Protecting Children and Families by Using the Collaborative Law Principles

Friday, June 2, 2017 – 1:30 – 3:00 PM

AFCC 54th Annual Conference – Turning the Kaleidoscope of Family Conflict into a Prism of Harmony
May 31-June 3, 2017
Sheraton Boston Hotel
Boston, Massachusetts

This workshop will show how, in family law, using a collaborative law process to create a prism of harmony is a means of reducing
the stress of divorce on families and children. Participants will learn techniques on how to effectively work with coaches, financial
professionals, and collaboratively trained attorneys to resolve disputes in a kinder and gentler way.

Speakers:
Linda Cohan, MSW, CPC, Gloucester, MA
David Goodman, MBA, CPA, Milton, MA
Justin Kelsey, JD, Framingham, MA
Debra L. Smith, JD, Watertown, MA

 

Click here to Register.

Massachusetts Bar Association – How to Become a Mediator Incorporating Mediation into Your Law Practice

Tuesday, May 23, 2017 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Massachusetts Bar Association, Conference Room 101, 20 West St, Boston, MA, 02111

Have you ever wondered how you could begin to include mediation into your law practice?

Come and learn from mediation trainers and attorney/mediators who can provide you with information on how to get trained, how to integrate mediation into your practice and how to effectively market mediation as part of your practice.

Whether you are a seasoned litigator or someone who is fresh out of law school, this program has something for you. The presenters will provide attendees with resources and information about mediation and why you should think about including it in your practice. The program will conclude with a Q&A session.

Faculty:
Nicole Michelle Crowley, Esq., program co-chair
Tucker, Saltzman, Dyer & O’Connell LLP, Boston

Cynthia Runge, Esq., program co-chair
Cynthia T. Runge, Esq., Boston

Justin Kelsey, Esq.
Skylark Law & Mediation, P.C., Framingham

Gail Packer, Esq.
Community Dispute Settlement Center, Cambridge

Jeffrey Stern, Esq.
The Mediation Group, Brookline

Click here to Register.

Boston Bar Association – Divorce Law Fundamentals: ADR Options – Divorce Mediation & Collaborative Divorce

Tuesday, May 16, 2017 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Boston Bar Association – 16 Beacon Street, Boston, MA

Answering the following questions:

• What are the various types of ADR options: Mediation, Conciliation, Arbitration & Collaborative Divorce;
• When should you consider using ADR;
• Whether certain issues are appropriate for ADR; and
• What programs are offered in each county.

Registration Categories:
BBA Member – Free. Included as part of your membership.
Non-Member – $50.00

Speakers:
Justin Kelsey
Vicki Rothbaum

Click here to Register.

Growing the Pie: Introducing Experts who Create Value for Clients

MCLC Networking & Educational Forum – Cultivating Collaboration: The Changing Faces of Collaborative Law, Southborough, MA

May 12, 2017 – 3:00 – 4:30

Justin Kelsey (moderator)
Speakers: Blair Trippe, David Consigli & R. Paul Faxon

Divorce cases that include family business ownership in the
couple’s portfolio (or “closely-held” companies where owners-principals want to restructure ownership) can benefit from
adding family business consultants and valuation expert’s to the CL inter-disciplinary team. This multi-disciplinary panel of professionals will discuss how they create value for scores of clients and their CL attorneys who are struggling to resolve conflict and, if appropriate, develop a property division settlement that enlarges rather than shrinks the pie for those involved.

The MCLC Networking & Educational Forum is an Annual Conference taking place from 8:30AM to 4:30PM on May 12, 2017 at Clark University in Southborough, MA.

Click here to view the Flyer or to Register.

The Next Generation of Mediation: Go Ahead, Quit Your Day Job

Academy of Professional Family Mediators 2017 Annual Conference, Memphis TN
April 1, 2017 – 1:15 PM – 2:45 PM

This interactive session with Michael Aurit, Amanda Singer and Justin Kelsey will showcase an in-depth panel discussion of four essential family mediation business building areas: (1) Most effective marketing strategies; (2) Biggest marketing mistakes; (3) Modern billing approaches to increase business; and (4) Best overall business practices. This candid conversation will provide takeaways that participants can immediately introduce into their own mediation practices to win more cases and grow business potential. A “roundtable” audience participation portion will offer audience questions, comments and engagement.

