Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute |
|
Faculty Biographies
Click on faculty names to read biographies. Faculty members are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
|
American Bar Association: Family Law Section, Financial Officer 2004-, Publications Board, 2000-,
Trial Advocacy Institute Faculty 1992-1994, 1997; Litigation Section.
Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, American Bar Foundation.
Ohio State Bar Association: Delegate to Council of Delegates 1990-;
Family Law Committee 1984- (Chair 1994-1996); Family Law Certification
Board 1999-2000; Specialization Committee (Chair 2001-2003). Cuyahoga
County Bar Association: Family Law Section 1985- (Chair 1992-1993);
Trial Advocacy Institute Chair 1990-1991, 1993; Certified Grievance
Committee 1986-1996. Cleveland Bar Association: Family Law Section
1987- (Chair 1989-1990); Professional Ethics Committee 1987-1993.
Life Member, Eighth Ohio Appellate District Judicial Conference.
Frequent Lecturer and Author on Family Law. Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 1987-;
Martindale Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, 1993-;
Ohio Super Lawyers, 2004-2008, Top 100 Lawyers in Ohio (2006) and
Top 50 Women Lawyers in Ohio (2004-2007), Law and Politics/Cincinnati Magazine.
|
|
|
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 |
|
|
Partner in the law firm of Grund & Leavitt (Chicago, Illinois).
Specialist in the field of matrimonial law, l964 to date. Fellow, former National Treasurer, Vice President, President-Elect and President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; former member of the Board of Managers and Vice President, Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; past chairman Chicago Bar Association, Matrimonial Law Committee; past chairman of the Illinois State Bar Association, Family Law Section; past chairman of American Bar Association, Custody Committee; Past President of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and past President of its U.S.A. Chapter; Diplomat of The American College of Trial Lawyers. Listed in Best Lawyers of America, 1983-2008. |
|
|
Mark Chinn operates Chinn & Associates, a four-lawyer family law firm in Jackson, Mississippi.
Mark, an AV rated lawyer, has received the following distinctions in the field of
family law: Mid South Super Lawyers; The Best Lawyers in America;
Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers; and Outstanding Lawyers of America.
Authored works include How to Build and Manage a Family Law Practice and The Constructive Divorce. Chapters "Marketing is Not a Dirty Word," in How to Capture and Keep Clients, and "The Exit Interview" in 101 Practical Solutions for the Family Lawyer. (All of the above were published by the ABA). He is a frequent speaker for the ABA Family Law Section and the Mississippi Bar on issues of family law practice management and delivering world-class service. He has been featured in the National Lawyer's Weekly Magazine, and received the Award of Merit in 1996 for distinguished service to the Bar. Mark has been Chairman of the Family Law Section of the Mississippi Bar twice and a member of the governing council of the American Bar Association Family Law Section. |
|
|
Bruce Clemens is a partner in the firm of Jaffe and Clemens. He is a certified
specialist in family law, a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and
is listed in the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. He is a
former member of the executive committees of the Family Law Sections of the Los
Angeles County Bar Association and the Beverly Hills Bar Association.
Mr. Clemens has taught over 20 twenty courses for CEB, at the University of Southern California Law Center and for numerous other professional organizations. His publications include "Division and Taxation of Retirement Benefits in Dissolution Proceedings," "Drafting and Litigating Prenuptial, Cohabitation and Marital Settlement Agreements," "Marital Dissolution," "The Business Divorce," and "Tax Planning For Marital Termination Settlement." Mr. Clemens received his BA in mathematics at Michigan State University, his MS in computer science from Stanford University, and his JD from UCLA School of Law. During the past 33 years, he has handled over 700 complex marital dissolutions with an aggregate net worth in excess of $10 billion dollars. |
|
|
Stacy Preston Collins, CPA/ABV is a Managing Director at Financial Research Associates,
with offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. She has provided expert testimony
on business valuation and forensic accounting issues in several states.
Ms. Collins' experience includes marital dissolution cases, corporate litigation, estate planning valuations and transactions. She has co-authored courses on business appraisal and has presented valuation and forensic accounting topics to financial professionals, attorneys and judges in many forums. Ms. Collins has been involved with the ABA's Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute since 2000. She also participated in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers' Institute for Training Family Law Associates in 2006-2007. Ms. Collins graduated from Drexel University with a concentration in Accounting and Finance. She holds the Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) designation from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and is a member of the AICPA's Family Law Task Force. |
|
|
Sondra I Harris is president of the Harris Law Firm in Rockville Centre, NY.
