Agenda

Registration:                    8:00 – 8:30 am

Morning Session:             8:30 am – 12:30 pm

Lunch (On your own):       12:30 – 1:30 pm

Afternoon Session:           1:30 – 5:00 pm

Assisting with Family Law Case Intake

   Conflict check
   Gathering general information
   Retainer greement
   Opening file

Grounds for Divorce
Preparing Pleadings and Assisting with Motion Practice

   Preparing initial pleadings
      • Common juvenile and circuit court pleadings
   Requesting temporary relief (pendente lite motions)
      • Preparing for the temporary orders hearing (PL certification)
      • Preparing the temporary orders (PL orders)

Discovery

   Types and governing rules
   Obtaining and evaluating financial information
   Identifying relevant information on assets, debts, income and expenses
   Obtaining financial information
   Using financial information questionnaires
   Using interrogatories, requests for production, deposition testimony,
      private investigators
   Valuing assets
   Evaluating the information you have obtained
   Working with accountants and financial experts
   Preparing financial statements (VADER)

Child & Spousal Support

   Factors
   Sources of proof

Child Custody and Visitation Issues

   Factors
   Sources of proof

Equitable Distribution

   Factors
   Determining the date of separation
   VADER

Common Ethical Issues in Family Law Practice

   Complying with rules of professional responsibility and
      ethics guidelines for attorneys and paralegals
   Avoiding conflicts of interest
   Maintaining client confidentiality
   Avoiding the unauthorized practice of law
   Establishing and maintaining good communication with clients
   Working with difficult clients
   Maintaining professionalism with the courts and
      opposing counsel

Credits

This seminar offers all
paralegals 7.0 CLE hours,
including 1.0 ethics hour, that
have been approved by NALA
and NFPA.

Continuing Education Credit Information

This seminar is open to the public and offers 7.0 CLE hours, including 1.0 ethics hour, to all paralegals. The National Association of Legal Assistants and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations have each approved this seminar.

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire event. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.

Speakers

Aaron Christoff

Attorney at Law Office of Aaron Christoff PLLC in Alexandria, VA

Mr. Christoff has practiced family law since 2006 with a focus on complex divorce litigation primarily involving highly contested matters. His advocacy experience includes personally handling all aspects of divorce litigation at every applicable level of the Virginia Court system, including custody, support, and protective order matters in Virginia’s Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts; custody, support, divorce grounds, and equitable distribution matters at the Circuit Court level; and briefs filed with the Virginia Court of Appeals for both appellants and appellees. Mr. Christoff’s court appearances include cases presented in Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Stafford County, Richmond, Norfolk, and the D.C. Superior Court. He has litigated cases involving custody evaluators, protective orders, guardians ad litem, business valuation experts, psychiatrists, vocational experts, accountants, and private investigators, among others. While no stranger to the courtroom, Mr. Christoff is equally versed in resolving cases through settlement, having personally negotiated and drafted settlement agreements for matters with marital estates ranging from nothing but significant debt to those with values in the tens of millions of dollars. He has pursued and obtained settlement through mediation as well as independent negotiations for custody matters involving modifications based on relocation, special needs children, parent coordinators, international visitation arrangements, and numerous other scenarios. Mr. Christoff received his undergraduate degree in Communications with a focus on public relations from Loyola University of New Orleans in 2003. He obtained his J.D. degree from the University of Richmond T.C. Williams School of Law in 2006. Mr. Christoff is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is an active member of the Fairfax Bar Association. He is currently president-elect of the Fairfax Bar Association Board of Directors. He is former chair of the Fairfax Bar Association Legislative Committee, former chair of the Circuit Court Domestic Relations Subcommittee, and former chair of its Judicial Funding Task Force.

Robert M. Worster

Attorney at Worster Law PLLC in Fairfax, VA

Mr. Worster is a Marine Corps Veteran and graduate of Mary Washington College and the University of Richmond’s School of Law. He founded Worster Law PLLC in Fairfax, Virginia, in 2019. He primarily practices family law and criminal defense as a mediator, guardian ad litem and litigator. He practices throughout Virginia in all Courts of the Commonwealth. Mr. Worster serves on the Virginia State Bar’s Professionalism Course and Disciplinary Committee. He holds an “AV Preeminent Rating” from Martindale-Hubbell and was named a “Super Lawyer” in 2021. Mr. Worster was also previously named Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year by the Northern Virginia Pro Bono Law Center.

Streamable MP4/PDF Price: $259.00