Originally published in Student Lawyer magazine, March 2005 (Vol. 33, No. 7). All rights reserved.

LIAISON NOTEBOOK

Liaison Notebook includes reports of Law Student Division members who represent the Division in the ABA's practice-related sections, divisions, forums, and other entities. For information on how you can become a student liaison, visit www.abanet.org/lsd/elections and scroll down to "Liaisons."

ABA Section of Family Law Treats Its Members Like Family

by Alisa M. Rosales

With more than 46 years of knowledge, expertise of more than 10,000 members, and networking opportunities that make a difference, the ABA Section of Family Law provides practice enhancement and professional opportunities for students, practitioners, and judges to become premier family law practitioners. But, best of all, the section treats its members like a family—a family searching to support, encourage, and embolden every member.

Though most students simply think of family law as divorce, child custody battles, and adoption, it’s an extremely broad area of law. The section also addresses domestic violence, elder law, family courts, military issues, reproductive and genetic technologies, and international law. The issues concerning same-sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships have been addressed by the section’s White Paper, an analysis of the law regarding these areas. In addition, the section offers resources on collateral issues that affect family law practitioners, such as ethics, law practice management, bankruptcy, alternative dispute resolution, law practice management, and trial practices and techniques.

The section supports its more than 10,000 members through CLEs offered at each of the three meetings (Annual in August, fall and spring meetings) and teleseminars, publications such as Family Law Quarterly and Family Advocate, e-mail updates including the Family Law Case Update and eNewsletters, the Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute, and networking at the meetings and through committee work.

If any of these topics interest you or will touch your practice or pro bono work, join the Section of Family Law for the reduced student rate of $6.50. Visit www.abanet.org/family to join or for more information.

Alisa M. Rosales, a student at the University of Nebraska College of Law, is the ABA Law Student Division’s liaison to the Section of Family Law.

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