Agenda

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

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

Wednesday, November 9, 2022
8:30 am – 4:00 pm CST (including a 30-min. break)

 

Presented by
Kathleen Witkovski
Audrey Blair Pedersen
Amy C. Allen
Mari L. Wise
Stephanie Bandoske
Janis Rivera

Agenda
Assisting with Family Law Case Intake
Performing conflicts checks
Assisting with initial client interview
Preparing engagement letter, opening file
Collecting information

Preparing Pleadings and Assisting with Motion Practice
Preparing initial pleadings
Requesting temporary relief
Preparing for the temporary orders hearing
Preparing the temporary orders

Obtaining and Evaluating Financial Information
Identifying relevant information on assets, debts, income and expenses
Preparing an inventory and appraisement
Preparing your client’s budget
Obtaining financial information
• Obtaining information from your client
• Obtaining information from your client’s spouse through interrogatories, requests for production, deposition testimony
• Obtaining financial information from third parties
Valuing and characterizing assets
Working with accountants and financial experts
Evaluating and using the information you have obtained

Working With Divorce Clients and Opposing Counsel
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
Let’s start with the current court order
Which parts of the order are subject to modification or enforcement
Child support and medical support
Conservatorship, possession and access
Property division
How to get started: meeting with the client and information gathering
Drafting the petition for modification or enforcement
Preparing for the hearing/mediation/trial
Drafting the final orders and preparing other necessary documents
Getting the final judgement and orders entered
Liens and other tools to collect the judgement

Handling Ethical Issues in Family Law Practice
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

 

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 7 – 10 or Mac OSX Mavericks (10.9) – macOS Catalina (10.15)

Web Browser:
The two most recent version of the following browsers:
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge
Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled

Internet connection: Minimum of 1Mbps       Hardware: 2GB RAM or more

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

Credits

Texas Paralegals:
6.5 CLE Hours

NALA:
6.5 CLE Hours (Including 1.0 Ethics Hour)

NFPA:
6.5 CLE Hours (Including 1.0 Ethics Hour) 

 

Continuing Education Credit Information 
This webinar is open to the public and has been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 6.5 continuing legal education hours for paralegals.  

 This webinar has been approved by the National Association of Legal Assistants for 6.5 CLE hours which includes 1.0 legal ethics CLE hour. 

 This webinar has been approved by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations for 6.5 CLE hours which includes 1.0 legal ethics CLE hour. 

 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).

Speakers

Amy C. Allen

Amy C. Allen Partner at Gray Reed & McGraw LLP in Houston.
Ms. Allen handles the entire range of issues and disputes that clients may face, including divorce, child custody, modifications, enforcement actions, marital property valuation and characterization, premarital agreements, adoptions and other child-related issues. Amy is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America as the “Lawyer of the Year” in Houston for Family Law Mediation (2023) and selected by her peers for inclusion in Woodward/White, Inc.’s The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Family Law (2019 – 2023), Family Law Arbitration (2023) and Family Law Mediation (2023).

Stephanie Bandoske

Stephanie Bandoske Partner at Bandoske & Butler in San Antonio. Ms. Bandoske is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She offers a wide range of legal services which include all family law matters including divorce, custody and child support.  She has been recognized since 2017 as a Texas Super Lawyer. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and San Antonio Bar Association’s Family Law Section and the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. Ms. Bandoske received her J.D. degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio.   

Audrey Blair Pedersen

Audrey Blair Pedersen Private practice family law attorney in Dallas.
Ms. Blair Pederson has been practicing family law in Texas since 2002.  With her background in family law and family law litigation, Audrey brings broad experience and knowledge to the resolution of family law issues. After graduating from Baylor University Law School, she first worked at a nonprofit dedicated to representing victims of domestic violence. Audrey is now in private practice and handles family law appeals and family law legal research. She has been board certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2010.

Janis Rivera

Janis Rivera Paralegal at Bandoske & Butler in San Antonio.
Ms. Rivera is a Board Certified Family Law Paralegal by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Mari L. Wise

Board Certified Family Law Attorney at The Wise Law Firm

Ms. Wise completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin with honors, majoring in Psychology, and she earned her J.D. degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston. She was admitted to practice in Texas on February 8, 2001, and has been Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2011. Ms. Wise is a member of the State Bar of Texas, its Family Law Section, its Texas Technology Section, and then the College of the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association and its Family Law Section, the Fort Bend County Bar Association, and Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists.

Kathleen Witkovski

Kathleen Witkovski, Senior Associate Attorney at Murrah & Killough, PLLC in Houston. Ms. Witkovski’s role as Senior Associate and head of the Family Law department centers around helping clients through significant moments in their lives-contested and uncontested divorces, custody suits, adoptions, premarital and post marital agreements, other areas of family law, and probate and estate planning. She has represented clients in highly contested custody battles and high net-worth property divisions, including divorces involving the valuation and division of businesses. Ms. Witkovski serves as an Amicus Attorney in highly contested custody disputes as an advocate for a child’s best interests by providing legal services necessary to assist the Court in protecting those interests.