Greater Newburyport BarAssociation

2023 Schedule

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Government Pensions in Divorce: Division, Benefits, Language & Appraisal

Wednesday, April 12, 4:30-6:00, via Zoom

 

The most ubiquitous pension divided in Massachusetts divorce cases is also among the most complicated. One of the oldest pension systems in the country, there are many factors which must be addressed in a Domestic Relations Order (DRO) for the 104 retirement boards to find the DRO acceptable. This seminar explores the various means of payment of retirement benefits (normal and disability retirement), survivor options elected before retirement (Option D) and at the time of retirement (Options A/B/C), cost of survivor benefits, common misconceptions, red flags, managing client’s expectations, and the functionality of how an offset against other retirement assets or Social Security may function. The accompanying presentation file contains sample agreement language, and links to M.G.L. and case law.

 

​Attend & Learn

·    How is this pension system different from private pension plans

·    How can the assigned monthly benefit be defined within a DRO

·    What pre- and post-retirement survivor benefit options can be assigned via DRO

·    What options are available for offsetting the pension value against other retirement assets or Social Security

 

Faculty

Michael E. Foley, PASA, Inc., Woburn, MA

MICHAEL FOLEY is President of PASA, Inc. (Pension Appraisal Services Associates) and currently performs all the company’s pension appraisals. He first became involved in 2000, in 2005 constructed the program which performs much of the actuarial calculations, and joined PASA full-time in 2012. Prior to 2012 he was employed for 11 years between State Street Bank and Fidelity, managing teams within corporate actions and income for Fidelity’s mutual funds. He has presented seminars for and/or has been published by the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Boston Bar Association, and various chapters of the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council on the topics of pension appraisals, QDROs/DROs, and the division of retirement assets in the context of divorce. He has performed over 2,000 pension appraisals and has been accepted as an expert witness in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. He has a bachelor's degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross and is an affiliated member of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries. (February 2023)

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https://gnba.ticketbud.com/government-pensions-in-divorce-division-benefits-language-and-appraisal

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The Interplay of Family and Criminal Law

Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 4:30-6:30

The Screening Room, 82 State Street, Newburyport

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Many lawyers either practice family law or criminal law. However, all practitioners need to know how the law and protective remedies can overlap. Motions for 209As; 258Es and 208, sec. 34Bs can be brought in either probate or district court. How do you decide which court to file in? What are the potential strategic and practical considerations? How to best protect your client? This program features expert judges, teachers and practitioners who will share their knowledge and experience to help you protect your clients.

 

Attend and Learn

What is required to obtain a 209A?

What is the difference between a 209A and a 258E?

How to decide between filing in probate or criminal court?

What are the differences between civil and criminal remedies?

Judges’ perspectives on what you should and shouldn’t do in hearings

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Expert Faculty

Honorable Serge Georges, Supreme Judicial Court and Adjunct Faculty, Suffolk University Law School

Honorable Mary F. McCabe, District Court

Nicole Reilly, Law Offices of Nicole Reilly, Amesbury, MA & Portsmouth,NH

Gary Todd, Todd & Weld and Adjunct Faculty, New England Law

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https://gnba.ticketbud.com/the-interplay-between-family-and-criminal-law

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The Annual John C. Stevens Family Law Symposium: Benched

Wednesday, May 10, 5:00-7:00, The Firehouse Center for the Arts, Newburyport

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Moderators Judith Cowan and Donald Pitman will guide a discussion of the most current challenging issues.

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Faculty

Hon. Michael D. Anderson

Hon. Mary Rudolph-Black

Hon. Frances M. Giordano

Hon. Nan M. Sauer

Hon. Jennifer M. Rivera Ulwick

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Sixth Annual CLE by the Sea; NE Conference for Solos and Small Firms

Thursday, July 20, Blue Ocean Event Center, Salisbury

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Greater Newburyport Bar Association with The Maine State Bar, The New Hampshire Bar, The Massachusetts Bar Association, The Mass. Academy of Trial Attorneys, The WBA of MA, Starting Out Solo, The Essex County Bar and LCLMA

 

NHCLE total 375 minutes for the day or 75 minutes for each session that is completed.

ME CLE credits are pending

 

8:00-9:00 Continental Breakfast & Registration

9:00-9:15 Welcome & Introductions

9:15-10:30  Concurrent Workshops

A. Teens in the Digital World – What You Need to Know…

Steven Bradley, Our Family Wizard, Minneapolis, Minnesota

• Identify common ways teens are harassed via smart phone technology;

• List at least 3 applications used to share and/or monitor location;

• List three ways social networking can be used to harass, threaten, and monitor;

• Explore evidence preservation strategies as they to phone technology and social networking; and

• Discuss essential social networking privacy settings.

B.  Are You Marketing to The Hispanic Client? If Not, You Should Be.

Leonard Spada, Spada Law Group, MA

• The nuances involved in marketing to a diverse and loyal group of Spanish speaking residents 

• Lessons learned in growing your personal injury practice by tailoring marketing to this community and their unique needs and cultures.

• Strategies ranging from TV, radio, Google Ads, SEO, firm management and hiring and community outreach. 

