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One Fell Swoop: Custody, Military, Mental Health, Social Media and E-filing for Family Law Paralegals

8:55        Welcome and Introductions

9:00        E-filing

Alesha Lopez, NC District Court – 10th Judicial District, Raleigh
Chief Judge Ned W. Mangum, NC District Court – 10th Judicial District, Raleigh
Melissa R. Bawden, Wake County Family Court Office, Raleigh

Let's talk about e-filing. This session examines the impact of electronic filing on the court system as it relates to family law. We also discuss information about legislative changes and the impact it has on the service of documents.

10:01      Intimate Partner Violence, Mental Health and the Prioritization of Self-Care

Katrina Kuzyszyn-Jones, Psy.D., KKJ Psychology, Durham

Mental health professionals play an important role in family law cases. This session discusses how a client's mental health issues, including factors related to intimate partner violence, can impact your legal case. Paralegals are provided with some tools to recognize, understand and manage mental health issues when dealing with a client or opposing party with mental health issues.

11:01      Break

11:11      Impact of Social Media

Ketan P. Soni, Soni Brendle PLLC, Charlotte

This session briefly touches on the past, addresses the present, and predicts the future of using social media in any legal industry. Additionally, the pitfalls of blindly believing any digital evidence provided are weighed against the ease of which this evidence can be manipulated. From this perspective, the materials shed light on protecting the integrity of evidence and being aware of bad actors fabricating information. Overall, this session covers the 1s and 0s of anti-social media in the modern world.

12:12      Lunch Break

12:42        What Does the Modern Family Look Like? Custody in Blended Families and How to Make It Work

Katie H. King, Wake Family Law Group, Raleigh
Justin L. Mauney, Wake Family Law Group, Raleigh
Helen M. O'Shaughnessy, Wake Family Law Group, Raleigh

Blended families are now common in the U.S., and at least half of all children live with a stepparent. Blended families create additional challenges for families in the midst of child custody disputes, and lawyers/paralegals must consider those unique dynamics carefully. Discuss how the legal community addresses those challenges to reduce stress and help create successful parenting plans for blended families in child custody disputes.

1:44        Land Mines on the Military Pension Minefields: Filing a Claim for Equitable Distribution for a Service Member and Meeting Military Deadlines

Vanessa N. Puhak, Law Offices of Mark E. Sullivan PA, Raleigh

Dividing a military pension can be daunting task. What documents are needed to help assist an equitable distribution claim and how can an expert help? What is the Survivor Benefit Plan? How will this affect the client as a service member or a service member's spouse? Paralegals can play a critical role in gathering the necessary information to help an attorney address these questions. With the mobility of today's military family and the high rate of divorce, equitable distribution in the context of a service member or a military spouse can be complex, fast-paced and confusing. This presentation brings together the top issues regarding military pension division and what a paralegal should consider if they are assisting with a case involving a service member or military spouse.

2:44        Break

2:54        Ethics Developments and Best Practices for Family Law Paralegals*

Fred M. Morelock, Tharrington Smith LLP, Raleigh

Learn tips for detecting and handling conflicts of interest, as well as for maintaining professionalism with clients and the importance of continuing education for paralegals.

3:56        Adjourn

* Indicates portion providing Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit

Thank you

Thank you for joining us for One Fell Swoop: Custody, Military, Mental Health, Social Media and E-filing for Family Law Paralegals.

Description

This CPE is for all paralegals, regardless of their level of family law experience.

Contributors

  • Melissa R. "Mel" Bawden

    Melissa R. "Mel" Bawden is with the Wake County Family Court Office in Raleigh. She has been working for the State of North Carolina since 2005 and working in the Wake County Family Court Office for the past 16 years, currently as the family court case coordinator for the Honorable Rhonda G. Young.

    Melissa was formerly the family court case coordinator for the Honorable Christine Walczyk and the Honorable Rashad Hauter.

    Melissa's knowledge and experience make her an asset not only to the family court office, but also to attorneys and pro se litigants navigating through the court system.

    Click here for more information about Melissa.

  • Joanne DeRosa

    Joanne DeRosa is with Barefoot Family Law in Raleigh.

    Prior to joining Barefoot Family Law, Joanne was the Appellate Group Coordinator at Wyrick Robbins. She is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division - Family Law Section.

    Click here for more information about Joanne.

  • Jennifer M. Gaff

    Jennifer M. Gaff is a senior litigation paralegal with the Raleigh Law Center.

    Jennifer is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal, earning her paralegal certificate from Meredith College in 2007. Since her certification, she has worked exclusively in family law, first in the private sector and, more recently, for eight years as the Family Court Case Coordinator for The Honorable Lori G. Christian in the Wake County Family Court Office.

