Stephen Joel Paris

Stephen Joel Paris, a prominent Boston attorney, devoted family man, and lifelong Massachusetts resident, passed away on September 25, 2026, at the age of 87.

Born in Boston on November 6, 1938, Steve grew up in Brighton and Newton. He attended Boston Latin High School, graduated from Newton High School, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History from UMass Amherst in 1960. He earned his Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School in 1963.

On December 24, 1961, Steve married his beloved, Roberta "Bobbi" Bernstein. Together, they built a life defined by family, commitment, and partnership, sharing nearly 65 years of marriage.

Steve enjoyed a distinguished legal career spanning 57 years. He spent over four decades at the law firm of Morrison, Mahoney & Miller in Boston, where he served as Managing Partner for many years and then completed his legal career as General Counsel at Lexington Insurance Company.

Highly regarded both locally and nationally across the legal and insurance communities, Steve was a real lawyer's lawyer. Throughout his career, he served as President of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) Association and of the Defense Research Institute (a national organization of attorneys), Chairman of the Insurance Institute at Northeastern University, President and Trustee of The Insurance Library of Boston, and a distinguished member of Lloyd’s of London. Throughout his career, he traveled extensively both in the U.S. and internationally, as he was a highly sought after speaker for many of the aforementioned organizations.

Outside of his practice, Steve lived life with a wide range of passions and a wonderful, dry sense of humor. An avid joke teller, he brought quick wit to every conversation. He was a licensed private pilot—a pursuit he chose to step away from when his granddaughter Sophie was born, prioritizing time with his growing family. Over the years, Steve could be found skiing, running regularly with his dear friends Gerry Friedman and Freddie Andelman, or playing tennis with his college friend Bob Margil. He enjoyed playing bridge alongside Bobbi and their dear friends Freddie and Judy Andelman, unwinding with his favorite cooking shows, and listening to Frank Sinatra. He also “enjoyed” playing golf – always trying to improve! Above all, his greatest joy was spending time with his grandchildren.

Steve is survived by his beloved wife, Bobbi; his brother, Len Paris; his three children, Josh Paris (Tanya), Matt Paris (Dena), and Jen Paris Capute (Todd); and his six grandchildren, Evan, Camila, Sophie, Lydia, Charlie, and Sarah.

Services will be held at Levine Chapel in Brookline on Monday, September 28 at 11:00 am with a burial to follow at Sharon Memorial Park. The family will be observing shiva from 5:00-8:00 pm Monday (September 28) and Tuesday (September 29) at the home of Josh and Tanya Paris.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Stephen’s memory may be made to The Insurance Library of Boston, Las Margaritas Foundation, or Better Health for Africa (BHA). Links to each can be found in the "Donations" section of this page.