. She was a judicial intern for the Honorable Judith G. Dein in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts in the program’s inaugural year. During law school, Marianna was a Moot Court member and a Property law and Legal Writing teaching assistant. She also completed an externship with the Honorable Elizabeth Ortiz in the Rhode Island Family Court.

Prior to FFL, Marianna worked at a big law firm in Providence, Rhode Island practicing family law and immigration. Licensed in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Marianna now focuses her practice in family law.

Her strengths include helping individuals navigate the challenges of family-related legal issues including divorce and separation, child custody and support, spousal support, and property and asset division. Her experience in the field, combined with a deep understanding of the emotional and financial implications of family law matters, allows her to provide tailored and effective solutions for her clients. Also, as a fluent Portuguese speaker, Marianna is able to effectively communicate with clients from Portuguese-speaking backgrounds and ensure they are well-represented throughout the legal process. She will be a huge force in expanding the firm’s reach, and will help us to break down more barriers to more people who need legal representation.

FUN FACTS

Once took a month off from work to visit 10 countries in Europe
Loves long-distance bike riding, and is a frequent Pan Mass Challenge rider for pediatric cancer research
Currently training to be an energy healer and reiki practitioner
Loves spending time with her nephew, Vinny, and her two family dogs, Toby and Bella!

Lori Joyce, Case Manager

lori@foundationsfamilylaw.com

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)
Maintains the historic Smith Family Graveyard (that people are dying to get in)
Actively involved in all his kids' activities, including baseball, dance, soccer, and Cub Scouts.

Renee Carlson, Office Liaison

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 Office Liaison, 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. Renee is also the main point of contact for billing inquiries.

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!