    Jennifer earned her B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

    Click here for more information about Jennifer.

  • Katie Hardersen King

    Katie Hardersen King is a partner at Wake Family Law Group (Schilawski O’Shaughnessy Grace King & Mauney PLLC) in Raleigh. She works with clients in matters involving North Carolina family law litigation, mediation, negotiations, and appeals. She is a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist, Certified Parenting Coordinator, and Certified Family Financial Mediator.

    Katie is the Immediate Past Chair of the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association. She recently completed a 3-year term as a Council Member for the Family Law Section and was Secretary of the Section from 2011-2020. She serves on the Section's Adoption and Modern Family Committees. Katie is also a member of the Wake County Bar Association and served a 3-year term on the Board of Directors ending in 2021. She is currently the Chair of the Tenth Judicial District's Grievance Committee, which investigates complaints involving lawyers' ethical conduct. She has previously served on the Tenth Judicial District's Fee Dispute Resolution Committee. Katie is also an ally attorney member of the LGBT Family Law Institute, a group of family law practitioners from across the country who are experienced in representing members of the LGBTQ+ community.

    Katie earned her B.A. in English and Political Studies, cum laude, from Meredith College and her J.D. from Campbell University School of Law.

    Click here for more information about Katie.

  • Dr. Katrina "Katie" Kuzyszyn-Jones

    Dr. Katrina "Katie" Kuzyszyn-Jones is the owner of KKJ Forensic and Psychological Services. She has over 20 years of clinical experience and has been practicing in Durham for 16 years. She is a certified Family Financial Mediator and Parenting Coordinator. She is trained in High Conflict and Collaborative Divorce. She provides individual, group and family services to include therapy, co-parenting, parenting plan consultation, reunification therapy, psychological evaluations, custody evaluations, substance use evaluations, and Guardian ad Litem evaluations. She also consults with attorneys and supports clients getting ready for trial. She provides consultation and supervision to students, and master and doctoral level clinicians. She has taught undergraduate and graduate clinical and forensic psychology courses. She is currently on the board for the Center for Cooperative Parenting.

    Katie earned her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Washington, her Master's in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology.

    Click here for more informaton about Katie.

  • Alesha Lopez

    Alesha Lopez is the Trial Court Coordinator for the NC District Court – 10th Judicial District in Raleigh.

    Alesha was previously a immigration paralegal with Ogletree Deekins, Adjunct Professor at ITT Technical Institute (School of Criminal Justice) and Identification Technician with the City-County Bureau of Identification.

    Alesha earned her Bachelor's in Criminal Justice and Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Master's in Criminal Justice from Boston University and Paralegal Certificate from Duke University.

    Click here for more information about Alesha.

  • Chief Judge Ned W. Mangum

    Chief Judge Ned W. Mangum, NC District Court – 10th Judicial District, has served as a Wake County district court judge since 2008 in Raleigh. He served as Wake County district attorney from April 2014 to December 2014 before returning to the Wake County District Court bench. Before that, he worked as a Wake County assistant district attorney for 10 years.

    Judge Mangum earned a bachelor's in political science from North Carolina State University and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.

    Click here for more informaton about Judge Mangum.

  • Justin L. Mauney

    Justin L. Mauney is a a partner at Wake Family Law Group in Raleigh. He focuses his practice on all aspects of North Carolina family law litigation and negotiation.

    While in law school, Justin served as the Executive Editor of the Campbell Law Review and represented Campbell Law at several trial competitions throughout the country. Justin was also inducted as a member of the Order of Barristers and received the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Award for outstanding scholastic achievement in Family Law.

    Justin was certified as a Specialist in Family Law by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization in 2012. He was recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as one of the Legal Elite in Family Law in 2013 and 2015-2017, a distinction awarded to less than 3% to 5% of lawyers statewide. He has been certified as a Family Financial Mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission and frequently serves as a mediator in family law cases.

    Justin earned his B.S. in Business Administration from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D., cum laude, from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University.

    Click here for more information about Justin.

  • Fred M. Morelock

    Fred M. Morelock is an attorney with Tharrington Smith LLP in Raleigh. His practice includes the representation of clients in all areas of family law, as well as mediation and arbitration; in addition, he serves as independent counsel for the North Carolina Medical Board and the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners. He is a Certified Superior Court mediator and a Certified Family Financial mediator.

    Fred practiced as a trial attorney for ten years in the areas of criminal defense and family law litigation before being appointed as a District Court Judge for Wake County where he served for 14 years. During the time he was on the bench he presided almost exclusively in family court, most recently in North Carolina's first designated specialized judgeship around family law. He joined Tharrington Smith LLP of Raleigh in 2001.

