Recorded Webinar: Family Lawyers - 3 CPD Compulsory Topics

This webinar comprises 3 one-hour sessions covering each of the compulsory CPD subjects for family lawyers.

Session 1: Ethics: The Ethics of Tactics – Ducking and Weaving in the Family Law Jurisdiction

Presented by: Stephen Winspear, Principal Accredited Specialist Family Law, Moores, Melbourne

Courts are a strategic battlefield – and minefield. It may not be worthy of Perry Mason but there is a place for intelligent tactics. Court strategy is part of the family lawyer’s tool chest. This is about useful and ethical strategies to really advance your client’s interests:

• Understanding your ethical duty to the Court:
  • understanding your client’s real interests
  • promoting those interests and not breaching your ethical duties
• Choosing your dispute resolution process – the client’s second most important decision
• Dealing with dubious lawyering – be it competence, ethics or procrastination
• Court process choices explained
• Stay applications – preserving and protecting your client
• Appeals and stays – when and why
• Innovative ways to approach settlement

Session 2: Professional Skills: Alternatives to Litigation and When to Use Them in Family Law

Presented by: Gerard Holmes, Barrister and Accredited Mediator Arbitrator, Victorian Bar, Melbourne

There are a number of different ways you can achieve a resolution for your client without the need to head to court. And with court delays the way they are, you may have no choice. This session looks at the alternatives to litigation and when they are appropriate in family law settings. It covers:

• The pros and cons of different types of ADR in family law matters:
  • arbitrations
  • mediations
  • collaboration
  • early Neutral Evaluation
• Which type to use and when?
• What are the benefits of ADR and when should they be used? Time and cost benefits
• When is ADR binding?

Session 3: Practice Management Business Skills: Best Practice File Management in Family Law Matters

Presented by: Evelyn Young, Senior Associate, Mitchell Family Law, Melbourne

This session concentrates on practical file management in family law matters. It will take you through the latest technology and resources that will help you with effective file management to best practice standard:

• File management and technology – how it intersects
• Legal practice management software
• Systems to store and retrieve key client information
• Family law practice standards
• Managing your database
• Conflicts checking system
• Risk identification as a file management tool
• Closing, retaining and disposing of client files