Product Description

If you want to launch a successful divorce practice, here's your chance. In this popular BasicsPlus!® program, the best divorce counsel in Massachusetts provide hands-on workshops, demonstrations, interactive dialogue and information-packed lectures—all designed to teach you the fundamental skills critical to representing your clients. This two-day immersion features hours of training; get your questions answered!

Begin with a fast-moving presentation of core concepts, statutory authority, significant cases, and a review of procedural rules you need to know to navigate divorce litigation. Then it's time for live demos on conducting client interviews, preparing financial statements, arguing motions before a judge, and negotiating and settling the terms of separation agreements to obtain the very best outcome for your client. Your takeaways from this extraordinary two-day experience? New procedural and strategic knowledge, new understanding of the law of divorce, and a new confidence to jumpstart your career as a divorce lawyer.

You will learn...

• How to establish and maintain a solid working relationship with your client
• What it takes to make your practice impeccably professional, civil, and ethical
• How to conduct an exhaustive intake and critically assess your client's end game and chances for success
• How to negotiate the most advantageous custody and visitation arrangement for your client
• What tax consequences to anticipate in the division of assets, and how to know when to call in an expert

Special interactive sessions

• Fee Arrangements, Jurisdiction and Venue Issues, Effective, Economical Case Management, Client Billing and How to Collect Your Fees
• The Financial Statement, The Mandatory Disclosure of Documents, Asset-Related Restraining Orders to Protect Your Client's Financial Wellbeing
• Getting Your Client Relief with Temporary Orders, Gleaning Facts Through Well-Conducted Depositions, Interacting Successfully with Probation Officers of the Probate and Family Court
• Negotiating Optimal Settlements and Managing Clients and Opposing Counsel in Four-Way Conferences, Working Ethically and Productively with the Pro-Se Opponent

Agenda & Materials

• Day 1, February 25th
• 9:30 am – 9:40 am

  Welcome and Introduction

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Steven E. Gurdin, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP , Boston
  
• 9:40 am – 11:15 am

  Substantive Law and Procedure, Jurisdiction, Equitable Distribution, Professionalism (civility) and Ethics

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Nancy G. O'Donnell, Esq., Verrill Dana LLP , Boston
  
• Initial Review/Assessing the Case

  Carlos A. Maycotte, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP , Boston
  
• Fee Agreements, Case Management/Fee Arrangements

  Steven E. Gurdin, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP , Boston
  
• ADR/Collaborative Law/Mediation

  Hon. Nan M. Sauer, Probate and Family Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  
• Discussion

  Panel
  
• 11:15 am – 11:30 am

  Break
• 11:30 am – 12:00 pm

  Contempts & Modifications

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Steven E. Gurdin, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP , Boston
  
• 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

  Lunch
• 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

  Child Support Guidelines and Support Orders

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Carlos A. Maycotte, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP , Boston
  
• Financial Statements: The Basics

  Steven E. Gurdin, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP , Boston
  
• Tax Issues: Deductible and Non-Deductible support orders,1041 Transfers, Dividing Assets

  Steven E. Gurdin, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP , Boston
  
• Pensions and Retirement

  Hon. Nan M. Sauer, Probate and Family Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  
• Discussion

  Panel
  
• 3:00 pm – 3:15 pm

  Break
• 3:45 pm – 4:30 pm

  Day One Wrap-Up/Questions and Answers

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Panel
  
• Day 2, February 26th
• 9:30 am – 9:35 am

  Welcome and Introduction

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Steven E. Gurdin, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP , Boston
  
• 9:35 am – 10:10 am

  Discovery

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Nancy G. O'Donnell, Esq., Verrill Dana LLP , Boston
  
• Tips from the Bench

  Hon. Gregory V. Roach, Probate and Family Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.) , Concord
  
• Motion Practice, Temporary Orders

  Hon. Nan M. Sauer, Probate and Family Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  
• Tips From the Bench

  Hon. Gregory V. Roach, Probate and Family Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.) , Concord
  
• 10:10 am – 10:50 am

  Working with the Probation Department of the Probate and Family Court

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Jessica Grassia, Essex Probate and Family Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Salem
  
• 10:50 am – 11:00 am

  Break
• 11:00 am – 11:30 am

  Ethical Issues for Family Law Practitioners

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Richard C. Abati, Esq., Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers , Boston
  
• 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

  Lunch
• 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm

  Motion Session Demonstration

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Steven E. Gurdin, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP , Boston
  Nancy G. O'Donnell, Esq., Verrill Dana LLP , Boston
  Hon. Gregory V. Roach, Probate and Family Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.) , Concord
  Hon. Nan M. Sauer, Probate and Family Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  
• 2:30 pm – 2:45 pm

  Break
• 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm

  Negotiation and Settlement, Four-Way Negotiation Conference, Corridor Negotiation, Pretrial Conference, Settlement Agreemen

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Steven E. Gurdin, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP , Boston
  Nancy G. O'Donnell, Esq., Verrill Dana LLP , Boston
  
• 3:45 pm – 4:00 pm

  Tips from the Bench

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Hon. Gregory V. Roach, Probate and Family Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.) , Concord
  
• 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm

  Day Two Wrap-Up/Questions and Answers

  eLecture Add to Cart

  Panel
  

Cochairs

Faculty