Advanced Family Law Practice for Paralegals
Agenda
Morning Session: 8:30 – 11:50 am
Break: 11:50 am – 12:50 pm
Afternoon Session: 12:50 – 4:10 pm
Morning Session: Child Custody and Child Support
Assisting in child custody disputes C. Shepard
Review of statutory terminology and criteria for determining custody
Examining recent case law
Custody checklist
Obtaining relevant information
• Client interview
• Investigation
• Formal discovery
Educating your client
Preparing the client for assessment/evaluation
Working with experts
Working with the guardian ad litem
Preparing for trial
Obtaining a custody modification
Assisting with Preparation of Parenting Plans C. Shepard
Providing for support
Allocating medical expenses
Assigning parenting rights and duties
Calculation of parenting time
Providing for conflict resolution
Other optional provisions
Obtaining, Enforcing and Modifying Child Support Awards J. Lesowitz
Current status of California child support law
Applying the child support guidelines
Obtaining relevant information from your client
Investigation and formal discovery
Using the child support calculator
Preparing the child support order
Completing withholding and medical support orders
Public and private enforcement of child support
Modifying child support orders
Afternoon Session: Adoptions, Abuse/Neglect and Ethical Issues
Assisting with Adoptions T. Youmans
Looking at different adoption alternatives
Assisting in conventional adoptions
Assisting in private adoptions
Issues in international adoptions
Assisting in Matters Involving Allegations of Abuse or Neglect J. Lesowitz
Defining abuse and neglect
Reviewing recent case law
Investigating allegations of abuse and neglect
Obtaining/opposing protective orders
Identifying and Resolving Ethical Issues in Cases Involving Children J. Lesowitz
Defining and promoting the best interest of the children
Understanding the scope of client confidentiality
Working with family law clients while preventing the unauthorized practice of law
Credits
Paralegals:
6.0 CLE Hours for NALA and NFPACertified Paralegals
(including 1.0 Ethics Hour)
This family law CLE activity is offered to California paralegals and NALA and NFPA certified paralegals as either a traditional group live seminar or as a live, interactive webinar giving paralegals the option to select the learning method that best suits their needs. This course has been approved by the National Association of Legal Assistants and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations. To provide paralegals additional learning options, HalfMoon Education has applied to the NALA and the NFPA for course approvals for the morning webinar (Advanced Family Law Practice for Paralegals: Child Custody and Child Support) and the afternoon webinar (Advanced Family Law Practice for Paralegals: Adoptions, Abuse/Neglect and Ethical Issues). Paralegals can attend either the morning or afternoon webinars and earn CLE credits.
Speakers
Jessica Lesowitz
Attorney at LawMs. Lesowitz is an experienced family law attorney and has been practicing exclusively in the area of family law since 2001, providing her with substantial experience and knowledgeability within the field. After working at such esteemed firms as Trope & Trope, The Wiesner Law Corporation, Hughes & Hughes and the Law Offices of Christian Schank & Associates, in 2014, Ms. Lesowitz became a solo practitioner and has had the opportunity to work on hundreds of cases since going out on her own. Ms. Lesowitz is a high honors graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1998. Ms. Lesowitz is also a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law. Community involvement is the foundation upon which Ms. Lesowitz has built her legal career. She has performed pro bono work through the non-profit group The Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law, and has participated in events such as National Law Day and Roxbury Park’s Ask a Lawyer Day. In addition to her active family law practice, in 2016 Ms. Lesowitz has parlayed her knowledge of the field and most recently served as an adjunct professor at Whittier Law School, where she was a Community Property professor to 45 second and third year law students.
