Agenda

Webinar instructions will be emailed before the date of the webinar.

Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before the start time.

Friday, March 21, 2025 
8:30 am – 4:30 pm CDT

 

Domestic Violence and Orders of Protection
Presented by: Elizabeth McGuan

  • State and federal laws addressing domestic violence
  • The Illinois Domestic Violence Act
  • Differences between “restraining order” and “protective order”
  • Drafting the Petition for Order of Protection
  • Due process protections and the ex parte hearing

Assisting with Preparation of Parenting Plans
Presented by: Christopher J. Maurer

  • Providing for support
  • Allocating medical expenses
  • Assigning parenting rights and duties
  • Calculation of parenting time
  • Providing for conflict resolution
  • Other optional provisions

Assisting with Alternative Dispute Resolution
Presented by: Thomas T. Field

  • Assisting in family law mediation
  • Understanding and assisting in divorce arbitration
  • Assisting in the collaborative divorce process

Obtaining, Enforcing and Modifying Child Support Awards
Presented by: Melissa Caballero Dunn

  • Current status of Illinois 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

Artificial Intelligence as a Resource for the Family Law Practitioner
Presented by: Mitchell B. Gordon

  • How artificial intelligence (AI) works
  • What AI can (and cannot) do
  • Reviewing popular AI applications
  • Using AI to prepare documents
  • Using AI for research
  • Using AI for document review

Navigating Ethical Boundaries: Resolving Ethical Issues in Cases Involving Children
Presented by: Erin N. Birt

  • Defining “best interests” of the child
    • Factors, statutory guidelines, and roles of professionals involved
  • Client confidentiality in family law
    • Best practices for handling sensitive information in contentious custody cases
  • Preventing the unauthorized practice of law
    • Recognizing tasks paralegals can perform versus legal advice; practical tips for client interactions
  • Addressing conflicts of interest and avoiding misrepresentation
    • Real-world examples from Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission investigations

 

Webinar Instructions

All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.

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Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled.

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Credits

Paralegals
6.5 CLE Hours (Incl. 1.0 Ethics Hour)

NFPA - National Federation of Paralegal Associations
6.5 CLE Credits (Incl. 1.0 Ethics Credit)

 

Continuing Education Credit Information

This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.0 CLE hours, including 1.0 ethics hour, for paralegals in Illinois. Paralegal certification is not required to participate in this course. 

This webinar has been approved by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) for 6.5 total CLE credits, which includes 5.5 general CLE credits and 1.0 ethics CLE credit. 

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed). 

*On-Demand Credits* 

The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate. 

Speakers

Erin N. Birt

Attorney & Mediator, Founder of The Law Firm of Erin N. Birt, P.C. in Wheaton, IL

Ms. Birt is a seasoned family law attorney, mediator, and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) with over 20 years of experience in family law and child advocacy. As the founder of Birt Family Law and creator of the signature Restorative Divorce™ process, Ms. Birt focuses on guiding families through resolution-focused divorce and co-parenting while minimizing court involvement. She is a sought-after speaker on ethics and best practices in family law, known for her practical insights and child-centered approach.

Melissa Caballero Dunn

Managing Partner at Merel Family Law in Chicago, IL

Ms. Dunn is a certified mediator, award-winning, and trained in collaborative divorce, and she has been appointed by judges to represent the interests of minor children in custody disputes. She was named a member of the illustrious Forty Under 40, a peer-reviewed selection of the finest young attorneys in Chicago. She has extensive knowledge of family law issues, including divorce and custody disputes, child support payments, alimony matters, prenuptial agreements, domestic violence cases, adoption proceedings and other types of family disputes. Ms. Dunn practices exclusively in family law and has done so since 2008.

Thomas T. Field

Equity Partner at Beermann LLP in Chicago, IL

Mr. Field practices in the areas of matrimonial and family law, primarily in Cook and Lake Counties in Illinois, and where his expertise is of particular value throughout the State of Illinois. He is currently the Head of the firm’s Family Law Practice Group and has served as lead counsel in numerous trials. Mr. Field is a seasoned litigator of custody disputes, relocation actions (including interstate and international matters involving the Hague convention), resolution of post-dissolution conflicts, negotiating and drafting prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and litigation of dissolution matters involving prenuptial and postnuptial agreements as well as all family law-related matters for same sex-couples. He was selected in 2010 by Law Bulletin Publishing Company as one of the Top 40 Attorneys Under Forty in Illinois. Additionally, Mr. Field was named a Rising Star in the area of Family Law by Super Lawyers Magazine every year since 2009, which is a designation reserved for the top 2.5% of attorneys in Illinois under the age of 40.

Mitchell B. Gordon

Founding Partner at Bradford & Gordon, LLC, in Chicago, IL

Mr. Gordon works exclusively in the area of family law. He has significant experience dealing with both parenting-related and financial litigation. In addition, Mr. Gordon has expertise conducting settlement conferences, drafting marital settlement agreements, parenting agreements, and pre and post-nuptial agreements. Furthermore, he is a skilled appellate advocate, having litigated numerous family law cases at the Appellate Court level. In 2012, Mr. Gordon’s book, Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Agreements, was published by the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE). He also authored the 2022 edition of the book, and it remains their most comprehensive authority on the drafting and enforcement of pre and post-nuptial agreements.

Christopher J. Maurer

Founding Partner with SLG Family Law in Naperville, IL

Mr. Maurer has over two decades of experience in all aspects of divorce and family law. As a trained guardian ad litem, Mr. Maurer has been appointed by judges to investigate contested custody cases, to be “the eyes and ears of the court”, and to give guidance and recommendations to the court as to what is in the best interest of the children. As a trained and certified mediator, he has been appointed by the courts and retained by private parties to act as a neutral third party to facilitate settlement agreements between parties to divorce and parenting disputes. Mr. Maurer handles cases in DuPage County, Cook County, Kane County, and other counties in the Greater Chicagoland Area. He has focused his practice in the area of family law, including divorce issues (contested and uncontested divorces, complex financial divorces), parentage cases, preparation of prenuptial agreements and postnuptial agreements, custody disputes, establishing visitation or parenting schedules, child support calculation and maintenance determination, grandparent rights, relocation disputes regarding removing children from Illinois, and enforcement or modification of court orders.

Elizabeth McGuan

Attorney at Law Office of Elizabeth McGuan in Wheaton, IL

Ms. McGuan received her J.D. degree, summa cum laude, from the Northern Illinois University College of Law in 2010, where she graduated first in her class. Prior to attending law school, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Certificate in Paralegal Studies from William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, Illinois. An attorney in private practice, Ms. McGuan is a member of the Adjunct Faculty in the Legal Studies Program at the College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where she teaches Introduction to Legal Research and Writing, Family Law, and Immigration Law. She is the author of The Illinois Family Law Paralegal (Carolina Academic Press, 2024).

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