Join us for the premier event for Family Law attorneys!
PBI’s Family Law Institute 2023 will be held live in Mechanicsburg and webcast. Day 1 of the Institute will consist of four plenary sessions on the most important topics presented by dynamic and talented faculty. The second day of the Institute offers two tracks** of session choices that you have come to love about the Institute. Don’t miss your opportunity to hear the latest and greatest in family law.
Day 1 - Wednesday, April 19th
9:00 - 10:30 am
How Lawyers, Mental Health Professionals, and Courts Can Effectuate Change in High Conflict Families (Ethics)
Helen Casale (Mod.), Judge Christina Simpson, Heather Goldner Kinsey, Inna Materese
Experienced family court judges, mental health professionals, and attorneys will discuss the resources that they use to help high conflict families reduce conflict in their co-parenting relationships. Discussion will focus on the types of orders that can promote better cooperation, the types of counseling that may be used to improve child-centered communication, and hot tips for ways to overcome challenges to successful co-parenting relationships.
10:30 - 10:45 am
Break
10:45 - 12:15 pm
Alimony and Support: From Simple to Sublime
Meredith Brennan and Lauren Sorrentino
This session will address both common and unique support issues, including what is and is not includable as income, deferred compensation and other forms of complex compensation, perquisites, how to treat bonuses, double-dipping issues, duty to report/retroactivity/arrears, defenses to spousal support and APL, life insurance and other security, tax credits, obligations with respect to adult children with disabilities, deviation issues, and more.
12:15 - 1:00 pm
Lunch
1:00 - 2:30 pm
Essential Family Law Agreements and Documents
Ann Funge, Lauren Sorrentino, Julia Cronin Rater
This session is designed to guide you through the various agreements and documents commonly used in family law practice. Interact with panelists from around the state as they share their best practices for drafting, executing, and enforcing family law agreements.
2:30 - 2:45 pm
Break
2:45 - 4:15 pm
Case Law, Rules & Legislative Update
Daniel Bell-Jacobs, Teresa Marino, Julia Cronin Rater
This session will cover the most recent appellate decisions available. Our interactive panel of attorneys will offer their insight, wisdom and practice pointers on how these decisions will impact family law issues in the future.
Day 2 - Thursday, April 20th
9:00 - 10:30 am Concurrent Sessions - Choose One
Track A: Gag Orders in Child-Custody Litigation: Social Media and the Privacy Interests of Children
Mark Momjian, Judge Alita Rovito, Hillary Moonay
Can a family court judge direct custody litigants not to “deadname” their trans child? Can custody litigants be directed not to post about their case on social media? The First Amendment and child-custody adjudication collide in this program about gag orders and the privacy interests of the child.
Track B: Grey Divorce: Issues and Considerations
Jonathan Hoffman (Mod.), Melissa Boyd, Darren Holst
Join us and learn the intricacies of dealing with this once unthinkable concept. Hear how to identify the issues that distinguish senior divorces from usual practice and become familiar with the blueprint for successful representation. Prepare yourself to handle nuances such as retirement and financial planning, alimony, premarital agreements, estate planning, and Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
10:30 - 10:40 am
Break
10:40 - 12:10 pm Concurrent Sessions - Choose One
Track A: Third Party Custody Cases
Ned Hark (Mod.), Judge Jeffrey Engle, Eileen Murphy, Adam Tanker
This session will examine third parties in custody three years after standing for grandparents and other third parties was changed and expanded. We will look at the law and trends that have emerged in third party custody as well as how the practice has changed as a result of this expansion.
Track B: Parenting Coordination
Carolyn Zack (Mod.), Lise Fisher, Judge Alita Rovito, Dr. Arnold Shienvold, Tim Colgan
What is parenting coordination? What is it not? This session will cover how to be an effective Parenting Coordinator, the ethical issues in parenting coordination, domestic violence, and the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
**Webcast attendees will NOT have session choices for Day 2. The webcast will include only Track A courses.**
All attendees will receive the course materials as a digital book. A printed copy of the course book is available, at a discount to attendees, for $80. Additional copies are available at full price. If you wish to purchase the printed version of the course book, please call PBI customer service at 800-932-4637. Please allow up to two weeks after the program for the printed version of the course book to be shipped.
ProPass - Online does not apply to institute programs delivered by webcast.