The Massachusetts Bar Association’s Family Law Section Council recently held its 27th Annual Family Law Conference at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel on October 13-14, 2017.

Probate and Family Court Chief Justice Angela M. Ordoñez delivered her annual State of the Court address.

Jonathan E. Fields was invited to speak about the recent update to Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines. Jonathan Fields was one of four private attorneys appointed by Chief Justice Paula Carey to the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines Taskforce.

The conference agenda follows below:

Conference Agenda

Friday, October 13, 2017

• 12:00 – 12:50 A Roundtable Discussion: Along the Path of the Alimony Reform Act
  Join our esteemed roundtable as panelists discuss and debate the progression of the case law under the Alimony Reform Act of 2011 and upcoming appellate cases regarding alimony.
  Moderator:
  Jennifer M. Clark, Esq., Casner & Edwards
  Panelists:
  David E. Cherny, Esq., Atwood & Cherny, P.C.
  Elaine M. Epstein, Esq., Todd & Weld LLP
  Fern L. Frolin, Esq., Mirick O’Connell
  David H. Lee, Esq., Lee & Rivers LLP
  Paul M. Kane, Esq., McGrath & Kane
  Richard M. Novitch, Esq., Todd & Weld LLP
• 1:00 – 1:05 Welcome Remarks
  Lloyd D. Godson, Chair MBA Family Law Section Council
• 1:05 – 1:35 State of the Court Address
  Chief Justice Angela M. Ordoñez
• 1:45 – 2:30 Child Support Guidelines 2017 – The Update
  Moderator:
  Michael G. Xavier, Esq., Prince Lobel Tye LLP
  Panelists:
  Denise Fitzgerald, Esq. Manager of Legal Research Services, Probate & Family Court Administrative Office
  Jonathan E. Fields, Esq., Fields and Dennis LLP
  James J. Richards, Esq., Lee & Rivers LLP
• 2:35 – 3:45 Judicial Forum
  Current judges give their take on various hypothetical situations and provide practical advice on practicing in the Probate and Family Court.
  Moderators:
  Elizabeth A. Roberts, Esq. and Nan M. Sauer, Esq., Roberts & Sauer LLP
  Panelists:
  Hon. Joan Armstrong, Suffolk Probate & Family Court
  Hon. Kathryn M. Bailey, Worcester Probate & Family Court
  Hon. Theresa A. Bisenius, Middlesex Probate & Family Court
  Hon. Melanie J. Gargas, Middlesex Probate & Family Court
• 4:00-5:15 Illicit Surveillance of Electronic Systems in Family Law Cases
  Your client’s spouse seems to have an uncanny sense of where you client is, whom your client is talking to, and what your client is saying.  Coincidence?  Perhaps not.  When you hear the implausible, don’t dismiss it: follow the facts where they lead you.  Join our experts as they discuss their collective experience with illicit surveillance in domestic matters, how to expose it, and how to overcome it.
  Moderator:
  Marc Moccia, Esq., Kazarosian Costello LLP
  Panelists:
  Regina M. Hurley, Esq., Verrill Dana, LLP
  Mark Spencer, Arsenal Consulting
  Pamela Hay, Broad Range Investigations
•  6:00 Reception

Saturday, October 14, 2017

• 8:45-10:00 Social Media Evidence: Getting It In, and Keeping It Out
  Moderator:
  Kathleen O’Malley, Esq., Raipher, P.C.
  Panelists:
  Hon. Barbara Hyland, First Justice, Hampden Probate & Family Court
  Hon. Robert A. Scandurra, Barnstable Probate & Family Court
• 10:10-12:00 Trial Skills at Work: Evidence Clinics
  Boost your knowledge, skills and confidence with these two intensive and instructive evidence clinics that will take your trial abilities to a whole new level.  Using intricate hypotheticals and oral argument, attorney panelists will present and adjust their arguments regarding specific evidentiary issues, with judges then commenting on and ultimately rendering a “ruling” as to each issue.
• Workshops
  • 10:10-11:00 Say What?  Hearsay as Evidence
    Moderator:
    Paul G. Farrell, Esq., Farrell Menard Law
    Panelists:
    Max D. Stern, Esq., Todd & Weld LLP
    Martin F. Kane II, Esq., McGrath & Kane
  • 11:00-12:00 Experts on Trial: Evidentiary Rules Regarding Experts
    Moderator: Jared Wood, Esq., Egloff & Wood, LLP
    Panelists:
    Demetra Pontisakos, Esq.,
    Jeffrey A. Soilson, Esq., Fitch Law Partners LLP

12:00 Luncheon