This course will discuss the challenges of dealing with self-represented parties from the attorney, hearing officer and judicial perspective, including ethical considerations, discovery, case management, and preparation for hearing officer conferences and trial.  The course will also address legal proceedings against parties who fail to appear after proper notice and against absentee parties, including applicable rules of procedure, due process considerations and proper service upon the absentee.

A review of the following legal topics concerning the care of adult children with disabilities: Continuing tutorship; Interdiction; Supported decision-making; Child support; Special Needs Trusts; etc

The Louisiana Code of Professionalism as interpreted by the HBO comedy series, Ted Lasso
 

Setting up an operating account and trust accounts (A discussion as to what monies go into a trust account v. an operating account); Conflicts checks; Engagement letters; Statements to clients reflecting the time spent on the case, the monies disbursed, etc.; Calendaring matters and deadlines; Maintaining a bookkeeping/accounting system; Paying payroll taxes for employees; Supervising the employees – not letting them practice law without a license; confidentiality, etc.; Proper reporting that must now be done due to the Corporate Transparency act; Managing the work day, the work load and client control; The importance of staying abreast of technology and office practices; Organization; Plan for transitioning out of the practice.; Plan of succession in the event of the death of a small practitioner

A review of key concepts in the trusts and estates arena necessary for family law practitioners, including the types and treatment of life insurance, the key issues and problems with interspousal donations and the execution of wills, and a brief treatment of trusts during marriage.

The seminar will focus on recent cases and legislation in the areas of child custody/child support, divorce, tutorship, and filiation/adoption. Several new significant pieces of legislation involving child custody hearings, child custody evaluations, expert testimony in custody proceedings, collaborative proceedings, changes to community property, and changes to the law of tutorship will be discussed. In addition, the seminar will address the evolving law regarding custody of embryos and the court’s treatment of custody disputes involving same-sex parents.

Income definitions, calculation of child support documents, discovery of income proof for child support, voluntarily unemployed/underemployed, the child support guideline schedule, different calculations an factors and some practical examples.

This Course will discuss the ramifications of Orders of Protection from the perspective of the plaintiff and defendant on causes of action for divorce and related incidental and other legal issues, including spousal support, child custody, relocation, attorney’s fees, medical expenses, community property, etc.

Back by popular demand to expand upon foundation of proof, authentication of evidence; hardware inventory, social media, ethical and legal evidence gathering and other issues of note that were not covered in last year's Part I.

Special issues in partition cases such as the application of conflicts of laws, how to prove a reimbursement claim, valuation of business interests in closely held entities, etc.

This presentation will discuss the custody evaluation process and how to properly instruct and prepare your client for participation in the evaluation along with guidance on what information should be provided to the minor children. Specific points to be presented include: the role and scope of the custody evaluator and evaluation; APA guidelines for custody evaluation; what a custody evaluation entails (interviews, testing, record review); identifying high-conflict families; and protecting and preparing the minor children in the process.