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Ask The Experts: Ten Tips for Honoring Pronouns and Identity
Rebecca M. Stahl, JD, LLM
Cisgender heteronormative structures have permeated family law. However, as these norms shift, it is critical for professionals to become familiar with the current and more expansive language used to describe transgender and nonbinary people. Pronouns, traditionally aligned with binary categories of gender, have also become more expansive, inclusive, and a very personal aspect of identity. As we strive to be more trauma-responsive professionals, it is important to be open to learning language and its meaning to create and maintain more welcoming environments for the families we serve. Continue Reading.
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AFCC Fall 2023 Virtual Conference Call for Proposals
Addiction, Family Violence, and Mental Illness:
Assessing and Managing Challenges to Contemporary Co-parenting
November 1-3 and 6-7, 2023
In response to popular demand, AFCC is offering the 2023 Fall Conference in a virtual format. If you'd like to present at an AFCC conference from the comfort of your home or office, we are accepting proposals for 90-minute workshop sessions. See the Call for Proposals for complete instructions. Proposals must be submitted using the online form by the deadline on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 by midnight (Pacific).
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Proposed topics may include but are not limited to:
- Interviewing Children
- Cultural Biases Regarding Addiction, Abuse, and Mental Illness
- Parenting Coordination with Complex Issues
- Parenting Plan Evaluations
- Viability of Co-parenting after Family Violence
- Parenting Capacity and Mental Illness
- Child Safety and Parental Addiction
- Step-up Parenting Plans
- Mediation
- Access to Justice
- Parent-child Contact Problems
- Family Dispute Resolution Innovations
- Innovations in Family Court Services
- Supervised Parenting Time
- Court-Involved Therapy
AFCC strongly encourages workshop proposals with more than one presenter and including presenters representing diverse perspectives. University faculty members are encouraged to involve students as co-presenters.
The deadline to submit your proposal is Wednesday, May 3, 2023 by midnight (Pacific).
You will be notified of the status of your proposal by mid-June 2023.
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Webinar Corner
Kate Wurmfeld, JD, Kiran Malpe, LCSW, BS
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Wednesday, May 10th, 2023
1:00pm – 2:00pm Eastern Time (US/Canada)
Registration will close on May 9th, 2023 at 9:00am Eastern Time US/Canada.
Infants and toddlers are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system, and many face serious adversities during their formative years, including having witnessed or being at risk for witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV). In a system with little knowledge of infant and early childhood mental health, and even less on the impact of IPV on very young children, the Strong Starts Court Initiative (Strong Starts) employs a specialized, Family Court-based approach to address these risks and meet the needs of very young children (0-3) and their families. Strong Starts focuses on the infant’s need for protection and secure attachment and considers all child welfare practices through the lens of infant mental health and strengthening parent-child relationships. Strong Starts’ intergenerational approach and focus on secure attachment relationships works to mitigate the effects of IPV on very young children. In this workshop, participants will learn the ways in which very young children experience IPV; the risks and impact of IPV on the caregiver-child relationship; and how Strong Starts’ approach promotes best practices around the intersection of IPV and very young children across systems.
| | Kate Wurmfeld, Esq. is the Director of Family Court Programs at the Center for Court Innovation. In this role, Kate oversees the Center’s Family Court operating projects and provides national technical assistance and strategic planning advice to courts wishing to improve their response to domestic violence. Kate has extensive experience providing direct legal services on cases involving domestic violence, most recently as a supervising attorney for Matrimonial and Family Law at New York Legal Assistance Group, where she handled divorce, custody, orders of protection and support matters in Supreme and Family Court throughout New York City. In addition to providing direct legal services, Kate also provided supervision to staff attorneys, law students and volunteers, taught clinical seminars and provided training for outside organizations, community groups and law firms. Kate graduated from Seton Hall Law School and Oberlin College. | | | Kiran Malpe, LCSW, BS is a licensed clinical social worker who has been practicing since 2003. She is a graduate of Columbia University School of Social Work and holds a Bachelor's in Psychology from New York University. Ms. Kiran has a passion for Child Welfare Reform, and prevention of maltreatment of children. She has worked in various social work fields, including Foster Care, Child Protection, and Preventive Services. Kiran is currently the Clinical Director of the Strong Starts Court Initiative (SSCI), a specialized Family Court approach developed to meet the needs of very young children during the foundational stage of development. | | | |
Registration
Members: $15
Non-Members: $50
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Certificate of Attendance
Members: $15
Non-members: $20
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More Upcoming Webinars!
The Work Before the Work
Sol Rappaport, PhD, ABPP
June 22, 2023
Neurodiverse Children and Parents in Family Court Psychological and Judicial Perspectives on Avoiding Bias and Negative Presumptions (DE&I Series)
Daniel B. Pickar, PhD, ABPP, Hon. Michelle Short
July 12, 2023
Parent Child Contact Problems: Family Violence and Parental Alienation – Either/or, Neither/nor, Both/and, One in the Same?
