Meet the Board
I have been a family law paralegal for 12 years, all of which I've worked for Ralli Holden Sirak, Esquire, in Reading, Pennsylvania. I hold a bachelors degree in paralegal studies and a certificate in financial management.
From 2014-2017 I served as the 1st Vice President/Membership for the Legal Support Staff Association of Berks County, I established a website for the Association, and also helped coordinate several CLE programs presented by the Berks County Divorce Masters.
At home, I have been married to my husband, Leo, for 8 years. We live in West Wyomissing and have a daughter, Callie, who is 5 and a cat, Gracie.
I have been working as a paralegal at Mogel Speidel Bobb & Kershner in Berks County for thirty years and my work is primarily in family law. We handle family law matters in various counties which include Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon and Schuylkill.
I am a founding Board member of the Family Law Paralegals of Pennsylvania. I am also a member of several various paralegal associations across the Commonwealth.
When I am not working, I stay busy as a mother to four lovely children, two of which have bounced into adulthood. My adult daughter is an RN and my adult son is entering Cadet School for the Arizona State Troopers. My youngest two keep me busy with sports, band and school work. We have a hodgepodge of pets which include two leopard geckos, a uromastyx, a cat, a guinea pig and a fish.
I am the senior paralegal at BKW Family Law (formerly Berner Klaw & Watson and Berner & Klaw) in Philadelphia. BKW practices in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania as well as Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties in New Jersey. Prior to joining Berner & Klaw in 2005, I worked in the Municipal Court Unit of the Defender Association of Philadelphia and the Psychological Studies in Education Department at Temple University.
I am a founding board member of the Family Law Paralegals of Pennsylvania (FLPP) and serve as FLPP's Treasurer and secondary delegate to the Keystone Alliance of Paralegal Associations. Previously, I served as the Secretary on the board of the Paralegal Association of Philadelphia.
In 1999, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioral Science and a minor in English from Drew University, and completed Villanova University’s ABA-approved Paralegal Certificate Program in 2006. I am also a notary public.
I live in South Philadelphia with my husband Steve and our 11-year-old son Daniel. I adore sharing time with family and friends, listening to music, speaking in different voices, taking photos, reading, writing, being near the water, exploring new places, and taking comfort in old ones.
Jen Charbonnier
Class 2
I have over 25 years of professional experience in the legal field and have worked exclusively as a family law paralegal for 15 years. I started my career straight out of high school and after moving and living on the West Coast for a couple of years, moved back to Pennsylvania to resume my passion in the field of law. I worked with a solo family law practitioner for many years in the county seat in Norristown and am currently a paralegal in the family law department at Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC in Conshohocken where our practice is primarily focused in the five county region of Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Philadelphia. I have been an active member of the FLPP since 2021.
Outside of work, I enjoy bowling with friends, a good bottle of wine, and camping in our RV, but I am just as happy at home hanging out with my family and our three pups.
Cynthia R. Dennes, Pa.C.P.
I have worked as a paralegal for two decades and am familiar with York, Lancaster, Dauphin, Adams, and Cumberland counties. My former boss is a York County family law judge. Although my current position focuses primarily on family law, I have experience in real estate, estate administration and estate planning.
Outside of work, I am mom to Meghan, who graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in forensic psychology and was married in November. I have an overly excitable 2-year-old beagle mix named Phoebe and a very self-absorbed black cat, Sushi. I am an avid Penn State football and Philly sports fan.
I've been a member of the Lancaster Area Paralegal Association since 2007, including holding the officer positions of Secretary and Vice-President. I've co-chaired Membership and Special Events but was elected President in April of 2024 and re-elected in May of 2025. I love the challenge of carrying on LAPA’s mission connecting paralegals in the Lancaster and York County areas. I've been a notary public since 2004, and since 2012, hold a Pennsylvania Certified Paralegal designation with the Keystone Alliance of Paralegals.
I am proud to work for Attorney Alina M. Dusharm, owner of Beacon Law and Associate Attorney Kara M. Kucherich, to provide quality legal services to all Beacon Law clients. A custody client recently posted a review: “Cindy is very knowledgeable and helped tremendously! I made countless calls to Cindy, and she was always willing to listen, always gave great advice and always treated my case as if it were her own.”