Agenda

Registration:                        8:00 – 8:30 am
Morning Session:                8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Lunch (On your own):         12:00 – 1:00 pm
Afternoon Session:             1:00 – 4:30 pm

Assisting with Family Law Case Intake                                             A. Weems

Performing conflicts checks
Assisting with initial client interview
Preparing engagement letter, opening file
Collecting information

Preparing Marital Settlement Agreements                                         L. Lefkowitz

Assisting with different types of agreements
• Property agreements
• Child-related agreements
• Support agreements

Working With Divorce Clients and Opposing Counsel                   M. Previtera

Establishing and maintaining good communication with clients
• Methods of communication and contents of communications
• Guidelines for responding to client communications
Working with difficult clients
Working with the courts and opposing counsel
Maintaining professionalism

Assisting with Child Custody and Visitation Issues                        E. Smith

Current status of custody law in Pennsylvania
Obtaining relevant information
• Client interview, custody questionnaires, authorizations for disclosure,
using formal discovery
Working with guardian-ad-litem
Working with experts
Drafting and reviewing parenting plans

Enforcing and Modifying Family Law Orders and Decrees             M. Testa

Implementing divorce decrees and orders
• Preparing and filing the decree
• Preparing other necessary documents
• Enforcing judgments and orders
Modifying decrees and orders
• Determining which parts of a decree or order are subject to modification,
deciding when to seek modification
Assisting in modification actions

Handling Ethical Issues in Family Law Practice                              P. Cooper

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
Working with the secretive or dishonest client
Handling allegations of abuse or neglect
Zealous (vs. over-zealous) representation
Fee agreements, retainers, and collection of unpaid fees

Credits

This seminar offers paralegals
6.5 CLE hours, including 1.0 ethics hours

NALA Approved
NFPA Approved

Continuing Education Credit Information

This seminar is open to the public and offers 6.5 CLE hours, including 1.0 ethics hours, to paralegals. Certification is not required to attend this event.

The National Association of Legal Assistants and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations have each approved 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

Patrick Cooper

Sadek and Cooper

Partner at Sadek and Cooper
Mr. Cooper became Sadek and Cooper’s first partner in 2013. As a divorce attorney and skilled divorce mediator, he has helped hundreds of families navigate the complexities of custody, child support, alimony and property division. Mr. Cooper’s education has prepared him for the unique complexities of family law practice. He has a BA degree in Psychology with a business concentration from Pennsylvania State University. He is also a graduate of Pittsburgh School of Law. Mr. Cooper is a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the New Jersey Bar, and the American Bar Association. He also sits on the executive board of the Nicholas A. Cipriani American Inn of Court for Members Specializing in Family Law.

Larry Lefkowitz

Larry the Lawyer

Founder at Larry the Lawyer
Mr. Lefkowitz is a 1986 graduate of Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, California. After working for two different law firms, he went solo in 1991 and founded his own practice, the Law Offices of Larry H. Lefkowitz (also known as Larry the Lawyer). Mr. Lefkowitz maintains a general practice, with an emphasis in family law. He is a flat rate affordable attorney. You can find Larry at www.larrythelawyer.com

Melinda Previtera

Petrelli Previtera Schimme

Partner at Petrelli Previtera Schimme
Ms. Previtera focuses her practice in all areas of family law including divorce, child support and custody, same-sex marriage rights, and domestic violence law. Her passion and experience allows her to tackle the most complicated cases with confidence and knowledge to obtain the best outcomes for her clients. As partner, she is the attorney team lead and acts as a mentor for the firm’s associates. Prior to moving to private practice, Ms. Previtera served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable James P. Savio in the family division. After working at Petrelli Law as an associate, she joined the firm as a partner in 2017. Ms. Previtera earned her J.D. degree from Rutgers School of Law.

Elaine Smith

Smith Horwitz

Partner at Smith Horwitz
Ms. Smith has been in the private practice of law for more than 40 years and has limited her practice to domestic relations including custody, support, divorce, and marital settlement agreements. She practices in Center City Philadelphia with her partner, Adam Horwitz, and has been co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Family Law Section Custody Committee for many years. Ms. Smith was previously chair of the Family Law Section Executive Committee. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, master’s degree from Bryn Mawr College, and law degree from Temple University. Ms. Smith has been a guest lecturer at Temple Law School and Delaware Law School, and is a frequent speaker on family law topics.

Maria Testa

Testa & Pagnanelli

Partner at Testa & Pagnanelli
As a member of the Pennsylvania Bar, Ms. Testa has limited her practice to the exclusive representation of clients in family law and divorce matters, including child support, custody, divorce, relocation, and abuse. She earned her J.D. degree from the Seton Hall University School of Law and has been practicing law since 2008. Ms. Testa is a member of the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Philadelphia Bar Association, and the Montgomery County Bar Association, which also includes the Family Law Section and the Family Law Custody Committee. She is also a member of the Nicholas A. Cipriani Family Law Inn of Court and the National Association of Women Business Owners. Ms. Testa was named one of Suburban Life Magazine’s Top Family Law Attorneys in 2017 and has been named a Super Lawyer Rising Star for 2015 to 2018.

Aaron Weems

Fox Rothschild

Attorney at Fox Rothschild
Mr. Weems is an attorney for Fox Rothschild in their Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, office. His practice focuses on helping families and individuals with their legal needs, including divorce, adoption (traditional, step-parent, and contested adoptions), custody, child and spousal support, and the equitable distribution of assets, as well as the negotiation and preparation of prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements. Mr. Weems also advises clients in a variety of other legal issues crucial to individuals and small business owners such as real estate partition actions and specific aspects of business succession planning. He graduated from Villanova University where he was a member of the football team.