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Meet the distinguished faculty of the 2010 Trial Advocacy Institute! We will continue updating this page to include all faculty; please check back soon for more information.

Arthur E. Balbirer

Arthur E. Balbirer is admitted to the Connecticut Bar; the U.S. District Court for District of Connecticut; and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. Named one of the best matrimonial lawyers in the United States, Town & Country Magazine (1985); named one of the Best Lawyers in America, Naifeh and Smith (all editions); Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 1972. President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) (1992-1993); Governor of AAML (1984-1987); President of the Connecticut Chapter of AAML (1979-1981); Chairman, Family Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association (1976-1978); Founding Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; Co-author of "Annual Survey of Connecticut Family Law," Connecticut Law Journal (1974- 1996); Senior Topical Editor on Family Law, Connecticut Bar Journal (1979-1996). Lecturer: University of Connecticut Law School; Fairfield University; numerous conferences/seminars in the United States, Mexico and Europe. Adjunct Professor of Family Law University of Connecticut Law School (2000-2001); Special Master appointed by the Superior Court in New Haven, Fairfield and Hartford Counties; Mediator in numerous cases throughout the country. Arbitrator Certified by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

Stacy Collins

Bio coming soon

Gaetano (Guy) Ferro

Gaetano Ferro is a past president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a diplomate of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, and a past chair of the Connecticut Bar Association's Family Law Section. Mr. Ferro is one of Super Lawyers Magazine's top ten lawyers in Connecticut and one of its top one hundred lawyers in New England. He has been continuously listed in Naifeh and Smith, The Best Lawyers in America since 1989. He frequently appears in other listings of top lawyers including those in Worth Magazine, New York Magazine, Westchester Magazine, and Connecticut Magazine. Mr. Ferro served as Editor in Chief of the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and of the Connecticut Family Lawyer. He was the Connecticut Bar Journal's Senior Topical Editor for Family Law and was Executive Editor of the Connecticut Law Review. Mr. Ferro has authored more than sixty-five published articles on a wide variety of family law topics. Those articles have been published in the Connecticut Law Tribune, the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the Connecticut Bar Journal, the Connecticut Family Lawyer, and the Family Advocate. Mr. Ferro has lectured or delivered more than seventy family law presentations to many different professional organizations including, most recently, the American Bar Association Family Law's Trial Advocacy Institute (Denver, 2009), the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers' annual meeting (Chicago, 2008), the Association of Divorce Financial Planners' 6th annual conference (New York City, 2008), the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers / the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' biennial conferences on divorce (Las Vegas, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002), and the Section of Family Law of the American Bar Association's Fall CLE conference (Memphis, 2007).

Peter Hoffman

Professor Peter Toll Hoffman holds the Newell H. Blakely Chair in Evidence at the University of Houston Law Center. After graduating from Michigan State University (1968) and the University of Michigan Law School (1971), he was in private practice for several years in Chicago before joining the faculty of the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1974. Professor Hoffman joined the University of Houston Law Center faculty in 2002 where he teaches Trial Advocacy, Advanced Trial Advocacy, Depositions Workshop and Evidence. He has also taught at the University of Michigan, University of Hawaii, University of San Diego, Washington University-St. Louis and City University of Hong Kong. Professor Hoffman is a frequent teacher for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and has now taught in more than 300 litigation-related CLE and law school courses in 29 states and territories and 13 foreign countries. In his checkered past he also served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Palau. He is the author of The Nebraska Divorce Practice Manual and The Effective Deposition: Techniques and Strategies That Work (with Malone & Bocchino). He is also an Academic Fellow of the International Society of Barristers.

Lewis Kapner

Lewis Kapner is senior partner and founder of the firm of Kapner, Calebrese & Kapner, P.A. He previously served as Chief Judge of Palm Beach County. He is a Fellow of the American and International Academies of Matrimonial Law and is listed in Best Lawyers in America. He has taught at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada, and has served as Dean of the Florida Judicial College. He has been a recipient of the Learned Hand Award from the American Jewish Committee and the Jurist of the Year award from the Florida Chapter of AAML. He was named South Florida Family Lawyer of the year for 2009 by Best Lawyers in America.

