Dear Esteemed AFCC-CA Members, Well, another year has gone by and the COVID-19 pandemic is still here, and most of us have accepted the fact that working both virtually and in-person is our ‘new normal’. Also, it is noteworthy that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were forced to pivot at short notice and put on our first virtual conference. Not surprisingly, the conference was well attended and had a range of dynamic presenters […]
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Originally published in the ABA Journal in April of 2021. Republished with the author’s permission. Back in the day, I ran with the big dogs in BigLaw. Now, after suffering with clinical depression for more than 20 years and surviving a suicide attempt, I am happier than ever in the legal profession. My mental health journey is a cautionary tale, but one with a message of hope. My Journey I graduated from law school in […]
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There was finally a light at the end of the COVID tunnel, or so it seemed. California, among other states slowly opened back up, just to lock back down this summer due to the crisis with the Delta Variant, which may affect us for some months to come. And it is still not at all clear what the post-COVID world will look like. Many of the technology changes will stay, no doubt we will be […]
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“Ask Three Mentors” is a question-and-answer column, produced exclusively for Insights, that highlights the fact that members of AFCC are attorneys, judges, and mental health professionals. Many of our most experienced members are committed to mentoring and passing on the wealth of knowledge they’ve acquired through years of work in the field of family law. Each month we will pose a custody-related question to three members of our panel of exceptionally experienced and widely respected […]
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On November 10, 2020, one week after Election Day, and in the eye of the storm of allegations of election fraud, we (Dr. Matt Sullivan, past president of AFCC International, and retired Commissioner Marjorie Slabach) joined Susan Myers, AAML President, and Gabrielle Davis, attorney with the Battered Women’s Justice Project, to present the Opening Plenary for the International AFCC’s 14th Annual Symposium and Child Custody. On that day we told ourselves and the audience that […]
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It has been over four months since George Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020. Massive and sustained protests have continued throughout the nation. Last month, another man, Jacob Blake, was shot in the back seven times by the police in Wisconsin. Protesters seeking justice have been severely injured and died. The Statement by AFCC California Chapter was inspired by the movement that arose after George Floyd’s death. His death was a turning point. Countrywide. On […]
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“Ask Three Mentors” is a question-and-answer column, produced exclusively for Insights, that highlights the fact that members of AFCC are attorneys, judges, and mental health professionals. Many of our most experienced members are committed to mentoring and passing on the wealth of knowledge they’ve acquired through years of work in the field of family law. Each month we will pose a custody-related question to three members of our panel of exceptionally experienced and widely respected […]
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“Ask Three Mentors” is a question-and-answer column, produced exclusively for Insights, that highlights the fact that members of AFCC are attorneys, judges, and mental health professionals. Many of our most experienced members are committed to mentoring and passing on the wealth of knowledge they’ve acquired through years of work in the field of family law. Each month we will pose a custody-related question to three members of our panel of exceptionally experienced and widely respected […]
Read More
“Ask Three Mentors” is a question-and-answer column, produced exclusively for Insights, that highlights the fact that members of AFCC are attorneys, judges, and mental health professionals. Many of our most experienced members are committed to mentoring and passing on the wealth of knowledge they’ve acquired through years of work in the field of family law. Each month we will pose a custody-related question to three members of our panel of exceptionally experienced and widely respected […]
Read MoreDisputes regarding children with special needs are becoming increasingly common in child custody cases. Disagreements about the child’s care and needs may be presented to the court as urgent matters or in fragmented form, with the suggestion that one parent must be marginalized in order for the child to receive necessary services. In other cases, parental conflict may risk harming the child by delaying services that are time sensitive or urgently needed. External providers unfamiliar […]
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