Courtney Shepard
Burch, Coulston & Shepard, LLPPartner at Burch, Coulston & Shepard, LLPMs. Shepard is an aggressive and passionate advocate for her clients. She practices exclusively in the area of family law and has been declared a Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She has successfully litigated cases involving issues of child custody, child support, spousal support, and attorney fees, and recently completed a nationally-recognized Trial Advocacy program which focused extensively on the litigation of child custody, support and complex business matters. Ms. Shepard is a member of the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the Orange County Bar Association. Ms. Shepard graduated from UCLA where she majored in political science with a business specialization. Ms. Shepard earned her Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Whittier Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review, a Dean’s List honoree and a fellow in the Center for Children’s Rights where she received a scholarship. Additionally, Ms. Shepard served as on the Whittier Law School Trial Advocacy Honors Board while competing in national competitions. She has prior legal experience as a certified litigation law clerk with the Orange County Office of the District Attorney.
Ted Youmans
Law Office of Ted R. YoumansFamily Building, The Law Office of Ted R. YoumansMr. Youmans graduated from Whittier Law School in 1986, after receiving his Bachelors Degree in 1982 from the University of Arizona. He was licensed to practice law in California in 1987, and he became a named partner in Van Deusen, Youmans & Walmsley of Santa Ana, California, in 1992. The firm specialized in adoption, adoption litigation, foster parent and dependency litigation, guardianships and surrogacy and related litigation. In November 2009,Mr. Youmans founded the Family Building, The Law Office of Ted R. Youmans. In addition to children’s law practice,Mr. Youmans has been active in legislative changes in these areas of the law. In 2006, he served as an adjunct adoption law professor at Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, California, and continues to serve on the Law School’s Center For Children’s Rights Board of Advisors. Mr. Youmans has been lead and associate counsel in numerous published and unpublished appellate court cases that have established precedents at the California Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court involving adoption, dependency/foster care, surrogate and guardianship law. He has spoken throughout California on adoption, guardianship and foster parent’s rights over his professional career.
There are 2 Courses in This Seminar
Child Custody and Child Support
SeminarSeptember 27, 2016Jessica Lesowitz + 2 Other Speakers
Speakers
Jessica Lesowitz
Attorney at LawMs. Lesowitz is an experienced family law attorney and has been practicing exclusively in the area of family law since 2001, providing her with substantial experience and knowledgeability within the field. After working at such esteemed firms as Trope & Trope, The Wiesner Law Corporation, Hughes & Hughes and the Law Offices of Christian Schank & Associates, in 2014, Ms. Lesowitz became a solo practitioner and has had the opportunity to work on hundreds of cases since going out on her own. Ms. Lesowitz is a high honors graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1998. Ms. Lesowitz is also a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law. Community involvement is the foundation upon which Ms. Lesowitz has built her legal career. She has performed pro bono work through the non-profit group The Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law, and has participated in events such as National Law Day and Roxbury Park’s Ask a Lawyer Day. In addition to her active family law practice, in 2016 Ms. Lesowitz has parlayed her knowledge of the field and most recently served as an adjunct professor at Whittier Law School, where she was a Community Property professor to 45 second and third year law students.
Courtney Shepard
Burch, Coulston & Shepard, LLPPartner at Burch, Coulston & Shepard, LLPMs. Shepard is an aggressive and passionate advocate for her clients. She practices exclusively in the area of family law and has been declared a Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She has successfully litigated cases involving issues of child custody, child support, spousal support, and attorney fees, and recently completed a nationally-recognized Trial Advocacy program which focused extensively on the litigation of child custody, support and complex business matters. Ms. Shepard is a member of the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the Orange County Bar Association. Ms. Shepard graduated from UCLA where she majored in political science with a business specialization. Ms. Shepard earned her Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Whittier Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review, a Dean’s List honoree and a fellow in the Center for Children’s Rights where she received a scholarship. Additionally, Ms. Shepard served as on the Whittier Law School Trial Advocacy Honors Board while competing in national competitions. She has prior legal experience as a certified litigation law clerk with the Orange County Office of the District Attorney.
