Wednesday, April 26, 2023
In-Person in Palatine (Harper College, Wojcik Conference Center) & Live Webcast
Program Moderators: Gloria Block, Hoffenberg and Block LLC, Chicago
Anna Markley Bush, Law Offices of Bush & Brady, LLC, Barrington
8:30 – 8:55 Check-In & Registration
8:55 – 9:00 Welcome & Announcements
9:00 – 9:45 First & Next Steps – Getting Started – Initial Client Intake Tips – Petition, Answer and Other Common Pleadings
(0.75 Professional Responsibility, pending approval)
Gain valuable information and tips on how to start your case with a beneficial initial consultation. Learn about red flags to watch for. Expedite your client’s case through the use of effective pleadings. Included in this session are samples for just about everything.
Anna Markley Bush, Law Offices of Bush & Brady, LLC, Barrington
9:45 – 10:30 Understanding and Utilizing Financial Affidavits
(0.75 Professional Responsibility, pending approval)
The financial affidavit is the divorce lawyer’s greatest tool. Learn how to prepare the affidavit with your client and how to avoid pitfalls and sanctionable offenses. Understand how to effectively disclose and discover income, assets, expenses and debts.
Candace Meyers, Beermann LLP, Bannockburn
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:15 Allocation Judgment/Parenting Time
(0.75 Professional Responsibility, pending approval)
Learn the nuts and bolts of drafting a comprehensive parenting allocation judgment. Recognize common drafting pitfalls and how to avoid them. Discuss sample parenting time and holiday schedules. Get pointers on preparing your client for mediation.
Gloria Block, Hoffenberg and Block LLC, Chicago
11:15 – 12:15 Child Support & Maintenance
(1.0 Professional Responsibility, pending approval)
Identify best practices in calculating child support under the income shares model. Understand best practices in calculating maintenance. Learn how to successfully argue for and against deviations.
Bridget Storrs Davis, Berger Schatz, Chicago
12:15 – 1:00 Lunch Break - A networking luncheon is included
1:00 – 1:30 Discovery Tool Box
(0.50 Professional Responsibility, pending approval)
Discovery is key to effective representation. Know what document production is required at the initial stages of a case and the evidentiary value of recorded conversations, text messages, Facebook messages, emails and other communications.
Rebecca L. Zeilenga, Law Offices of Rebecca L. Zeilenga, Rolling Meadows
1:30 – 2:15 Marital Settlement Agreements
Gloria Block, Hoffenberg and Block LLC, Chicago
2:15 – 2:30 Break
2:30 – 3:00 Post-Decree and Attorneys’ Fees
(0.50 Professional Responsibility, pending approval)
The case is not over once the judgment is entered. Learn how to close your case, prepare for an appeal, and enforce or modify an order post-decree. Setting and collecting attorneys’ fees will also be discussed.
Allen Gabe, Allen Gabe Law, P.C., Schaumburg
3:00- 3:30 Hearing and Trial: How Do I…What Do I…When Do I?
(0.50 Professional Responsibility, pending approval)
Get practice tips to help you most effectively and efficiently prepare for and conduct hearings and trials.
Miriam Cooper, Cooper Trachtenberg Law Group, LLC, Rolling Meadows
3:30 – 4:30 Guided Learning Roundtables
Faculty members will each lead a roundtable discussion group. Attendees can get specific questions answered or ask for further assistance walking through the forms or topics of their choice.
All Faculty
4:30 Adjourn
