Firm Overview

Laurie Israel, born 1946, is founder and managing partner of the firm. She is an honors graduate of Barnard College and received her law degree magna cum laude from The Dickinson School of Law, now part of Pennsylvania State University. She is active in Collaborative Law, Divorce Mediation, Estate Planning and Probate of Estates, and Marital Mediation. She practiced with the Boston, Massachusetts law office of Foley Hoag as a tax lawyer prior to establishing her own law firm in the Coolidge Corner area of Brookline, Massachusetts in 1991.

Karen Van Kooy, born 1961, joined the Law Offices of Laurie Israel in October, 2007 and is a member/partner of Israel, Van Kooy & Days, LLC. She practices in the area of Domestic Relations. Karen is an experienced family law attorney, having represented clients in divorce, custody, paternity and child support matters. Karen has a developing practice in collaborative family law and mediation. Karen provides a full range of services to people in need of a domestic relations attorney.

Ronny Sydney, has been an attorney since 1987, and practices in the areas of divorce, post-divorce, zoning, licensing, permitting, real estate and small business. She is also a Justice of the Peace. She has served the Town of Brookline as a Selectman (including serving chairman of the Board of Selectmen), and served as state representative, in which capacity she represented the Town of Brookline in the Massachusetts legislature. She joined Israel, Van Kooy & Days, LLC as a member in January, 2010.

Laura E. Days, born 1978, joined the Law Offices of Laurie Israel in March, 2005 to pursue her legal interests in Real Estate, Estate Planning and Probate. She is a member/partner of the successor firm, Israel, Van Kooy & Days, LLC. Laura has significant experience in residential real estate transactions, working as a paralegal during law school and as attorney for her first year after admission to the bar and also concentrates on estate planning and probate of estates.

Heather Hoffman, born 1957, has been of-counsel to the firm concentrating in real estate matters since 1998. She is a high honors graduate of Michigan State University, and a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School. She has spent most of her legal career concentrating in real estate law, and has practiced with the firms of Goldstein & Manello, Csaplar & Bok, and Warner & Stackpole in Boston.

Victoria Ellsworth, born 1967, joined the firm as a paralegal in 2007. Aside from her paralegal duties, she handles many of the administrative, accounting and marketing aspects of the firm. Tori holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. Her keen interest in human behavior and inter-personal relationships, her highly accomplished computer skills and her significant administrative management experience have made Tori a welcome addition. Since joining the team, she has worked on many family law cases, and has taken Collaborative Law and Mediation trainings.

Philippina Loh is the firm's diligent and accurate secretary/bookkeeper and has been a wonderful presence in the firm since 2001.

Elaine Sidney provides off-site administration, office space consulting, supplies administration, special project planning and storage file control and administration to the law firm. She has been associated with the firm since 1998.