Agenda

Registration:                        8:00 – 8:30 am
Morning Session:                8:30 – 11:45 am
Lunch (On your own):         11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Afternoon Session:             12:45 – 4:00 pm

Assisting with Family Law Case Intake
A. Nickolaou, A Phillips

Assisting with initial client interview
Preparing engagement letter, opening file
Collecting information
Assisting with preparation of pleadings
Preparing for temporary orders hearing

Obtaining and Evaluating Financial Information
C. Melendez 

Identifying relevant information on assets, debts, income and expenses
Obtaining financial information
Evaluating the information you have obtained
Working with accountants and financial experts
Preparing financial statements

Assisting with Child Custody and Visitation Issues
V. Anderson  

Current status of custody law in Florida
Obtaining relevant information
Working with guardian-ad-litem
Working with experts
Drafting and reviewing parenting plans

Ethics in Family Law: Conflicts of Interest
 and Client Confidentiality
C. Moore

   Preventing conflicts of interest
Protecting client confidentiality

Ethics in Family Law:                                                                                 
Avoiding the Unauthorized Practice of Law
R. Spence

   What is the unauthorized practice of law?
What a family law paralegal may and may not do

Credits

Florida Registered Paralegals
6.0 CLE Hours (2.0 Ethics)

NALA Approved

NFPA Approval Pending

 Continuing Education Credit Information

This seminar is open to the public and offers 6.0 CLE hours, including 2.0 ethics hours, to paralegals. The National Association of Legal Assistants has approved this course, and approval is pending from the National Federation of Paralegal Associations.

Certification is not required to attend this event.

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

Victoria L. Anderson

Owner at Anderson & Ferrin, Attorneys at Law, P.A., in Orlando

Ms. Anderson primarily practices in the areas of domestic and family law, criminal law, and bankruptcy. Ms. Anderson’s over 12 years of experience in these areas of law has given her a unique ability to not only achieve results but to assist clients though difficult, complicated and sometimes incredibly emotional events. She received her bachelors degree in Political Science from the University of Central Florida and a J.D. degree from Barry University School of Law, where she received a certificate for completing a concentration in the areas of children and family law. Ms. Anderson has worked in the legal field since 1997 and since then has worked at all levels within private law firms. Ms. Anderson has been involved in the following organizations and affiliations: American Bar Association, The Florida Bar (Family, Criminal and Young Lawyers Division), and Orange County Bar Association. Additionally, Ms. Anderson is an adjunct professor for Seminole State College as well as Bryant & Stratton. Ms. Anderson was a former adjunct professor for Barry University, Kaplan University and Everest University.

Christopher Melendez

Virga Law Firm

The Virga Law Firm
Mr. Melendez has dealt with paternity, divorce, child support, and temporary custody by an extended family member, cases all over Northern Florida. He graduated from Florida State University cum laude, earning a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship. Shortly after graduating cum laude from Florida Coastal School of Law and receiving his license to practice in Florida, Mr. Melendez worked for North Florida Legal Services. He assisted the indigent with government aid applications, loan modification documents, and defending debt collection and eviction proceedings. In early 2014 he moved to south Florida to work in Mortgage Foreclosure Defense and in 2015 Melendez returned to Tallahassee to provide affordable immigration, bankruptcy, and family law services to residents of Leon and surrounding counties. Joining The Virga Law Firm, P.A. in 2016, Mr. Melendez brings years of conflict resolution experience, superb legal writing, and a dedication to thorough research. This lends to his previous legal experience in saving both homes and families in counties all over the state of Florida.

Conti Moore

Conti Moore Law, PLLC

Conti Moore Law, PLLC
Ms. Moore has quickly earned a reputation in the Central Florida legal community as being a fierce advocate for her clients. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge obtained from the best schools in the state. Ms. Moore’s determined approach to winning every battle was crafted when she attended Florida A&M University. It was there where she earned a bachelor of science degree in computer information systems with a minor in business, gaining the acumen she now utilizes to operate her own successful business and represent her clients in business law matters. The unyielding, battle-ready disposition that Ms. Moore brings to every case was fortified when she attended and earned her doctor of jurisprudence degree at the College of Law at Florida State University. It was here that she was honored to have become a member of the FSU Journal of Transnational Law and Policy. In 2010, Ms. Moore was recognized by the National Bar Association and Impact as one of the Nation’s Best Advocates: 40 Lawyers Under 40. She was also presented with the coveted Excellence in Service Award in recognition of her unyielding commitment to community service.

Andrew Nickolaou

Founding Partner at Bernal-Mora & Nickolaou, P.A. in Maitland.

Mr. Nickolaou practices almost exclusively in divorce, marital and family law. Mr. Nickolaou also handles record expungements and sealings. He and his partner, Ophelia Bernal-Mora Nickolaou, joined forces in March 2016 to form the unique and boutique husband and wife family law team at Bernal-Mora & Nickolaou, P.A. Together, they take a practical and team- based approach to all of their cases and clients to deliver the highest quality experience and representation. Mr. Nickolaou was born in Chicago, Illinois, and relocated to Florida as a teenager, where he has lived since. He graduated from the University of Florida, with honors, acquiring a bachelor of arts degree. He then proceeded to law school, where he earned his doctorate of jurisprudence degree from Barry University – Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law in Orlando with high honors in the top five percent of his class.

April Phillips

Bernal-Mora & Nickolauo

Bernal-Mora & Nickolauo
Ms. Phillips, FRP, is a Florida registered paralegal and is the Senior Family Law Paralegal at Bernal-Mora & Nickolaou, P.A. She began her career doing court appointed guardianship for the elderly and disabled. Ms. Phillips is currently working on obtaining her certification to become an advanced certified trial paralegal. She has extensive experience in divorce, marital, and family law and brings that wealth of experience to clients that she is privileged to work with, and that experience helps her assist her attorneys in diligently and competently representing the client.

Richard Spence

The Spence Law Firm

The Spence Law Firm
Orlando divorce and family law attorney Richard Spence founded The Spence Law Firm in 2012 to provide top end legal expertise to its clients at a reasonable cost that most firms can’t match. Mr. Spence focuses his practice on divorce law and family law. He graduated from UCF in 1995 with a B.A. degree in Political Science and a minor in Business Administration, then graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Law in 1999, where he served as research editor of the Florida Law Review.