Katherine A. Kinser

Katherine A. Kinser is recognized by her peers and the judiciary as one of the top matrimonial lawyers in Texas. Ms. Kinser is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Equally adept in the courtroom and at the negotiation table, her practice focuses on complex marital property and family law matters. Ms. Kinser is also known for her expertise regarding matrimonial law issues that impact professional athletes and their spouses. In addition to her trial practice, Ms. Kinser is a frequent author and lecturer regarding matrimonial, financial and sports issues. Her extensive service to the legal community includes officer, board and committee positions ranging from the Texas State Bar Legislative Committee to the Family Law Practice Manual Committee. Ms. Kinser's memberships include the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists (past President), the Family Law Sections of both the American Bar Association and State Bar of Texas, the Sports Lawyers Association and the Sports Financial Advisors Association.

Jim Lawrence

Jim Lawrence's background combines law, psychology and theatre, which he uses to provide legal professionals with the communications skills they need to succeed. He holds a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center; a Master's in Human Development and Psychological Counseling, and has studied acting/performance for more than 20 years. At the University of Houston Law Center, Jim currently directs a highly successful Moot Court Program. Over the past four years, the program has won 16 national and regional titles and awards. Before working with the moot court program, Jim served as Program Director for the Trial Skills Program. Jim is the innovator behind the Attorney Communication and Persuasion Course which uses Neuro-Linguistic Programming concepts to teach students the foundational elements of communication in a legal setting. Jim has used these same techniques in making communication presentations before the ABA's Trial Advocacy Institute and such law firms as Baker Botts LLP and Winstead Secrest & Minick LLP. Jim also serves as a consultant to The Advocates, a national jury science firm.

Hon. Howard I. Lipsey

Howard I. Lipsey is an Associate Justice for the Rhode Island Family Court. He received his JD from Georgetown University Law Center and is admitted to practice before the Rhode Island Supreme Court, the United States District Court of Rhode Island, and the United States Supreme Court. Positions held: ABA Family Law Section (Chair); Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Board of Governors); Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association (Chair), Rhode Island Bar Association (Chair, Family Law Section), Rhode Island Family Law, American Inn of Court (Founder and First Counselor). He is Past Chair of the ABA Family Law Section Trial Advocacy Institute. Committee service includes: Supreme Court Permanent Advisory Committee on Women and Minorities in the Court (Chair); National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges; and Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Code of Judicial Conduct (Chair). He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America and Who's Who in American Law. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers, and served as a Captain in the USAR-JAGC.

Karen Lukin

Karen Lukin graduated from University of Houston Law School in May 1981 and has practiced law in Houston, Texas since 1981. During 21 years of private practice, Karen had a litigation and mediation practice involving family law, personal injury and insurance defense. She is currently at Marathon Oil Company where she is senior counsel in the Litigation group, managing the oil and gas royalty and non-toxic tort litigation docket. Karen has been Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in both Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial since 1990. Karen has served as the Chair of the ADR section of the Houston Bar Association. She has presented numerous papers on various legal topics for the Texas Bar Association, University of Houston Law School and other CLE programs and taught in a NITA deposition course at SMU. She has been an adjunct professor at University of Houston Law School since 1994, having taught evidence and trial advocacy. She was invited to fill in for the director of the Trial Advocacy program at the University of Houston during the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 semesters. She has taught trial advocacy as a visiting professor at Emory Law School every May since 1995.

David Martindale

Dr. David Martindale, board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology, served as the Reporter for the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts' Model Standards for Child Custody Evaluation and is the co-author, with Jon Gould, of The Art and Science of Child Custody Evaluations. His 2001 article entitled Cross-examining mental health experts in child custody litigation, published in The Journal of Psychiatry and Law, is widely referenced. Dr. Martindale's practice is limited to consulting with attorneys, psychologists, and psychology licensing boards in the areas of child custody and professional ethics and standards.

