Agenda

Webinar instructions will be emailed 24-48 business hours before the date of the webinar. 

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


Monday, September 15, 2025
8:30 am – 5:30 pm MST


Agenda:

Assisting with Family Law Case Intake
Presented by Andrew J. Diener

  • Performing conflicts checks
  • Preparing engagement letter
  • Collecting information
  • Assisting with initial client interview
  • Opening file

Assisting with Child Custody and Visitation Issues
Presented by Andrew J. Diener

  • Recent developments in Arizona custody law
  • Obtaining relevant information
    • Client interview, custody questionnaires, authorizations for disclosure, formal discovery
  • Working with guardian-ad-litem
  • Working with experts
  • Drafting and reviewing parenting plans

Obtaining and Evaluating Financial Information
Presented by Benjamin Cunningham

  • 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

Working With Divorce Clients and Opposing Counsel
Presented by Giancarlo Sapelli

  • 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

Enforcing and Modifying Family Law Orders and Decrees
Presented by Giancarlo Sapelli

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

Handling Ethical Issues in Family Law Practice
Presented by Benjamin Cunningham

  • Complying with rules of professional responsibility and ethics guidelines for attorneysand paralegals
  • Avoiding conflicts of interest
  • Maintaining client confidentiality
  • Avoiding 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

Obtaining, Enforcing and Modifying Child Support Awards
Presented by Hon. Ashley B. Rahaman

  • Current status of Arizona child support law
  • Obtaining relevant information from your client
  • Using the child support calculator
  • Completing withholding and medical support orders
  • Modifying child support order
  • Applying the child support guidelines
  • Investigation and formal discovery
  • Preparing the child support order
  • Public and private enforcement of child support

 

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. 

Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email. 

GoToWebinar App requirements:  
Windows 10 or higher, macOS 11 or higher, Linux, Google Chrome OS 

Web Browser:  
Google Chrome (most recent 3 versions) 
Microsoft Edge (most recent 3 versions) 

Internet connection: 1 Mbps or better 

Hardware:  2GB of RAM (minimum), 4GB or more of RAM (recommended) 

For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com 

Credits

Paralegals
8.0 CLE Hours (Including 1.0 Ethics Hour)

NFPA - National Federation of Paralegal Associations
8.0 CLE Credits (Including 1.0 Ethics Credit)

Legal Document Preparers
8.0 CE Hours

 

Continuing Education Information

This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 8.0 CLE hours, including 1.0 ethics hour, for paralegals in Arizona. Paralegal certification is not required to participate in this course.

The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) has approved this course for 8.0 total CLE credits, which includes 7.0 general CLE credits and 1.0 ethics CLE credit.

This webinar may provide up to 8.0 CE hours to registered Arizona Legal Document Preparers. Continuing education courses are not subject to pre-approval; acceptance is determined by the Arizona State Bar.

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

Benjamin Cunningham

Donaldson Stewart, P.C. in Chandler

Mr. Cunningham joined Donaldson Stewart in 2021 as an associate and has been actively engaged in family law and juvenile litigation in Maricopa, Pinal and Yavapai Counties. He focuses his practice on family court mediation, litigation and helping survivors of domestic violence navigate the family court. Prior to joining Donaldson Stewart, Mr. Cunningham spent nearly six years with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor completing more than 25 felony jury trials and countless bench trials. His last two years with the County Attorney’s Office were spent in the Family Violence Unit prosecuting cases involving homicide, child abuse and domestic violence.

Andrew J. Diener

Diener Law PLLC in Prescott

Mr. Diener owns and operates Diener Law, PLLC, a boutique family law firm located in Prescott, Arizona. Prior to establishing Diener Law in January 2020, he was an attorney at the Prescott law firm of Musgrove Drutz Kack & Flack, P.C. for more than eight years. At Musgrove Drutz, Mr. Diener ran the firm’s family law practice and also practiced in the areas of probate, estate planning, landlord-tenant law, and general civil litigation. Prior to joining Musgrove Drutz, he was a sole practitioner in Salem, Oregon, where he focused primarily on family law, criminal defense, and labor and employment law. Before going back to law school in his early 30s, he was a teacher for several years at Skyline Center, a large, urban public high school in Dallas, Texas. At Skyline, Mr. Diener taught English and coached the academic decathlon team and was nominated for teacher of the year multiple times. As a teacher, he learned that people learn, think, and process information in a variety of ways, and he adapted his teaching style to meet the needs of each individual student. Mr. Diener uses that same approach in guiding his clients through the legal issues confronting them. As an advocate, he not only draws on his teaching background, but he also draws on his experience as a professional writer and as a seasoned public speaker to champion his clients’ positions in contested family law matters. Mr. Diener enjoys sharing his knowledge and insight with his fellow legal professionals. Over the years, he has presented at CLEs sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona, Yavapai County Bar Association, National Business Institute, National Bank of Arizona, and the local ranch of the National Association for Legal Support Professionals. He earned his B.A. degree from Texas A&M University and his J.D. degree from Willamette University College of Law.

Hon. Ashley B. Rahaman

Ms. Rahaman is a Maricopa County Court Commissioner.

Giancarlo Sapelli

Attorney with Warner Angle Hallam Jackson & Formanek

Mr. Sapelli focuses his practice primarily on domestic relations. He offers experience representing clients in all family law-related matters. These include divorce, with or without children, and all issues that may arise in both types of cases. Mr. Sapelli effectively and compassionately advances his clients’ interests in matters involving legal decision-making, parenting time, child support, division of property and debts, spousal maintenance, and other issues. Mr. Sapelli also has experience in complex divorce matters including complex custody and property issues. Aside from divorce matters, his practice also focuses on paternity issues and third-party rights issues, such as grandparents’ rights, step-parents’ rights, and other non-parental rights for children. Giancarlo attended The S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. In law school, Mr. Sapelli was the assistant to the editor of the Utah Journal of Family Law. He earned a Bachelor’s in Political Science, with a History minor from the University of Arizona. Mr. Sapelli also has a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University, where he graduated with distinction. After an eight-year term of teaching junior high school, Mr. Sapelli’s love for family and children inspired him to work in family law. That same passion continues to inspire him today.