 

The Academy of Professional Family Mediators 2017 Annual Conference is taking place from March 30, 2017 through April 2, 2017 at the Doubletree Hotel in Downtown Memphis, TN.  Click here to view the 2017 APFM Conference Flyer or here to Register.

The Flyer has a discount code for $50 off (MEMPHIS17).

The Legacy of Adam and Eve: Exploring the Impact of Gender Bias on Neutrality and Fairness

Academy of Professional Family Mediators 2017 Annual Conference, Memphis TN
March 31st from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Justin Kelsey, Beth Aarons, and Jennifer Hawthorne will be leading a presentation and discussion on instances in divorce mediation where gender bias may impact the mediator’s ability to maintain neutrality and guide clients towards a “fair” result, such as where alimony and parenting plans are involved. The presenters will share case examples and demonstrate a fishbowl role play designed to illuminate some of the challenges of deciding if, when, and how to intervene in client discussions which may appear unfair while preserving neutrality, and the role of gender bias in that assessment.

 

The Academy of Professional Family Mediators 2017 Annual Conference is taking place from March 30, 2017 through April 2, 2017 at the Doubletree Hotel in Downtown Memphis, TN.  Click here to view the 2017 APFM Conference Flyer or here to Register.

The Flyer has a discount code for $50 off (MEMPHIS17).

 

Starting a law practice requires planning, inspiration, and help.  MassLOMAP has organized a workshop to help lawyers looking to start a law practice focusing on planning, office tech, client management, marketing, entity selection, ethics, finances, and stress management.

This workshop will happen at DOCKIT, a legal co-working space in Springfield, Mass. and is cosponsored by the Hampshire County Bar Association, Hampden County Bar Association, Franklin County Bar Association, Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council (MCLC), Starting Out Solo, and the Western Mass and Solo and Small Firm Committees of the Women’s Bar Association.

Faculty to include:

Anna Levine, Executive Director, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers

Heidi Alexander, Director, MassLOMAP

Justin Kelsey, Skylark Law & Mediation, P.C. and incoming President of MCLC

Karen Adamski, O’Brien & Adamski

WHEN:  March 24, 2017 @ 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
WHERE: Dockit | 3rd Floor, 75 Market St, Springfield, MA 01103
COST:Free

Click here for more information or to register.

On Friday, March 17, 2017 at 8:00 AM, Justin Kelsey will be presenting on the information divorce professionals need to know about QDROs at a meeting hosted by Pamela T. Lasher CFP®, CDFA®, Vice President- Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley.

This program will focus on the most common mistakes in Retirement Division provisions in Divorce Agreements and how to avoid them.  It will include an overview of the types of division orders and the decisions that must be made in order to create a complete order.

For information download the flyer here: QDRO Invite.

Click here for more information about QDROs.

 

Justin Kelsey will present a training on the Collaborative Consult to the Hampden/Hampshire County Collaborative Practice Groups on March 13, 2017 at 4:30 during their monthly meeting.

The training will focus on updating the concept of an initial consultation with a client to include techniques and lessons from the Collaborative Law process.  The training includes an introduction to 6 hat thinking and how that theory can influence consultations and Collaborative law process in general.

Click here for more information.

The Mass Lawyer’s Journal May/June edition published my article “Collaborative law: practicing family law with heart”

“Collaborative law is a different experience for my clients. If my divorcing clients finish their case having no better idea how to deal with conflict than when they first came into my office, then I have failed them. Divorce is a by-product of conflict in the marriage, but if people are ending their marriage to escape that conflict, why do so many couples end up in long drawn out court fights for years, essentially continuing that conflict? Because somewhere along the line the complaint-style system has failed them.”

Read more here and please share!