James (Jim) T. McLaren

Jim McLaren maintains a statewide family law practice emphasizing complex marital litigation in Columbia, South Carolina. He is a partner in the law firm of McLaren & Lee. He has served the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in various capacities since becoming a Fellow. He currently serves as a Vice-President and is on the Executive Committee. He received the Fellow of the Year from the Academy in 2007. He serves on the Board of Directors of the AAML Foundation. He is the Co-Chair of the Website Committee, and serves on the Best Practices Committee. For the South Carolina Chapter of the Academy, he has served as President and National Delegate. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers. He is currently the Chapter President for the International Network of Boutique Law Firms. Mr. McLaren has been named in the Best Lawyers in America, Family Law Designation, from 1993 through 2010, received an "AV" designation from Martindale Hubbell since 1996, and was named in the South Carolina Super Lawyers publication. He is a contributing author to the South Carolina Equitable Apportionment Act (§20-7-741, et. seq., S.C. Code of Laws) and the South Carolina Alimony Statute (§20-3-130, South Carolina Code of Laws). Mr. McLaren received his Bachelor of Arts (1973) and Juris Doctorate (1976) degrees from the University of South Carolina. He was admitted to practice in 1976 and has maintained a private practice in Columbia, South Carolina since that time. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit, US. District Court, South Carolina District, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a frequent speaker on various family law topics for the South Carolina Bar, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, American Bar Association, South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association, Mandatory Judicial and Continuing Legal Education Seminars.

Ronald W. Nelson

Ronald W. Nelson is a principal of Ronald W. Nelson PA, focusing his practice on complex family law issues, with special emphasis on high conflict and special needs families, interstate and international child custody and support. Mr. Nelson has an extensive appellate practice, having handled over 80 appeals. Receiving his JD from Washburn University Law School in 1981 (with honors), Ron is admitted to practice before the Kansas Supreme Court, the federal district courts for Kansas and the Western District of Missouri, the Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He served two terms on the American Bar Association Family Law Section Governing Council and three terms as Chair of the Kansas Bar Association Family Law Section. He continues to serve as Legislative Liaison for the KBA Family Law Section, as a member of the Johnson County (Kansas) Bench-Bar Committee, and the Kansas Judicial Council, Family Law Advisory Committee, and in leadership positions in the ABA Section of Family Law. Mr. Nelson frequently lectures at national, state, regional, and local conferences, is contributing author to the Practitioner's Guide to Kansas Family Law, and contributes to national, state, and local family law publications.

Hon. Edward H. Newman

Edward H. Newman was appointed a Magistrate of the Rhode Island Family Court on December 17, 2002. He received his BA from Providence College in 1969 and his JD from Suffolk University Law School in 1972. He was admitted to practice before the Rhode Island Supreme Court in 1972, the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island in 1972, United States Tax Court in 1974 and the United States Supreme Court in 1978. Magistrate Newman served as lecturer at Providence College from 1974 to 1986 and he presently lectures for the Rhode Island Bar Association and has lectured at Roger Williams University Law School. He has served as a member of the American Bar Association's Family Law Section (on council); the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association (vice-president); the Rhode Island Bar Association, (Chair of the Superior Court Bench Bar Committee); member of the Family Law Bench Bar Committee; member of the House of Delegates, Rhode Island Bar Association; and the Rhode Island Family Law Inn of Court (president, 3 years). Magistrate Newman has served as the Chair of the Rhode Island Supreme Court Ethics Advisory Panel, Supreme Court Permanent Advisory Committee on Women and Minorities in the Court, and Chair of the Education Subcommittee for the Rhode Island Supreme Court Permanent Advisory Committee for Women and Minorities. He has served as Town Solicitor for the Town of Richmond, Rhode Island, and was Probate Judge from 1988 to 2002 for the Town of Richmond, Rhode Island. He was also a Bail Commission authorized to issue judicial warrants statewide and set bail for the Rhode Island Family Court and Rhode Island District Court. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Steven N. Peskind

