Same-Sex Divorce, Parentage for Same Sex Couples - A Networking/Professional Development Event

SAME-SEX DIVORCE, PARENTAGE FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Crown Plaza Boston – Newton Hotel
320 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02458

5:30-6:00 PM Meet and talk with other professionals – Share ideas ~
Make new contacts ~ Enjoy refreshments
6:00-7:30 PM Lecture and Discussion

Attorney Joyce Kauffman will discuss the intricacies and complications of same sex divorce. Discussion will include:

• Impact of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act;
• Custody and Parentage Issues;
• Portability of Same Sex Marriage;
• Dissolution of Domestic Partnerships and Civil Unions.

Speaker Biography: JOYCE KAUFFMAN is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and a trained Mediator and Collaborative Lawyer. Her practice focuses exclusively on family law, with an emphasis on issues impacting the LGBT community. Attorney Kauffman is a member of the Family Law Advisory Council of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, former co-chair of the Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association (now known as the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association), and former chair of that organization’s Family Law Section. She is also a member of the Emeritus Board of Directors of Family Equality, a national organization advocating for the rights of LGBTQ families. Lawyers Weekly selected her as one of the Lawyers of the Year in 2009.

Register here.

Seeking a Marketing Consultant

The Divorce Center is a Massachusetts non-profit that educates and connects the public and professionals who specialize in Divorce resources (attorneys, financial planners, mediators, therapists, etc.). We are looking for help in reaching the public with our message, and of the highest priority in doing this is increasing attendance at our public education seminars (which to date have primarily been marketed via word-of-mouth and brochures through our membership). We believe that attendance could be increased by advertising in traditional and social media resources (which we could use professional expertise to connect with) and by increasing our online content resources.

We are hoping to find a part-time consultant to work with us on (and who has experience in) the following:

1. Developing an organizational strategy for involving membership in production of content (articles, presentations, etc.)

2. Developing (and assisting in the execution of) direct marketing of seminars.

3. Developing (and assisting in the execution of) advertising of seminars both through social media (twitter, facebook, linkedIn) and traditional media (local community resources, newspapers, etc.)

Ideally we would find someone who has experience with non-profit organizations and with our niche market (divorcing or potentially divorcing clients).

We are looking for proposals for a six-month part-time partnership, with the possibility of further work depending on results.

Please forward this to any contacts you may have that might be interested in this position or feel free to let us know the names of any people or resources that you believe could assist us in finding the right candidate.

Candidates can contact us at (888) 434-8787 or info@thedivorcecenter.org

Thank you for your time.

Annual Meeting and Professional Development Event

Topic: "Immigraton Issues in Family Law"

Speaker: Attorney Srinivas Ramineni

Attorney Ramineni practiced in India before coming to the United States, where he graduated cum laude from Suffolk University Law School. His practice, located in Waltham, includes both immigration and family law. He is knowledgeable about the legal, practical and emotional issues that are present when immigration and family law intersect. Join us as Attorney Ramineni discusses this timely topic that impacts all areas of family law.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM (ET)

5:30 - 6:30 PM - Get-together & Annual Membership Meeting
Gourmet Hors d'Oeuvres Buffet will be served. Cash bar available.
6:30 - 8 PM - Professional Development Event

at the Crowne Plaza Hotel
320 Washington Street
Exit 17 off the Mass Pike
Newton MA

Register Here.

Access to Justice: New Procedures in Probate & Family Court

On March 15, 2010, the Chief Justice of the Probate & Family Court released uniform Probate and Family Court Scheduling Practices and Procedures.

These procedures include certain requirements intended to promote predictability and uniformity of practice for the scheduling of all types of hearings in the Probate and Family Courts throughout the Commonwealth. The practices include mandatory scheduling of a next event and other requirements intended to keep cases moving forward.

One of the changes is to the Motion scheduling practice. Although some courts, such as Plymouth Probate & Family Court, previously allowed for scheduling of Motions at the discretion of the litigants (within the Notice rules), other courts, such as Norfolk, Middlesex and Suffolk Counties, only allowed for scheduling of Motions by the rules of their individual trial departments. According to the Chief Justice's new procedures:

"There shall be no restrictions on the number or timing of motions which
may be filed except as set forth above regardless of the nature of the underlying
complaint..."

The exception is that the First Justices shall have discretion, with the approval of the Chief Justice, to limit the marking of Motions. "Any limitation on motion sessions approved by the Chief Justice shall be posted in the division (Registry of Probate and courtrooms) and on the web site of the Probate and Family Court."

This should result in greater consistency throughout the counties, something probably more noticeable to attorneys than individual litigants. In the counties that used to limit the number of Motions, this will also result in getting into court more quickly (usually something desired by clients).

There is a downside though as well. At a recent Motion session in Suffolk which I attended with a client, there were 76 Motions scheduled. Luckily we were number three, but I would hate to be number 76. Although you might get into court a week or two before you otherwise would have, you should plan to be there all day.

Hopefully, as the courts get used to the new system these overloaded days will be less likely. Either way, I believe consistency of procedure among the counties is a good thing. Access to Justice should be the same no matter where you live.


Reposted with permission from the Kelsey & Trask, P.C. Family Law Blog.

What if I can't take the Parent Education Course? Is there an alternative option?

Under Standing Order 99-1 of the Probate & Family Court, if you have any minor children at the time of the filing of your divorce case, you are required to attend the Court-sponsored Parents Apart education program before you can present either a settlement of your case, or present your case for trial. A brochure which lists the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the various organizations that provide this program, in alphabetical order by town, is available by clicking here.

