Kristen Farrell Bonavita

Kristen’s attention to details, thorough research,, and her general wizardly approach to criminal defense law was very impressive. More importantly she was able to get all charges dismissed. Some that came with a penalty of jail time & lengthy suspension of drivers license. I’m very grateful for the ...referral. It’s been a pleasure having her representation.

A respected member of the Newburyport, Essex County, and Massachusetts legal community, Ms. Bonavita has exceptional knowledge of the law and represented my case very well. She was meticulous, diligent, and thorough with her legal counsel. It is an honor to know such an attorney and I highly recomm...end her.

Attorney Kristen Bonavita represented my son for an OUI charge. My son was stopped at a Joint Operations Sobriety Checkpoint. Believing he was ok he completely cooperated with the police but was taken to the police station. Before Kristen took the case she asked for all the relevant details. Afte...r she took the case she reviewed all the options my son had to weigh from continued without finding to a possible trial. She was very direct, open, honest and gave her opinion the case was very defensible. That said, she did leave the final decision to my son. Kristen maintained consistent communication and support during the entire time when needed. (even weekends when needed though she has a family of her own to care for!) She did her homework and due diligence to be prepared herself and just as important be sure my son was prepared. (as was his parents) She made no promises but kept us apprised of the risks and benefits moving forward. I was impressed with her professionalism with us, the court staff and other counsel. She exhibited the experience and knowledge (and emotional support) to best work with my son and this case. Kristen can also be tough when needed, candid with my son, and direct in the court room. The case resulted in not guilty. No matter the outcome I was very impressed with Attorney Bonavita’s work ethic, experience, knowledge and obviously results. Having an OUI on one’s record can really hinder future employment. More than a year has passed since this incident and my son secured a good job. Kristen helped him in more ways the one. I’ve shared my story with family and friends (and other attorneys) Kristen is one of the best.

I hired Kristen over a year ago for an OUI charge. Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time I had been charged with OUI, so I was facing extremely severe punishments. Initially, my chances of prevailing seemed bleak. However, as time went on, Kristen was able to chip away important pieces of “eviden...ce” the government was trying to use against me and we proceeded to trial with better odds. During trial, Kristen did an excellent job cross-examining my arresting officer and defending me in general. Kristen suggested a bench trial because of the circumstances surrounding my case. I took her advice, which turned out to be a smart move, because at the end of the trial the verdict was not guilty. I couldn't have hired a better attorney. Kristen is an outstanding litigator and trial lawyer. She navigates the law so well that it’s impossible for her excellence to go unnoticed in the courtroom. Even more, it’s the things that do go unnoticed outside the courtroom that she may do even better – the private counsel from defense attorney to client. On more than one occasion her supportive words helped me get through difficult emotional bouts while the case was pending. At times she was firm with me when she needed to be regarding various legal approaches, all the while exhibiting honesty, integrity, and ethics. I could write for hours about how highly I think of Kristen and the reasons why. This is only a review though, so I'll say one last thing. If you're in trouble with the law, you need to speak with Kristen Bonavita. Period.