Hear from the chair of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan.

The Hon. Janice K. Cunningham returns with her expert analysis of recent court decisions and legislative enactments.

Join us for a thoughtful discussion on the intersection of reunification therapy and the pitfalls of the parental alienation classification. Hear about research on the deficits of the current reunification model, including therapist bias and possible harm to the children. Explore the complex and interwoven roles of the therapist, lawyer, judge, parent, and child, and take away best practices and alternative approaches to supporting families in conflict.

Master the fundamentals of building credibility on direct and scoring critical points on cross with this practical session. Learn the principles, strategies, and techniques that drive compelling examinations and get results. Walk away with tips you can use today--crafting questions, handling friendly and difficult witnesses, and navigating evidentiary foundations and objections. Make your case with confidence in the courtroom.

In a culture where prenuptial and postnuptial agreements are increasingly common, get practical strategies for advising clients, drafting clear agreements, and anticipating problems. With input from the bench, learn the common issues presented and how the court might view routine as well as unique provisions. Examine enforceability of these agreements and get tips for litigating agreements no matter what side you represent.

Hear straight from members of the SBM’s Special Committee on Professionalism and Civility, including Hon. Brian K. Zahra, in this interactive session. Take away concrete guidance on integrity and appropriate demeanor in family law matters. Get strategies you can use right away: managing courtroom interactions, diffusing tense proceedings, and ensuring respectful communication with colleagues, clients, and the public. Walk away with best practices to enhance the legal profession while strengthening public confidence in the judicial process.

A family’s assets can include the family home, vacation homes, rental properties, different types of retirement accounts, stocks, stock options, collectibles, vehicles, and more. Get critical techniques impacting valuation, negotiation, tax consequences, and the unique aspects of these important considerations in divorce. Gain best practices and avoid pitfalls so you can handle these complicated assets with confidence.

While often underutilized, a well-thought-out and orchestrated deposition can yield huge results. Master the art of successful deposition taking, including proper preparation, execution and follow-up. Learn techniques to solicit information from even the most difficult witnesses and identify the kinds of cases where taking a deposition just might be your best discovery tool.

Family law judges, referees, and lawyers frequently find themselves navigating the issues of medication misuse, substance abuse, trauma, and/or other mental health issues--but often without guidance on conducting a hearing or ordering treatment. Hear from experts in the field and take away resources to assist in discovery, examination of witnesses, etc., to effectively obtain critical information in these difficult cases. Plus, get specific guidance on what testing and therapies are appropriate to order and when.

Take a deep dive analysis into the VFIF and launch this valuable discovery weapon. Obtain critical client cooperation and learn to draft a Demand for Supplementation of the VFIF. Insist upon mandatory production of required documents, analyze MCR 3.206, and take concrete steps to effectively use the VFIF and your Demand for Supplementation at deposition or trial.

Get an overview of the major Michigan Parenting Time Guideline changes from 2021, including many important, but lesser known additions. Determine how guidelines best assist families--whether being implemented by a lawyer, referee, or judge--and understand how they help avoid common pitfalls. Review local guidelines to understand similarities and differences with the state guideline. Walk away with tangible tips to incorporate into your practice.

What can or should you do when the other side is not abiding by procedural court orders or court rules? Explore judicial approaches to handling procedural noncompliance in family law cases. Understand the lawyer’s role in providing caselaw or court rule authority for addressing the opposing party's failure to abide by court directives, including possible motions to compel or sanctions. Plus, get best practices for effective communication with opposing counsel and guidance on when it may be appropriate to communicate with the court.

Perfect for new lawyers and experienced practitioners alike. Go behind the curtain of court administration to uncover common, but erroneous, assumptions lawyers make involving things like child support and state aid, establishment of paternity, UCCJEA jurisdictional issues, and more. Judge McDowell answers your questions and provides guidance and tips to improve your advocacy and ensure you are providing accurate advice to your clients.

Master the complexities of retirement plan division with practical tools and insights. Delve into issues like gains and losses, pay status, public versus private plans, annuities, military pensions, and more. Understand the considerations for negotiating retirement division and critical language to include in your judgments. From traditional IRAs to defined contribution plans, this session covers it all.

Dive into the strategies, tactics, and best practices that allow for successfully securing attorney fees from the opposing party, including fees as sanctions. Determine the legal authority for and under what circumstances attorney fees can be granted and glean exactly what judges want you to include and not include in your attorney fees motions. Plus, take away tips for oral argument.

Select faculty members lead an interactive discussion of new developments, statewide and local trends, and up-to-the-minute practice strategies in this freewheeling session. Get in on the discussion and get your questions answered.

Relax and join faculty, exhibitors, and fellow registrants for light hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.

In this practical and interactive session, hear what judges from across the state want to see in their courtroom. From Zoom hearings to motions to settlement conferences and more, take away best practices to ensure the best possible outcome for your clients. Hear about common mistakes made in the courtroom and get answers to questions about pleadings, persuasive arguments, and rules of evidence.

Did you make a mistake in the trial court? Don’t fear. Let’s help you come up with ways to fix it. This session will address court rules, statutes, and other tools to fix mistakes in pleadings, forms, and documents so you can put your best foot forward.

Get a primer on the most common mistakes found in business valuations while also exploring the foundational aspects of a business valuation from experts in the trenches. Learn to identify concerns or problems in both your expert’s business valuation as well as the valuation of an opposing expert.

Step outside your comfort zone to an area that often impacts counsel, clients, and their families--before, during, and after a divorce proceeding. Explore the use and analysis of estate planning documents with emphasis on trust instruments and the need for new documents and revocations as a result of divorce.

Get a custom road map for getting results in your next motion. Learn how to identify and cite the authority that allows the judge to grant your motion, no matter what the issue. Understand what key facts to include in your motions and how to distinguish bad law from your case. Plus, get tips for arguing your position during motion hearings and explore the kinds of arguments judges find persuasive.

Get a roundup of the latest and greatest tips from financial experts and judges about income for support, including the 2025 changes to the child support manual.

Resolving the dispute around the marital home during divorce is a familiar challenge. What may often be overlooked is how to sell or refinance, and that often requires clients to engage third parties--lenders, mortgage brokers, appraisers, or real estate agents. Hear from a loan officer and listing agent about items to consider in negotiations involving the marital home. Get best practices from a family law lawyer on counseling clients and drafting documents to maximize return on this primary asset.