She has practiced matrimonial and family law for over 30 years, and has been Parliamentarian of
the Family Law Section as well as a member of its governing council. She has
been chair of various ABA committees including alternative families,
bylaws and the cohabitation committee. She has written numerous articles for the ABA,
NY State Bar Association, and other publications. She has lectured on
various family law matters ranging from assisted reproductive technology to
parenting coordinators and taught at the Hofstra Law School.
|
Photo coming soon
|
|
Mr. Kessler is a past lecturer on Family Law for the Georgia Judges of the Supreme Court,
Court of Appeals, Superior Court and Juvenile Court. He has also lectured frequently for the American
Bar Association and the State Bars of Hawaii, Nevada, Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan, South Carolina, Georgia.
He is a commentator on divorce and family law cases for: CNN, Headline News, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Kiplinger's Report, and many other news organizations. His Bar positions include:
|
|
|
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'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. |
|
|
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. |
|
|
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 B. Preston is admitted to practice law in California State and Federal Courts as
well as the United States Supreme Court and has been in practice since 1973. He is a
graduate of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1972, and is a
California Board of Legal Specialization, Certified Family Law Specialist. Mr. Preston
has been active in various legal organizations and is former Chair of the American Bar
Association, Family Law Section, having previously served as Chair Elect, Vice Chair,
Secretary, Financial Officer, Council Member (6 years) and various other positions. Mr.
Preston has lectured frequently in Family Law matters throughout the United States and
has co-moderated the Law Education Institute, Family Law Conference since 1998.
|
|
|
Kenneth G. Raggio is a partner in the six-lawyer Dallas firm of Raggio & Raggio.
A past Chair of the ABA Family Law Section, Raggio wrote the "Tools of the Trade" column
in the Family Advocate for years and has been in the forefront of the use of technology to
assist lawyers and their clients in their family law cases. He has presented to state and national
CLE programs ranging from ABA's TechShow to Texas' Advanced Family Law Course. Raggio's
practice includes the full range of litigation and alternative resolution and
also includes the rare family law jury case. Raggio is the founder and
primary author of the firm's website, which is highly respected for the quality and breadth of its content.
|
|
|
Barton R. Resnicoff has been designated a Board Certified Family Law Trial
Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy with his practice primarily limited to
matrimonial and family law for almost 30 years. He is currently a member of the Council of
the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association as well as chair of the SCOPE Committee,
past co-chair and vice chair of Child Support and Marital Property Committees;
the New York State and Queens, Nassau and Suffolk County Bar Associations and
their matrimonial and family law committees or sections, along with being active in them.
He is a past Chair of the committee in Queens; and a past Co-Chair of the Custody
Sub-Committee in Nassau. He has written articles for publications of the American,
New York State, Queens and Nassau County Bar Associations, as well as lecturing to the
American, Queens and Nassau County Bar Associations and other organizations
concerning matrimonial and family law.
|
|
|
Kathleen Robertson, Esq. is the founder of Robertson Family Law, located in Los Altos, California,
on the peninsula between San Jose and San Francisco and practices in Santa Clara,
San Mateo and surrounding counties. Ms. Robertson is certified
by the California Board of Legal Specialization, State Bar of California
as a specialist in Family Law and volunteers in Santa Clara and San Mateo
County family courts and also volunteers her time on various committees for
each county's bar association. She was a member of the Executive
Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of California
for three years, concluding her service on the board in 2006.
Ms. Robertson is also active in the Family Law Section of the
American Bar Association. Ms. Robertson has
again been recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer by San Francisco Magazine.
Ms. Robertson's practice is focused on the legal and practical issues involved in complex family law matters and has extensive trial experience and litigation skills, as well as training in mediation and collaborative law. Ms. Robertson is a regular speaker at national and state bar meetings and has contributed to a number of publications related to family law. |
|
|
Michael A. Saponara, CPA/ABV, J.D., M.A. is a 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. |
|
|
Mr. Schiller is a founder and name partner of the Chicago law firm of Schiller DuCanto and
Fleck LLP, the nation's largest matrimonial law firm. He teaches Divorce Practice at
The University of Chicago Law School. He was:
President of the Illinois State Bar Association after serving as
Chair of the State Bar's Family Law Section; a member of the Board of
Directors of the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education,
and continues to serve on its faculty for family law programs; a
member of the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association,
after serving as Chair of the ABA's Family Law Section, and was
Chair of the Section when the ABA Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute began.
