Focus of practice
An established family law practitioner, Attorney Dalton focuses his practice on domestic relations and divorce litigation. He litigates, collaborates, and mediates every significant family law matter, including divorce, custody, parental rights, support, property division, removal, modification, and contempt actions, at both the trial and appellate levels. He also drafts prenuptial, postnuptial, and nonmarital cohabitation agreements.
A rare advantage in complex divorce
Before opening his practice in Topsfield, Massachusetts, Attorney Dalton worked in Washington, D.C., supporting USG (U.S. Government) initiatives in AML (anti-money laundering) and CFT (combating the financing of terrorism) alongside the U.S. Department of Defense. There he developed a genuine expertise in finding and tracking hidden assets. When a spouse moves money out of sight, that experience gives his clients a decisive advantage in complex, high-asset divorce.
Background and education
Attorney Dalton was born and raised in Ipswich. He is a graduate of St. John’s Preparatory School (’88), Stanford University (BA (Bachelor of Arts), Philosophy, ’92), The Graduate Institute at St. John’s College (MA (Master of Arts), Liberal Arts, ’95), and the University of San Diego School of Law (JD (Juris Doctor), ’03), where he earned an award for his jurisprudence work. During law school, he interned with the Federal Defenders of Billings, Montana, and with the Foundation for Freedom of Information in St. Petersburg, Russia. Before law school, he served as Director of the San Francisco office of Human Rights Watch.
Bar admission and professional memberships
Attorney Dalton was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 2006. He is a member of the Massachusetts, Boston, Greater Newburyport, and Essex County Bar Associations. He also belongs to the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation (MCFM) and the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council (MCLC).
Attorney Dalton lives in Ipswich with his wife and two young children.