About us
ATTORNEY
Gretchen Nelson
Gretchen began her legal career in 1995 with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, where she served as Head of the Domestic Violence Unit in Lynn, MA. Upon the arrival of her first child, Gretchen stepped back from full-time courtroom work to focus on raising her three children, but kept her toes dipped in the legal arena through ongoing family law work. During her time at home, Gretchen served on numerous boards and, through this work, was able to utilize and sharpen her writing and analytical skills. Additionally, she learned first-hand both how challenging and rewarding it can be to raise children and, also, how much work is involved in running a busy household. Gretchen co-founded Siefer Nelson Law Group in 2018 and transitioned to Nelson Law Group in 2025. Since returning to full-time practice, she has blended her legal expertise with insights from her years as an at-home parent to help families navigate difficult times.
Education & Affiliations
Consilium® Trained, 2018
Massachusetts Bar Association Member
Women’s Bar Association Member
Consilium® Tapestry Network Member
Boston University School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1995
Bowdoin College, BA, Government & Sociology, 1990
Certified Divorce Financial Analyst
Eloise Patterson
Eloise has worked with Gretchen and her clients since 2018. Also Consilium trained, she believes strongly that simplifying the financial elements of divorce can reduce the emotional pain of divorce. Furthermore, educating her clients in financial matters can bring them self-assurance and confidence. Her goal is to help clients get to an equitable outcome as simply as possible and to enable them to envision a new life they can afford. Eloise started Clementine Financial Coaching after a career in financial services. Her early working years were spent as a commercial lender for Bank of Boston (now Bank of America) in Boston and London. After business school, she worked as Treasury Director for Discovery Communications, Inc. (owner of the Discovery Channel) in Maryland. When she and her husband moved back to the Boston area, Eloise stayed home raising her four children for the better part of twenty years but stayed involved in community and school affairs as Treasurer of the Lincoln School Foundation (also co-chair), the Lincoln PTO, Lincoln Nursery School and Noble & Greenough School Parent Association. She also manages the financial books of a family business.
Clementine Financial Coaching, LLC
Education & Affilliations
Consilium® Trained, 2024
Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® certification, CDFA®, 2020
Consilium® Tapestry Network Member
J.L. Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, MBA, 1997
Princeton University, BA, 1988
PARALEGAL & CLIENT SUPPORT
Lisa Gainsboro
Lisa pairs a business background with hands-on client support. After earning her degree in Business Administration, she spent years at National Development as an Office Manager mastering the day-to-day operations of a busy workplace. After becoming a mother, she focused on raising her three children while leading numerous volunteer efforts, including Parent Association roles at multiple schools and service as a Parent Advisory Board member and Arts Ambassador Chair at Concord Academy—work that affirmed her passion for collaborating with and helping others. That focus led Lisa to earn certification as an Addiction Counselor, with experience at a residential DUIL program in Tewksbury, and later to become a certified Divorce Coach. She transitioned to paralegal work to combine her business training with her work supporting clients through the divorce process. At Nelson Law Group, Lisa manages the firm’s daily operations and is available for client support as needed.
Education & Affiliations
Divorce Coach Certification, 2023
Yoga Instructor Certification, 2016
Addiction Counseling Certification Program, Middlesex Community College, 2013
Salem University, BS, Business Administration, 1987