He has served Illinois Courts: Chairing the Circuit Court of Cook County's
Domestic Relations Management Advisory Committee for seven years.
He was National Chair of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers'
Continuing Legal Education Committee, and is a Diplomate of the American
College of Family Trial Lawyers. He has been recognized as one of Illinois'
and the country's top matrimonial lawyers by:
Town and Country Magazine, Worth Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, National Law Journal,
Crain's Chicago Business and is one of Law Dragon's 500.
Schiller is listed in all editions of The Best Lawyers In America and this
year was chosen as one of Illinois' top 10 lawyers by Super Lawyers
and Leading Lawyers Network, and is the subject of a chapter in the book
The Divorce Lawyers by Emily Couric.
|
|
|
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. |
Photo coming soon
|
|
Jacqueline M. Valdespino is the founding partner of Valdespino & Associates, PA, a law firm
specializing in Family and Matrimonial Law in Florida's
Circuit and Appellate Courts. She has been included in Best Lawyers in America;
designated a Preeminent Lawyer by Martindale Hubble, with an AV Rating;
and named one of the top 100 lawyers in Florida by Super Lawyers.
In 2004, Ms.Valdespino was featured in Florida Trend Magazine as one of
the top 1.6 lawyers in Florida.
Awards include: Tobias Simon Award, the highest honor bestowed on a Florida Lawyer by the Florida Supreme Court for her pro bono work with children; Ann Liechty Child Custody Pro Bono Award (ABA). She has served since 1999 as a Council Member for the Family Law Section of the ABA and since 2003 as Editor at Large for the ABA Family Advocate. She speaks frequently (nationally and internationally) on varied topics dealing with family law, and in March 2005, was Commentator, NBC Telemundo Network Group, "Hoy en la Manana." |
|
|
In his 40th year of practice, Mr. Walker understands that divorce is
not like other areas of the law. It is important to help the client get
through the process with dignity. Mr. Walker has been a partner
at Mustain-Wood, Walker & Schumacher since its 1986 inception.
Mr. Walker has served as Family Law representative in the
American Bar Association House of Delegates since 1999.
He is a Fellow of the American and International Academies
of Matrimonial Lawyers and the Fellows of the American Bar
Association. He has been recognized as one of Denver's top
lawyers in 5280 and Divorce in Denver magazines, and has been
listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 1987. He is Professor
of Law emeritus at the University of Denver, where he earned his
J.D., magna cum laude, in 1967.
|
|
|
Ed Winer is one of the most honored family lawyers in the United States:
chosen by Worth Magazine as one of the top 100 lawyers in
its December 2006 issue and again in its December 2007 issue; named by
Worth Magazine as one of the top 10 United States divorce attorneys;
elected a Diplomat of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers
(which limits membership to the nation's 100 best family law trial lawyers);
included in all editions of The Best Lawyers in America; named in every
survey of Super Lawyers; listed as one of the top appellate attorneys and
other honors. Unique among family lawyers is that Ed has a full-service law
firm of over 75 attorneys available to help family law clients, if needed,
including business, intellectual property, tax, retirement law and estate
planning attorneys. Ed has expertise in antenuptial and postnuptial agreements,
spousal maintenance, nonmarital property, business and professional practice
valuations and other issues including intellectual and complex property, custody and appeals.
|
|
|
Marshall J. Wolf of Cleveland, Ohio is a partner in the Family Law firm of Wolf and Akers.
Mr. Wolf is a founding member of the Institute faculty and was involved in the creation of
the Institute by the Family Law Section. He is a Past Chair of
the Family Law Section and currently represents the Section as a
Section Delegate to the ABA House of Delegates. Mr. Wolf was the
founding President of the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of
Matrimonial Lawyers and has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America and Ohio Superlawyers.
Mr. Wolf is a frequent lecturer on Family Law Trial Techniques and Procedure. He served as keynoter and head of the U.S. Delegation to the First World Congress on Family Law and Rights of Children in Sydney, Australia and has appeared before legislative and executive branches of government, including both branches of Congress on Family Law matters. |
|
