Senior Fellow in Law and Applied Neuroscience
2022 – 2024

Stephanie Tabashneck, PsyD, Esq., is a forensic psychologist and attorney based in Boston. She is a Senior Fellow in Law and Applied Neuroscience, a collaboration between the Center for Law, Brain & Behavior at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School. Dr. Tabashneck recently earned a Master of Religion and Public Life from Harvard Divinity School, where her work focused on the intersections of religion and the courts. 

Dr. Tabashneck’s forensic practice areas include substance use disorders, psychological assessment in criminal and civil cases, and complex child custody matters. She serves as an expert witness and consultant in jurisdictions across the country, with particular expertise in the use of science-informed judicial and legal decision-making.

She regularly provides judicial and attorney trainings at both the state and national levels. Her presentations span organizations such as the American Bar Association, the Federal Judicial Center, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and state courts across the country. 

Her recent publications include the book Substance Use and Parenting: Best Practices for Family Court Practitioners, an article on the opioid crisis and family drug courts in Family Law Quarterly, and a chapter in the American Bar Association volume Representing People with Mental Disabilities: A Practical Guide for Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Dr. Tabashneck is a past member of the American Psychological Association’s Ethics Committee and serves as president of the Massachusetts chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.