CLE Programs

Divorce practice ranks among the most demanding, complex and challenging areas of legal work. In order to be effective and avoid costly mistakes, counsel must be prepared to address a wide array of issues — from asset valuation and division, to child custody matters, to taxation — often in a high-pressure, deadline-driven arena.

This course will teach you how to determine the facts of your client’s case, select appropriate avenues of relief and parry your opponent’s strategies while you become familiar with relevant statutes, rules and leading cases that you can use to achieve positive results for your client. Topics include:

• Initiating representation: how to interview prospective clients, address ethical issues that arise in establishing representation and develop a theory of your case;
• Core values: tips on preparing Rule 401 financial statements;
• Obtaining temporary orders: spousal and child support, asset preservation and visitation;
• Discovery: Rule 410, coping with the dishonest or secretive spouse, the discovery toolkit;
• Matters involving children: an overview of custody and visitation; guardians ad litem; special problems that children face when they are involved in divorce cases;
• Pretrial conferences and case management conferences: when to request them and how to prepare the appropriate materials to make the best use of them;
• Settlement primer: factors to consider in settlement negotiations, how to protect yourself and your client and how to determine whether or not a case should go to trial; and
• Trial preparation checklist.

Co-sponsors:

Western New England College School of Law and the Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire County bar associations