Steven N. Peskind is the principal of the Peskind Law Firm, located in St. Charles, Illinois. Both he and the firm concentrate in matrimonial and family law. He is a member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and was elected to the American Law Institute in 2006. In 2007, Mr. Peskind was inducted into Scribes, a legal writing honor society. In 2008, he was appointed by the Illinois Legislature to serve on the Illinois Family Law Study Committee. The committee is studying ways to improve Illinois' family laws. Currently Mr. Peskind serves as the chair of the ABA Family Section Law Practice Management/Technology Committee and is also the vice-chair of the ABA Family Law Section Assisted Reproductive Technologies Committee. Steven Peskind publishes a family law blog at lexfamilia.wordpress.com.

Catherine (Kit) Holland Petersen

President of Petersen, Henson, Meadows, Pecore and Peot, P.C. of Norman, Oklahoma, Catherine Holland Petersen has practiced family law in excess of thirty years. She is a member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, named one of the Best Lawyers in America, Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in American Women and an Oklahoma Superlawyer. She is a frequent lecturer on ethics and family law around the country and has taught for the American Bar Association Family Law Section Trial Advocacy Institute for over ten years.

Photo coming soon

Michael Saponara

Michael A. Saponara, CPA/ABV, J.D., M.A. is a Managing Director at Financial Research Associates, with offices in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Mr. Saponara has specialized in litigation support since 1994 and has frequently provided expert testimony on business valuations, lifestyle needs, net worth calculations and other forensic accounting analyses. He has also testified in complex commercial damage cases and other corporate litigation. Mr. Saponara obtained a J.D. in 1993 from Villanova University and an M.A. in Economics in 2004 from Temple University. Mr. Saponara is a CPA and holds an Accreditation in Business Valuation (ABV) from the AICPA. Mr. Saponara combines his accounting and legal background with his business expertise, to provide enhanced analyses to clients. Mr. Saponara has presented courses on forensic accounting and litigation support for various accounting societies and professional associations, and has published articles and course materials on litigation support services.

Nancy Chausow Shafer

Nancy Chausow Shafer is principal in the Highland Park firm, Chausow Shafer, PC, concentrating in Matrimonial Law, including Litigation, Mediation and Collaboration. She is chapter co-author of Child Custody Litigation, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education publication 1991 Edition, and has conducted presentations at Continuing Legal Education seminars on various topics, including: Business Valuation for Dummies (2002); Presentation of complex financial issues in divorce litigation (2004); Mediation: Being an Advocate without being Adversarial (2005); Domestic Partnerships—Financial Implications (2005); UCCJEA and UIFSA: Understanding Jurisdictional Distinctions (2006); and Maintenance Guidelines: A Modest Proposal (2008). She is recipient of the AAML 2008 Michael Cohen Award for contributing greatly over the years to the continuing education of lawyers in the area of Family Law and has been selected by her peers as an Illinois Leading Lawyer in Family Law and Illinois SuperLawyer. Professional affiliations include: Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 1992–present; Past member, Illinois AAML Chapter Board of Governors, Illinois Delegate to national AAML Board of Governors; Faculty for Mediation Training offered by the AAML, DePaul University and Mediation Training and Consultation Institute, Ann Arbor MI.

John Slowiaczek

John S. Slowiaczek is admitted to the Nebraska Bar and Iowa Bar. Mr. Slowiaczek is named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" and is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Mr. Slowiaczek focuses exclusively on matrimonial law and he has negotiated settlements or litigated on behalf of numerous individuals in matters involving business valuations, complex estate plans and custody issues. Mr. Slowiaczek is a Member of the Executive Committee of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and is actively involved in that organization. He is also a Diplomat of The American College of Family Trial Lawyers, a Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Mr. Slowiaczek is co-author of "The Equitable Distribution of Farms" in the Journal of American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He is a frequent speaker and contributor to continuing education seminars and is trained in mediation and arbitration. Currently, Mr. Slowiaczek is a member of the Office of Dispute Resolution Advisory Counsel for the State of Nebraska.

