North Carolina Family Law Practice for Paralegals Seminar
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 and
Working with Divorce Clients and Opposing Counsel
A. Bosquez-Porter
Assisting with initial client interview
Preparing engagement letter, opening file
Collecting information
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
Preparing Marital Settlement Agreements
A. Bosquez-Porter
Assisting with different types of agreements
• Property agreements
• Child-related agreements
• Support agreements
Obtaining and Evaluating Financial Information
W. Gelb
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
Assisting with Child Custody and Visitation Issues
D. Griffiths
Current status of custody law in North Carolina
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
R. Tarrant
Implementing divorce decrees and orders
• Preparing and filing the decree
• Preparing other necessary documents
• Enforcing judgments and orders
• Enforcing temporary orders
• Enforcing custody orders
• Enforcing support 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
J. Smith
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
North Carolina Certified Paralegals
6.5 CPE Hours (1.0 Ethics)
NFPA Certified Paralegals
6.5 CLE Hours (1.0 Ethics)
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public. The North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification has approved this course for 5.5 general CPE hours and 1.0 Ethics CPE hour.
The National Federation of Paralegal Associations has approved this course for 6.5 CLE hours, which includes 5.5 general CLE hours and one ethics hour.
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
Andrea Bosquez-Porter
Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers, LLPPartner at Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers, LLP
Ms. Bosquez-Porter brings a warmth and compassion to her family law practice that helps to lessen the worry and stress of individuals facing separation, divorce, or complex child custody issues. With a caring and responsive approach, she helps clients identify and express their personal goals and concerns to aid in their decision-making. Ms. Bosquez-Porter is a board certified family law specialist by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, a certified family financial settlement mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission, and parenting coordinator. An experienced litigator, she represents individuals in matters involving high conflict and complex family law and domestic violence matters. Her practice includes family law (equitable distribution, alimony, custody, child support, contested divorce), domestic violence, civil harassment, and child support enforcement. Ms. Bosquez-Porter is named to the North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars – a list recognizing attorneys (age 40 or under or those in practice for 10 years or less) who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
Wesley Gelb
Attorney at Wyrick Robbins Yates & PontonMr. Gelb is a board-certified specialist in family law who has over a decade of experience representing individuals in matters involving custody, support, and property division. He also regularly prepares premarital and postmarital agreements. Mr. Gelb grew up in Raleigh and graduated, cum laude, from North Carolina State. He received his law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law. After graduating from Wake Forest, he began his legal career in Washington, DC, before returning to Raleigh in 2014. Mr. Gelb is licensed to practice in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. He is also licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Gelb has been listed among The Best Lawyers in America for family law (2018-2019) and Super Lawyers for family law (2014, 2018-2019).
Debbie Griffiths
Griffiths Family LawAttorney at Griffiths Family Law
Ms. Griffiths limits her practice to the area of family law including adoptions, pre-marital and separation agreements, spousal and child support, custody and property division as well as representation of parents who are involved with a CPS investigation/filed petition alleging abuse, neglect or dependency. She assists families at all stages of the legal process from pre-litigation to mediation, trial and appeal. She serves as a guardian ad litem for children or parties involved in the litigation process, and she is approved to serve as a parenting coordinator. Ms. Griffiths has been certified as a specialist by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization in the area of family law since 2008. She is also a NCDRC certified superior court mediator and a certified family financial mediator. Ms. Griffiths received her J.D. degree from North Carolina Central Law School in 2003 where she attended the evening program and graduated from East Carolina University in 1990 with a B.A. degree in Psychology and a minor in Business Administration. She is an active member of the Wake County Bar Association (membership committee), the 10th Judicial District Bar Association (fee grievance committee) and the Family Law (adoption committee) and Military and Veterans Law (pro bono committee) Sections of the North Carolina Bar Association.
Jennifer Smith
The Doyle Law Group, P.A.Attorney at The Doyle Law Group, P.A.
Ms. Smith was certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a family law specialist in 2009 and re-certified as a specialist in 2015. While attending North Carolina Central University School of Law, she was a member of the senior editorial staff at the North Carolina Central Law Journal. Ms. Smith was awarded the Outstanding Family Student Award from the North Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in 2003.
Ryan Tarrant
Tarrant Family LawOwner of Tarrant Family Law
Mr. Tarrant is a North Carolina board certified specialist in family law. His primary areas of practice are postseparation support, alimony, equitable distribution, separation agreements, premarital and post-nuptial agreements, child custody, child support, contempt, termination of parental rights and domestic violence. Mr. Tarrant received his bachelor of arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his juris doctorate degree from Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law. He is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Family Law Section and the Wake County Bar Association. Mr. Tarrant has served on the Wake County Bar Association/Tenth Judicial District’s Strategic Planning Committee and the Membership Services Committee and currently serves on the NCBA Young Lawyers Division Wellness Committee. He has previously presented at the NCBA’s Basics of Family Law CLE (2014), the NCBA’s Family Law Annual Conference (2016) and the NCBA’s 2017 Annual Update.