In the legal community, the Chin Law Group stands out as a small, well-respected family and divorce law firm providing personalized and sage legal assistance. We handle matters of all sizes, such as those involving minimal assets or those that solely involve custody issues. We are also highly experienced in managing cases involving high net worth estates and we are highly skilled at both trying cases and negotiating settlements.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide assertive, sensible and compassionate representation that supports our clients’ goals, and achieves cost effective, timely and fair resolution of their matters. To this end we serve as trusted advisors and educators. Even as we act as your voice in negotiations and in Court, we are under your direction and will pursue the choices you make.

Our Approach

Each family law matter requires a different approach and involves a different solution. However, they all require attentive, sensible, and compassionate legal representation.

What Our Clients Say About Us

Our clients come to us facing significant personal and legal issues. By resolving their legal issues and supporting them while they undertake their personal issues, we often hear from clients that we assisted them in getting to “a better place.” Other frequent comments include:

• You were responsive to my needs.
• You offered creative solutions.
• You were caring and compassionate.
• You validated my concerns while helping me make my own decisions.

The Attorney

MERRIL S. CHIN – MANAGING PARTNER AND FOUNDER

Merril S. Chin is a native of the North Shore of Massachusetts. She received her B.A. in Sociology from Boston University in 1989, where she graduated magna cum laude and her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1993. She was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1993, and to the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts in 1994.

Merril was an assistant district attorney in Essex County from 1993 to 1998 and was an associate with the firm of Metaxas, Norman & Pidgeon from 1999 to 2001, where she specialized in family law. In 2002 Attorney Chin opened the Chin Law Group, where she continues to practice family law.

Merril has taught several college-level courses, including Business Law at Emmanuel College in 1998, Constitutional Criminal Procedure, Constitutional Law and Criminal Law at Bunker Hill Community College from 1998 to 2000, and the law portion of the CPA exam with Conviser Duffy and Person Wollinsky CPA Review from 1999 to 2001. In addition, she has volunteered as Lawyer for the Day and is appointed by the Court as a conciliator, attorney for the child (ARC program) and guardian ad litem and special master. Attorney Chin has served as faculty for MCLE Family Law Trial Advocacy Workshop. Merril is a certified mediator and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association Family Law Section, the Essex County Bar Association and the Newburyport Bar Association. Merril has successfully handled thousands of family law matters.

Merril is well acquainted with and respected by judges in many counties in the Commonwealth. Her background as a prosecutor affords her excellent knowledge of the rules of evidence and procedure, as well as the ability to think quickly and creatively problem solve. In addition to operating a successful law practice, Attorney Chin is the proud parent of two grown children and in her spare time, she enjoys biking, traveling, and reading.  Attorney Chin represents her clients aggressively while, maintaining compassion and taking a reasonable and realistic approach.

COURTNEY RYDER – SENIOR ASSOCIATE

Courtney is a native of Enfield, Connecticut, but has been living in the Boston area for more than seven years.  She joined The Chin Group in 2020.  Courtney received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston University in 2016 with a major in International Relations and her law degree from New England Law Boston in 2019.

While at New England Law Courtney completed extensive coursework in immigration and earned a Certificate in Immigration Law.  She completed a clinical internship with Savitz Law Offices, as well as the Law Office of Samia Chandraker. She also earned the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for Landlord/ Tenant Law in the Fall of 2018. Prior to joining The Chin Group, Courtney was employed at Epstein-Santoyo Law as well as Corbaci Law, P.C. Courtney volunteers for The Essex and Suffolk County Lawyer for the Day and brings as much passion, intellect and skill to the field of family law as she did to the field of immigration.

JOHN D. MOORMAN – ATTORNEY

John Moorman has over thirty years’ experience representing both individuals and corporations in a wide array of legal matters.  While John focuses his practice primarily on general civil litigation, his primary areas of practice are family law, personal injury, general business litigation and collections, landlord and tenant law, as well as criminal matters.  He has extensive experience representing clients in all districts, superior and probate courts in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in both jury and non-jury related matters. For the last ten years, John has been chosen by his peers as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer, an honor bestowed on only the top 5% of the lawyers in Massachusetts.

John has been involved in numerous complex cases, including successfully representing a family of one of the victims of 9/11.  In that matter he dealt extensively with the Victim’s Compensation Fund and obtained an award in excess of $3 million for the family.  His comprehensive settlement package was used by the Victim’s Compensation Fund as the template for future settlement demands.  John has also been involved in several wrongful death cases and catastrophic personal injury matters, achieving successful results on behalf of the victims and families involved.

John joined the Chin Law Group in 2024. He previously worked in the litigation department of Metaxas Brown Pidgeon and Rudolph Friedmann LLP in Boston and was a shareholder in his own private practice for thirteen years in Beverly, MA. John received his bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire in 1984 and his juris doctor from New England Law Boston in 1988. He was admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1988 and the U.S District Court in 1989.

When John is not practicing law, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and participating in outdoor activities such as soccer and golf.