C.   Wire Fraud Prevention Tactics for Your Office

Speaker from First American

• Having a wire procedure in your office for outgoing wire

• Having an emergency response plan should your office fall victim to wire fraud

• What steps you should take to confirm validity of wiring instructions

• Give samples of situations where attorneys have fallen victim to wire fraud

10:30-10:50 Networking Break

10:50-12:05 Concurrent Workshops

D. Alcohol Use Disorder in Family Law Cases

Attorneys Maureen Booth and Donald Pitman, MA and Mike Fonseca, Soberlink, CA

• How to advocate for the client with AUD

• How to advocate for the co-parent of a person with AUD

• How using a tool like Soberlink supports continuity in parenting time

• Practical aspects when dealing with an order to use Soberlink; remain sober; and/or attend a 12-step program

 E . Evolving Judicial Attitudes Toward Racial Stereotypes

Stuart Hurowitz, MA, Theodore Lothstein, NH, John Webb, ME

• Racial Pretext in Search & Seizure

• Addressing Implicit Bias of Jurors

• Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

• Challenging Prosecutorial Stereotypes

F. How to Run Your Practice

Attorneys Martha Bagley, Solen Morairty & Thomas Taranto, MA

• How to calculate the cost of obtaining a client 

• How to find reliable sources of income 

• How to create a budget for your practice 

• How to generate business for free 

• What habits could be adding to your anxiety and tips to avoid 

• How to avoid accepting clients who will add stress 

• What level of revenue do you need before you hire 

• Setting realistic expectations

12:05-1:00 Luncheon (Included)

1:00-2:15 Concurrent Workshops

G. A Deeper Dive into the Income and Market Approach, What Attorneys Need to Know

Marc Bello, Edelstein & Company. LLP., MA & Attorney Judith Cowan, MA

• Overview of the Income Approach

• Understanding capitalization of income and discount cash flow methods

• Where do business appraisers get there data to support discount rates

• Overview of a Market Approach

• What is a complete transaction method

• What is a publicly traded guideline method 

H. Pitfalls in Real Estate Title Practic

Attorney Lauren Weeks, Seaside Legal Solutions, MA & NH

    Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire Title Insurance Issues 

I. Modern Lead Generation: Legal Marketing in 2023 (no NH credits)

Nick Paul, NIFTY, Idaho

2:15-2:30 Networking Break

2:30–3:45 Concurrent Workshops

J. Ethical Issues Arising from Lawyers and the Internet: Marketing or Mistake? 

Attorney Edward Cheng, Sherin & Lodgen, MA & Attorney Donald Pitman, Pitman Law Office, MA

• Blogs, 

• Emails, 

• Facebook 

• Solicitation and marketing 

K. Key Insights from the Clio Legal Trends Report

Presenter from Clio TBD

Being client-centered requires focusing on more than just your clients. Join this 1-hour deep-dive into the 2022 Legal Trends Report to discuss what the data means and how to use it to set your law firm and employees up for success. Learn the biggest takeaways from Clio’s research, including:

• How lawyers are navigating the competitive landscape of legal services

• Employment trends and what today’s legal professionals have to say about their workplace

• What clients look for when hiring a lawyerCLIO—Practice Issues

L. Trauma Informed Lawyering

Attorney Judith Cowan, MA; Kimberly Hutchins, LMHC, MA; Attorney Dana Prescott, ME & Diane Tennies, PhD, LADC, ME

• Define what it means to act in a trauma-informed manner.

• Strategies to assist clients in managing their trauma responses to improve the attorney-client relationship.

• Recognizing the impacts of vicarious trauma and strategies to manage. 

3:45-5:00 Concurrent Workshops

M. Unconscious Bias & The Importance of Diversity & Inclusion 

Attorneys Ingrid Schroffner, MA & Sarah O’Leary, MA

• How language can create in and out groups

• Exploring bias & its impact 

• How unconscious bias in particular impacts our relationships, decision-making, and experiences within everyday life.

• Identifying strategies to mitigate biases in our interactions and ways to foster inclusive practices, including inclusive language.

 N. Productive Outs: Microsoft 365 Tips & Tricks

Attorney Jared Correia, Red Cave Law Firm Consulting, MA

• Microsoft 365 tips, tricks and hacks, 

• How you can get more out of this essential business software.

O. Navigating the Intersection of Family & Immigration Law

Attorneys Emily Amara Gordon, Ogor Okoye, and Gary Todd, MA

• When do I need to call an immigration lawyer

• How does the status of the parties affect the available relief?

• When does a party qualify for a Green Card and what is the impact of a divorce

• How should I handle an adoption when the child is not a US Citizen?

• What is Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)?

5:00 Reception for all at SurfSide, sponsored by the GNBA

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CONFERENCE INFORMATION 

Tuition: $199.00 | After June 12, $249.00 

Tuition includes, continental breakfast, lunch, and reception and materials. 

CLE CREDIT information: 

Parking is free in the Blue Ocean Parking Lot

Nearby hotels: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=hotels+near+blue+ocean+music+hall&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#ip=1