Ted Youmans
Law Office of Ted R. YoumansFamily Building, The Law Office of Ted R. YoumansMr. Youmans graduated from Whittier Law School in 1986, after receiving his Bachelors Degree in 1982 from the University of Arizona. He was licensed to practice law in California in 1987, and he became a named partner in Van Deusen, Youmans & Walmsley of Santa Ana, California, in 1992. The firm specialized in adoption, adoption litigation, foster parent and dependency litigation, guardianships and surrogacy and related litigation. In November 2009,Mr. Youmans founded the Family Building, The Law Office of Ted R. Youmans. In addition to children’s law practice,Mr. Youmans has been active in legislative changes in these areas of the law. In 2006, he served as an adjunct adoption law professor at Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, California, and continues to serve on the Law School’s Center For Children’s Rights Board of Advisors. Mr. Youmans has been lead and associate counsel in numerous published and unpublished appellate court cases that have established precedents at the California Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court involving adoption, dependency/foster care, surrogate and guardianship law. He has spoken throughout California on adoption, guardianship and foster parent’s rights over his professional career.
Adoptions, Abuse/Neglect and Ethical Issues
SeminarSeptember 27, 2016Jessica Lesowitz + 2 Other Speakers
Speakers
Jessica Lesowitz
Attorney at LawMs. Lesowitz is an experienced family law attorney and has been practicing exclusively in the area of family law since 2001, providing her with substantial experience and knowledgeability within the field. After working at such esteemed firms as Trope & Trope, The Wiesner Law Corporation, Hughes & Hughes and the Law Offices of Christian Schank & Associates, in 2014, Ms. Lesowitz became a solo practitioner and has had the opportunity to work on hundreds of cases since going out on her own. Ms. Lesowitz is a high honors graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1998. Ms. Lesowitz is also a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law. Community involvement is the foundation upon which Ms. Lesowitz has built her legal career. She has performed pro bono work through the non-profit group The Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law, and has participated in events such as National Law Day and Roxbury Park’s Ask a Lawyer Day. In addition to her active family law practice, in 2016 Ms. Lesowitz has parlayed her knowledge of the field and most recently served as an adjunct professor at Whittier Law School, where she was a Community Property professor to 45 second and third year law students.
Courtney Shepard
Burch, Coulston & Shepard, LLPPartner at Burch, Coulston & Shepard, LLPMs. Shepard is an aggressive and passionate advocate for her clients. She practices exclusively in the area of family law and has been declared a Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She has successfully litigated cases involving issues of child custody, child support, spousal support, and attorney fees, and recently completed a nationally-recognized Trial Advocacy program which focused extensively on the litigation of child custody, support and complex business matters. Ms. Shepard is a member of the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the Orange County Bar Association. Ms. Shepard graduated from UCLA where she majored in political science with a business specialization. Ms. Shepard earned her Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Whittier Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review, a Dean’s List honoree and a fellow in the Center for Children’s Rights where she received a scholarship. Additionally, Ms. Shepard served as on the Whittier Law School Trial Advocacy Honors Board while competing in national competitions. She has prior legal experience as a certified litigation law clerk with the Orange County Office of the District Attorney.
Ted Youmans
Law Office of Ted R. YoumansFamily Building, The Law Office of Ted R. YoumansMr. Youmans graduated from Whittier Law School in 1986, after receiving his Bachelors Degree in 1982 from the University of Arizona. He was licensed to practice law in California in 1987, and he became a named partner in Van Deusen, Youmans & Walmsley of Santa Ana, California, in 1992. The firm specialized in adoption, adoption litigation, foster parent and dependency litigation, guardianships and surrogacy and related litigation. In November 2009,Mr. Youmans founded the Family Building, The Law Office of Ted R. Youmans. In addition to children’s law practice,Mr. Youmans has been active in legislative changes in these areas of the law. In 2006, he served as an adjunct adoption law professor at Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, California, and continues to serve on the Law School’s Center For Children’s Rights Board of Advisors. Mr. Youmans has been lead and associate counsel in numerous published and unpublished appellate court cases that have established precedents at the California Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court involving adoption, dependency/foster care, surrogate and guardianship law. He has spoken throughout California on adoption, guardianship and foster parent’s rights over his professional career.