You should immediately enroll in and attend this course because your case cannot end until you have completed the course, which consists of two 3 hour sessions. After completion of the program you will be provided with a golden Certificate of Completion, which you must provide to the Court. If you give this golden copy to your attorney, they can ensure that it is properly filed with the Court and this requirement fulfilled.

But, what if you can't attend?

I have worked on numerous cases where one of the parties had moved to another country or state and was unable to return to Massachusetts to take the course, usually due to financial constraints. In those limited circumstances, Judge's will sometimes allow a Motion to Waive Attendance.

Pursuant to a recent Press Release from the Chief Justice of the Probate and Family Court Department, dated April 12, 2010, the court may suggest use of a DVD as a replacement for participation in the program (as a an alternative to a complete waiver).

According to the Press Release: "On a limited basis, use of a DVD program entitled KidCare for Co-Parents: An Educational Program for Divorcing Families is now available when a judge is considering a waiver.

KidCare for Co-Parents is a four and a half hour multimedia, interactive program which can be used with a DVD player on either a personal computer or a television screen. Completion of the interactive aspects of the DVD is required in order to obtain the Certificate of Attendance which must then be provided to the Court."

Issues in Divorce with Families with Disabled Persons

The Divorce Center presents the next Networking/Professional Development Event:

Issues in Divorce with Families with Disabled Persons

5:30 - 6:00 PM - Meet and talk with other professionals
Share ideas, make new contacts, enjoy refreshments
6:00 - 7:30 PM - Lecture and Discussion

Effective counseling for divorcing families that include persons with disabilities requires addressing the complex issues faced by these families. What do you do when a spouse has a significant mental health problem or chronic illness? What needs to be addressed where the parties have a child with special needs? What role do government benefits play in crafting an appropriate settlement? Come and learn to identify potential issues when a divorcing family also faces the challenges of disability.
Speaker:

Alexandra "Sasha" Golden

Alexandra "Sasha" Golden is the Principal of Golden Law Center located in Needham. She has provided legal services to the elderly, persons with disabilities and their families for over 15 years. She serves on the Board of the Massachusetts Guardianship Association and is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and the Probate Section of the Massachusetts Bar Association. She also serves as a guardian ad litem on behalf of persons with disabilities in the Probate Court. Ms. Golden received both her undergraduate and law degrees from Boston College.

Location:
Wellesley Public Library
Main Branch - Arnold Room
530 Washington St
Wellesley, MA 02482

Register Online Here

PAUL R. BLATCHFORD - What does a Vocational Expert do?

Meet Paul R. Blatchford – one of our newer members of the Board of Directors. Unlike many of our other board members, Paul is not an attorney, nor is he a psychologist or a financial planner. Paul is a vocational consultant and expert.

Paul graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. He subsequently earned a Masters in Educational Counseling from Suffolk University. Additionally, he has had extensive training for Vocational Testing and Labor Market Research. Paul is certified by the American Board of Vocational Experts as a Diplomate – the highest status that one can reach.

After graduating from college, Paul initially worked for Youth Activities of Southeastern Massachusetts, providing services to the Welfare Department under the Work Incentive (WIN) program. In this capacity, Paul provided counseling, vocational training, and assisted in job placement of women who were welfare recipients. Paul also worked with severely handicapped individuals for the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. For seventeen years, he was contracted by the Social Security Administration to provide testimony in disability hearings, as an impartial vocational expert.

As a member of the Board of Directors, Paul also serves as Co-Chair of the Professional Development Committee. This committee is the arm of The Divorce Center which offers seminars to our membership and other professionals interested in a particular topic. He is also member of the National Association of Disability Evaluators (NADE), and the International Association of Rehabilitative Professionals (IARP).

Paul has maintained a private practice as a vocational consultant for more than thirty years. He has been qualified as an expert witness by numerous federal, state, and administrative bodies. He has offices in Brookline and Worcester.

What exactly does a Vocational Consultant do?

Initially, consultant assesses the capacity of a person to do work and to earn money. If a person is able to work, then the vocational expert determines this person’s ability to sustain work, i.e., whether the person can work full time or part time. This assessment is done by gathering vocational information such as the person’s age, education, prior work history, and presence or absence of disability. Once this information is compiled, the vocational expert develops an analysis of the individual’s vocational profile and earning capacity. In certain instances, standardized vocational testing can be utilized.

Who would have need for a Vocational Expert? Various organizations, such as the Industrial Accident Board and the Social Security Administration, along with attorneys who concentrate in divorce cases, wrongful death, personal injury, long-term disability, and medical malpractice cases utilize these specialized evaluations.

Why and when would a divorce attorney require such services? In divorce litigation, an attorney may want his or her client’s employability factors analyzed to determine what type of jobs (full or part-time) their client would potentially be able to perform. The expert witness would also determine the earning capacity associated with those jobs. In divorce litigation, it can also be beneficial for an attorney to secure this information on their client’s unemployed or underemployed spouse. This information can be utilized in mediation or in trial. It can provide a judge or mediator with data necessary to make an informed decision.

It is helpful for an attorney to hire a vocational consultant, such as Paul, prior to drafting the interrogatories and prior to conducting any depositions. Paul could utilize his expertise to assist the attorney in knowing what questions to ask for both of these discovery tools.

When Paul is not working, he is very involved with his family. He is married and has two teen-aged children. If Paul is not at home or working, you might be able to find him fishing on Cape Cod, or maintaining his colorful and diverse garden.

If you would like to speak with Paul regarding his fees or to find out more about his services, he may be reached by calling 617-244-5642 or emailing him at paulblat@aol.com