Anita Ventrelli

Anita M. Ventrelli is a partner of Schiller DuCanto and Fleck LLP. She has a strong background in trial and settlement of complex matters, employing her extensive experience in computer analysis and litigation support techniques. A graduate of DePaul University School of Law, Ms. Ventrelli was recommended by peers to the Leading Lawyer's Network and Illinois Super Lawyers and was named one of the "40 Under 40 Illinois Attorneys to Watch" in 2003 by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Ms. Ventrelli is currently the Chair of the American Bar Association's Family Law Section and a member of the Board of the Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute as well as a faculty member. She has served on the governing council, the Publications Board, the Continuing Legal Education Committee and the Long-Range Planning Committee, and formerly chaired the Domestic Violence/Family Abuse Committee and Ethics Committees. Ms. Ventrelli is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a member of the Board of Managers of the Illinois Chapter. Ms Ventrelli was named Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year by the Illinois State Bar Association in 2001, where she served on the Family Law Section Council, chaired the Minority and Women Participation Committee, was a member of the Special Committee on Women and the Law, and served on the Judicial Evaluation Committee. Ms. Ventrelli has lectured on family law topics for the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association and community groups. She is a co-author of the "Trial Practice Considerations" Chapter of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education's Illinois Family Law Series and has published articles for the American Bar Association Family Advocate magazine and other periodicals.

Mario Ventrelli

Since 1995, Mr. Ventrelli has practiced solely in the area of matrimonial law. Mr. Ventrelli is a partner with the firm of Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP, the nation's largest matrimonial law firm. On both the state and national level, he frequently lectures on a wide variety of family law topics. Over his 14 years of practice, Mr. Ventrelli has represented leaders in the business world and professions, influential civic and political personalities, celebrities, and professional athletes. He is skilled in complex litigation including: financial discovery, analysis and planning; valuation of closely-held corporations; drafting premarital, marital and separation agreements; allocation of retirement plans and benefits; analysis of executive compensation; personal and corporate taxation issues; property division; maintenance/alimony and child support; custody, visitation and removal of children; parentage; domestic violence and orders of protection. Since 2006, Mr. Ventrelli has been named an Illinois "Leading Lawyer", in 2008, he was named a Super Lawyer "Rising Star" and, more recently, he was named as one of the Best Lawyers in America by the Naifeh & Smith publication. He resides in Glenview, Illinois, with his wife, Anita (also a partner in the firm) and his son Joseph.

Tim Walker

Born Utica, New York, May 21, 1940; admitted to bar 1968, Colorado; 1969 California; 1971 Indiana. Education: Princeton University (A.B., magna cum laude, 1962); University of Denver (M.A. 1969; J.D. magna cum laude, 1967). Phi Alpha Delta. Member, Order of St. Ives. Listed Best Lawyers in America, 1987-. Author: "Annual Survey of Colorado Law," Family Law, 1978-1980; "'Distribution of Property Upon Dissolution of Marriage," 9 Colorado Lawyer, 1531, August 1980; "Waiver of Maintenance: Is it Enforceable in Premarital Agreements?" 6 Family Advocate, 22, 1984; "Family Law in the Fifty States: An Overview," 18 Family Law Quarterly, 269, 1985; "Till Torts Do Us Part," 8 Family Advocate 4, 1985. Professor of Law, 1971-1999 and Professor Emeritus, 1999-, University of Denver College of Law. Member: Editorial Board, 1982-1983 and Editor-in-Chief, 1983-1992, Family Law Quarterly. Member: Denver, Colorado and American (Member, Section on Family Law, 1980-; Member, House of Delegates, 1999-; Chair, Section of Family Law, 1995-1996) Bar Associations. Fellow: American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (Founding Fellow); Fellow, American Bar Foundation. Languages: Spanish, French and Russian. Practice Areas: Divorce; Family Law; Interstate Custody; Premarital Agreements