Matthew Sullivan, PhD
July 25, 2023
Coercive Control: Understanding the Impact on Survivors as Parents and their Children
Peter Jaffe, PhD
August 9, 2023
Culture and Bias in the Child Welfare System
Kelly Browe Olson, JD, LLM; Nolanda Y. Robert, MS, CFCC
September 14, 2023
What Works (and What Doesn’t) for Kids and Adults in Blended Families
Patricia Papernow, EdD
October 18, 2023
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AFCC-AAML Joint Conference
Advanced Issues in Child Custody: Evaluation, Litigation, and Settlement
Capital Hilton
Washington, DC
September 28-30, 2023
The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers are excited to be hosting their first completely in-person joint conference in four years! Leading family law experts will offer extended institutes and breakout sessions that address the most challenging issues faced by lawyers, judges, psychologists, custody evaluators, parenting coordinators, mediators, therapists, arbitrators, educators, and others.
Read the Conference Brochure
Plan ahead by checking out the conference brochure and tailor your conference schedule to your professional interests. In the brochure you will find the conference itinerary, session descriptions, conference presenters, and CE information. Check it out now!
Pre-Conference Institutes
Looking for a more in-depth course? Check out one of our pre-conference institutes taking place the morning of September 28, 2023:
- From Intake to Court
- Profiles in Custody: Social Media and Family Law
- Thinking about Stress, Trauma and Resilience in Children of Divorce: What Can You Do?
- Advanced Ethical, Evidentiary, and Methodological Issues
Technology and Evidentiary Issues in Child Custody Cases
Family law professionals regularly confront issues regarding the validity and authenticity of information that is provided to them. But as technology continues to rapidly evolve, how can anyone be sure that the evidence provided is authentic and reliable?
Plenary Session Presenters:
Nicholas Himonidis, Esq.
Chris Mulchay, PhD
Hon. Cheryl Joseph
Moderator: Lawrence Jay Braunstein, Esq.
Reserve your room today!
The Capital Hilton is offering a reduced special rate to conference attendees of $259 per night for single or double occupancy through the AFCC-AAML room block. Make your reservations online or call 202-393-1000 and ask for the AFCC-AAML Conference room block. Reserve your room early!
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New FCR Student Editorial Staff
AFCC is excited to welcome Emily Fontanetta as the FCR's new managing editor and to introduce the new student editorial staff of the Family Court Review! We are thrilled to have such a talented and committed group of students on board. AFCC would also like to extend a special appreciation to the previous student editorial staff including Nicole Case, the previous Managing Editor. See the 2023-2024 student editorial staff!
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Technology in Dispute Resolution Survey
The impact of new technology is being felt in every profession. To consider the future of technology in dispute resolution, the ABA Dispute Resolution Technology Committee Fellows would like to start with a snapshot of how practitioners currently use technology and their attitudes about its future application to the profession. Please help by completing this anonymous survey.
| | Ramona Gonzalez, AFCC member from Wisconsin and Judge of La Crosse County Circuit Court, is the 2023 recipient of the Bench and Bar Committee's Lifetime Jurist Award. This award recognizes jurists who, during their tenure on the bench, were fair and impartial, demonstrated high ideals and personal character along with outstanding, long-term judicial service. Congratulations, Ramona! | | | Colin Rule, AFCC member from California and CEO of Mediate.com and ODR.com has been announced as the 2023 recipient of the D’Alemberte/Raven Award from the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section. Colin will be recognized at the May 11th Award Ceremony at the 25th annual ABA DR Spring Conference in Las Vegas. Congratulations, Colin! | | | |
AFCC Chapter News
Congratulations to the Ontario chapter of AFCC for another successful Walsh Family Law Moot Competition and a special congratulations to all the students who participated.
The Walsh Family Law Moot competition brings together law students from across Canada to compete in a simulated family law case, providing them with a unique opportunity to hone their advocacy skills and gain valuable experience in the field of family law. Read more.
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Membership Notice of AFCC Board Nominations
At the AFCC membership meeting on Saturday, June 3, 2023, the following individuals will be nominated to serve on the AFCC Board of Directors for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2023 and concluding June 30, 2026: Chioma Ajoku, Lawrence Jay Braunstein, Linda Fidnick, Joi Hollis, Beth McCormack, and Stacey Platt.
The AFCC Executive Committee is elected by the board of directors. For informational purposes, the following individuals have been nominated for positions on the executive committee:
- President Elect: Michael Saini;
- Vice President: Dolores Bomrad;
- Secretary: Tom Altobelli;
- Treasurer: Kathleen McNamara
Stacey Platt and Linda Fidnick automatically become President and Past-President, respectively, per AFCC bylaws.
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AFCC eNEWS
The AFCC eNEWS is the monthly e-newsletter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. The eNEWS provides up-to-date information for professionals including practice tips, international news, and the latest initiatives in family law and conflict resolution. The AFCC eNEWS is provided at no charge to you; anyone can subscribe. Subscribe here.
AFCC members are free to share eNEWS content.
EDITOR:
Ann Ordway, JD, PhD
ASSOCIATE EDITOR:
Patrick Sommer
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