Attorney Education in Child Custody and Visitation Matters VIDEO REPLAY*

April 28, 2011 - April 29, 2011
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
10.00 MCLE hours, including 2.75 approved Professional Responsibility MCLE credit hours
Presented by Bench and Bar
Co-sponsored by Child Law and Family Law

Macomb
Spoon River College – Community Outreach Center
MidAmerica National Bank Conference Hall
2500 E Jackson St – Room C
(map and directions)

This two-day program is designed to help those attorneys who represent children. Under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 906(c)**, attorneys should receive ten hours of education every two years in child development, roles of guardians ad litem and child representatives, ethics in child custody cases, relevant substantive state, federal, and case law in custody and visitation matters, and family dynamics, including substance abuse, domestic abuse, and mental health issues.

Topics for this video replay seminar include: legislative and case law updates; statues and rules; issues in protecting children; parental custody rights; scheduling parenting time; jurisdiction issues and removing children from Illinois; orders of protection; handling contested custody and visitation matters; mediating disputes involving children; drafting agreements; settlement conferences; evaluations; electronic opportunities for children and families. The roles of attorney, child representative and guardian ad litem are also discussed. A live panel of distinguished Second Judicial Circuit judges and practitioners will offer experiential advice on how to handle contested custody issues and visitation matters.

Live Program Coordinator/Moderator:

Ramon M. Escapa, Lucie, Scalf & Escapa, Macomb

Video Program Coordinators/Moderators:

Hon. Michael J. Chmiel, Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit, Woodstock

Julie Ann Sebastian, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Chicago

Agenda

Thursday, April 28, 2011

8:30 – 8:45 a.m. Welcome and Introductions

8:45 – 10:15 a.m. Legislative and Case Law Update

Hon. Linda E. Davenport, Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Wheaton

Prof. Jeff Atkinson, DePaul University College of Law, Chicago

10:15 – 10:30 a.m. Break (beverages provided)

10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Emerging Issues in Protecting Children

Hon. Elizabeth A. Levy, 3^rd Judicial Circuit Court, Edwardsville

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Mediating Disputes Involving Children***

Joseph Canevello, Connections Counseling, Crystal Lake

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 – 1:30 p.m. Pursuing and Defending Against Emergency, Interim, and Plenary Orders of Protection

Andrea M. Schleifer, Andrea M. Schleifer & Associates, P.C., Chicago

1:30 – 2:15 p.m. Establishing and Modifying the Custody Rights of Parents

Sandra Crawford, Law Crawford, P.C. Chicago

2:15 – 3:00 p.m. Structuring and Scheduling Parenting Time

Michael K. Goldberg, Goldberg Law Group, Chicago

3:00 – 3:15 p.m. Break (refreshments provided)

3:15 – 4:00 p.m. Roundtable Discussion on How to Handle Contested Custody and Visitation Matters (Live Panel Presentation)

Hon. Heidi A. Benson, Associate Judge, Ninth Judicial Circuit, Carthage
Hon. John R. Clerkin (Ret.), Associate Judge, Ninth Judicial Circuit, Macomb
Hon. Patricia A. Walton, Associate Judge, Ninth Judicial Circuit, Macomb

Friday, April 29, 2011

8:30 – 9:45 a.m. Analyzing the Mix Between and Among Parents and Children***

Dr. Louis Kraus, M.D., Northbrook

9:45 – 10:30 a.m. Dealing with Other Jurisdictions and Allowing Children to be Removed from Illinois

Gunnar J. Gitlin, The Gitlin Law Firm, P.C., Woodstock

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Break (refreshments provided)

10:45 – 11:30 a.m. Engaging Settlement Conferences and Drafting Agreements***

Sandra Blake, Life Span, De Plaines

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 a.m. Taking on the Role of Attorney, Child Representative, or Guardian Ad Litem

Michael Ruzicka, Illinois Department of Children & Family Services, Fairview Heights

12:15 – 1:00 p.m. Electronic Opportunities for Children and Families

Hon. Michael J. Chmiel, Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit, Woodstock

*Program originally recorded on March 18-19, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois

**S.Ct. Rule 906 addresses attorney qualifications and education in child custody and visitation matters

***Approved Professional Responsibility MCLE credit