    Presently, Fred is a councilor for the North Carolina State Bar and has been a member of the Disciplinary Hearing Commission, most recently Chair from 2017 to 2019. He is also a member of the Dispute Resolution and Family Law Sections of the North Carolina Bar Association.

    Fred earned his B.A. in Arts and Law from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.

    Click here for more information about Fred.

  • Helen M. O'Shaughnessy

    Helen M. O'Shaughnessy is a partner at Wake Family Law Group in Raleigh. She is a board certified family law specialist and a certified Family Financial Mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. She frequently serves as a mediator in family law cases. She also serves as a Parent Coordinator in high conflict child custody cases.

    Helen has been recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as one of the Legal Elite in North Carolina for family law (2007). She has been selected by North Carolina Super Lawyers for inclusion on the 2009, 2011-2013 North Carolina Rising Stars list and as a North Carolina Super Lawyer from 2016-2021.

    Helen is a board certified family law specialist and a certified Family Financial Mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. She frequently serves as a mediator in family law cases. She also serves as a Parent Coordinator in high conflict child custody cases.

    Helen is actively involved in the legal community. She has participated in Law Week, a program sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association that raises awareness about law; Ask a Lawyer Day; and the Wade Edwards Moot Court Competition for North Carolina high-school students.

    Helen earned her B.A. in Political Science and Anthropology from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and her J.D. from Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

    Click here for more information about Helen.

  • Margaret M. "Peggy" Pardue

    Margaret M. "Peggy" Pardue is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal with Hampson Family Law in Raleigh. She is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division – Family Law Section and is a Notary Public.

    Peggy has volunteered as a proctor for the North Carolina Paralegal Certification Exam. In May 2019, she was appointed as a Council Member for the Paralegal Division of the North Carolina Bar Association.

    Peggy began working as a Paralegal in 2003 with McGill & Hampson PA. She continued her role as a Family Law Paralegal transitioning to Hampson Family Law when it opened in 2017. Prior to becoming a paralegal, she was with the North Carolina State Board of CPA Examiners, where she worked for seven years in their disciplinary section. Subsequently, she was an Executive Assistant with a local propane company.

    Click here for more information about Peggy.

  • Vanessa N. Puhak

    Vanessa N. Puhak is an associate attorney at Sullivan & Hilscher Family Law (formerly Law Offices of Mark E. Sullivan PA) in Raleigh. She began her legal career at Legal Aid of North Carolina handling family law cases, especially those involving victims of domestic violence. She also has experience in international child abduction cases. As a former Army officer and former military spouse, she has an in-depth understanding of the issues and outcomes involved with a military-related divorce.

    Vanessa was admitted to the North Carolina State Bar in 2017. She is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. She is a member of the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association as well as the 10th Judicial District Bar and Wake County Bar Association.

    Vanessa is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where she majored in psychology. She went on to earn her J.D. from Campbell Law School. Prior to attending law school, she served our country as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. She completed a humanitarian mission in Haiti and a combat deployment in Afghanistan.

    Click here for more information about Vanessa.

  • Melissa M. Serge

    Melissa M. Serge is a senior paralegal at Sullivan & Hilscher Family Law (formerly Law Offices of Mark E. Sullivan PA) in Raleigh. She has worked in the legal field for over 25 years with extensive experience in family law.

    Melissa is a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, the Raleigh-Wake Paralegal Association and the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division, Family Law Section.

    Melissa earned her Bachelor's in Political Science from the State University of New York at Albany.

  • Ketan P. Soni

    Ketan P. Soni is a partner with Soni Brendle PLLC in Charlotte. Since 2000, Ketan has represented clients in divorce, equitable distribution, alimony, child custody, child support, domestic violence, and appeals in Charlotte, Raleigh, and the surrounding areas. Ketan practices divorce law to achieve the best possible result with a "big picture" view of each case. Ketan is also a North Carolina DRC Certified Family Financial and Superior Court Mediator.

    In 2011, Ketan saw the damage the court process inflicted on spouses and parents, and so he opened a mediation practice designed to help spouses create their own resolution without having to go to court. Ketan now teaches a 40-hour Mediation Training Course approved by the Dispute Resolution Commission of North Carolina.

    Ketan received his B.A. degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his J.D. degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.

    Click here for more information about Ketan.

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If paying by check, click here for a printable registration form. Please reference the live webcast program code 274RWC.

Certificate of Completion and Archived Video: Your certificate of completion and archived video will be available approximately two weeks of the program date and can be found in your CLE account. MCLE credit is available to registrants only on the day(s) of the live event. This archived content is offered solely for review purposes and is not a substitute for live attendance.

November 15, 2023
Wed 8:55 AM EST

Duration 7H 1M

This live web event has ended.

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