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Alternative Families Committee
Some states permit same-sex couples to enter into comprehensive legal relationships that confer important property and parental rights and responsibilities on the parties to the relationships. Other states are enacting statutory and constitutional provisions limiting recognition of marriages and other legal relationships between same-sex couples. This program will provide guidance and suggestions for counsel representing same-sex couples in this complex and largely unresolved area of law

Law Practice Management and Trial Practice & Techniques Committees
This fast-paced program will present the best ideas for closing a case, including how closing a case can be used as a marketing tool; what information a client needs at the end of a case; storage; retrieval documents and a client check-off list.

Military Law Committee
In many military cases, there are significant savings to be had, and sometimes assets are overlooked, unless you have a "guidebook." This program will be your guidebook on where to find the hidden money, save money for your client, and be the best advocate for the service member in settlement or trial.

This session will address the duties of the client and counsel regarding electronic evidence, what to look for during discovery, and related ethical considerations including preventing the spoliation of electronic evidence. This program will discuss trial admissibility issues that arise concerning electronic evidence as well as issues regarding the Federal Electronic Signatures Act.

Child Support Committee
This program will deal with issues of college expenses and other extras including the use of 529 accounts, UGMA accounts, and providing for other needs beyond the basics.

Marital Property Committee
This program will focus on representation of the small business owner in a divorce, whether the business is a sole proprietorship, sub-chapter S Corp., C Corp., or a "mom and pop" operation. The focus will be on protecting the business and ensuring its continuation, proving and defending hidden income claims, proving the elements of a sub S shareholder's income (real or imaginary) for child support, distributions, or spousal support.

Law Practice Management Committee
This program is a systematic approach to divorce practice management with an emphasis on practical applications. The materials are drawn from The Complete Guide to Divorce Practice, 3rd Edition. The program moves from basic practice tips to advanced skills. There will be forms, checklists, and guides that the attendees can use in their practice. This program is recommended for lawyers with a sense of humor.

Even difficult issues can be easy to handle when opposing counsel is settlement oriented and the parties are reasonable. However, a substance abuse or mental health issue can make any case a nightmare to handle. With insight from substance abuse and mental health professionals, as well as advice from the trenches, this program will address how to recognize, confront and handle these difficult issues, whether they are occurring with the opposing party, your client, or even opposing counsel.

Child Custody Committee
In our mobile society, inter-state child custody issues are an everyday occurrence for the family lawyer. Subject matter jurisdiction in almost all states is determined by the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) and by the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act. Yet gray areas and anomalies remain. This program will provide a case study and highlight areas of lingering confusion and concern.

Trial Practice and Techniques Committee
This program will detail the process and evidence necessary in presenting and defending a domestic violence trial between a same-sex couple.

Young Lawyers Division
The bona fides of financial-type assets are complex for even the most experienced matrimonial attorney. We must be able to navigate this environment intelligently and critically. The financial landscape changes daily and the marketing moguls on Wall Street consistently introduce new products and services to satisfy what they perceive to be unmet client needs. Hedge Funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Indexed Annuities, and Private Equity are just a few of the complex products that have found their way into client portfolios in the past few years. Other established products, such as bonds, have derivations such that you may think you understand them, but of which you cannot be certain. How are investment fees calculated and charged? How does one calculate rates of return? How accurate are the asset values shown on statements? How are the professionals that work in this field compensated? These and other questions will be addressed at this session, taught by three investment professionals.

This program will provide the family lawyer with tools regarding what to do when presented with a family law case that intersects with federal issues such as bankruptcy, immigration, QDROs and QMESCOs.