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FOUNDED IN 1963

AFCC NEWSASSOCIATION OF FAMILY AND CONCILIATION COURTS

www.afccnet.org

Professionals dedicated to improving the lives of children and families through the resolution of family conflict

Volume 28, Number 4 Fall 2009

AFCC MemberPrice FreezeExtendedThe AFCC Board of Directors has voted toextend the price freeze initiated in 2008 formembers until at least January 2011. Theunanimous decision was reached at theBoardʼs November 5, 2009, meeting in Reno,Nevada, at the AFCC Regional Training Con-ference. The price freeze will extend to regis-tration fees for conferences, training programsand pre-conference institutes as well as publi-cation prices and membership dues. AFCCdues have not increased since 2001. Thefreeze does not apply to non-member prices,but AFCC will make every reasonable effort tokeep costs down.

continued on page 9

Annual Conference inDenver to Build onSpecial Issue ofFamily Court ReviewYou wonʼt want to miss AFCC in Denver, Col-orado, June 2-5, 2010, for the 47th AnnualConference, Traversing the Trail of Alienation:Rocky Relationships, Mountains of Emotion,Mile High Conflict. The program builds on theJanuary 2010 issue of Family Court Review, aspecial issue on alienation titled Alienated Chil-dren in Divorce and Separation: EmergingApproaches for Families and Courts. The con-ference will take place at the newly remodeledSheraton Denver and the conference programand registration will be available by January2010.

AFCCʼs Resource Development Commit-tee is offering a record number of scholarshipsfor the conference, some of which include

2 ASSOCIATION OF FAMILY AND CONCILIATION COURTS

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009

AFCC Board ofDirectorsPresidentHon. Emile R. KruzickBrampton, ON, CanadaPresident ElectRobert M. Smith, J.D.Windsor, COVice PresidentLinda B. Fieldstone, M.Ed.Miami, FLSecretaryArnold T. Shienvold, Ph.D.Harrisburg, PATreasurerRichard L. Altman, J.D.Napoleon, OHPast PresidentRobin M. Deutsch, Ph.D.Boston, MABoard MembersHon. Peter BoshierWellington, New ZealandWendy Bryans, LL.B.Ottawa, ON, CanadaAnnette T. Burns, J.D.Phoenix, AZAndrea Clark, M.S.W.St. Louis, MOHon. Linda S. FidnickNorthampton, MADianna Gould-Saltman, J.D.Los Angeles, CAHon. R. John HarperLondon, ON, CanadaGrace M. Hawkins, M.S.W.Tucson, AZHon. Graham Mullane (ret.)Newcastle, NSW, AustraliaMarsha Kline Pruett, Ph.D., M.S.L.Northampton, MAPhilip M. Stahl, Ph.D.Queen Creek, AZMatthew J. Sullivan, Ph.D.Palo Alto, CANancy Ver Steegh, J.D., M.S.W.St. Paul, MN

AFCC is an interdisciplinaryand international associationof professionals dedicated tothe resolution of family conflict.

MissionTo improve the lives of childrenand families through theresolution of family conflict.

VisionA justice system in which allprofessionals work collaborativelythrough education, support andaccess to services to achievethe best possible outcome forchildren and families.

Values• Collaboration and respect

among professions anddisciplines

• Learning through inquiry,discussion and debate

• Innovation in addressing theneeds of families and childrenin conflict

• Empowering families to resolveconflict and make decisionsabout their future

Views expressed in theAFCC News are those ofindividual contributors anddo not necessarily reflect theopinions of AFCC.

AFCC StaffExecutive DirectorPeter Salem, M.A.Associate DirectorLeslye Hunter, M.A., LMFT, LPCCProgram DirectorCandace Walker, CMP, CMMBusiness and AdministrativeDirectorChris Shanahan, B.A., CPARegistrar and Office ManagerDawn HolmesProgram CoordinatorNola Risse-Connolly, B.A.Program CoordinatorErin Sommerfeld, B.A.Administrative AssistantJared Guzman, J.B.S.

AFCC NewsVol. 28, No. 4 Fall 2009EditorLeslye [email protected] Design &Contributing EditorNola Risse-ConnollyContributing EditorErin SommerfeldPublished by AFCC6525 Grand Teton PlazaMadison, WI 53719Tel: (608) 664-3750Fax: (608) 664-3751Email: [email protected]: www.afccnet.orgAFCC News is a publication ofthe Association of Family andConciliation Courts and is publishedfour times a year. Deadlines fornews items and advertising areJanuary 1, April 1, July 1,and October 1.AFCC News Advertising

Full page $425 $600Half page $300 $450Quarter page $150 $250

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AFCC NEWS FALL 2009

ASSOCIATION OF FAMILY AND CONCILIATION COURTS 3

The Unique Value ofMembershipThe value of membership is a topic of frequent discussionamong members of the AFCC Board of Directors. Do weoffer members enough benefits? Are there sufficientopportunities to engage? Are dues too high? Too low? Orjust right? Not withstanding the difficult global economy,and unlike other professional associations, AFCC has beenfortunate in the last year to not only sustain its membershipbut to experience modest growth. This may not last, butinsofar as it continues, I believe it reflects the uniquenessof AFCC and the special value of membership. Indeed,there are significant tangible member benefits and, as ourmaterials proclaim, AFCC membership is certainly aninvestment in professional excellence. But in my assess-

ment, the value of member-ship in AFCC goes wellbeyond “whatʼs in it for me?”

The intangible value ofmembership became particu-larly apparent to me inAugust when I was privilegedto be a delegate at the FifthWorld Congress on Familyand Childrenʼs Rights held inHalifax, Canada, a confer-ence presented by aninternational organizationbased in Australia. Morethan 100 AFCC membersattended the Congress andwe seemed to share aspecial and unique bond.We took pride in each of thenumerous times a presenter

mentioned an AFCC initiative, publication or accomplish-ment. We congregated together as friends and asmembers of a like-minded family. We discussed, ponderedand shared points of view on issues that were raised at thesessions. And we gathered socially and made or renewedfriendships.

Membership in AFCC gives us something more than amere affiliation. Membership in AFCC is a choice, one Imade three decades ago. We are not required to join forlicensure or certification. It is not a prerequisite to ourprofession or a guild. It is a personal choice made for avery specific reason or reasons.

As AFCC members wehave a privileged sense ofbelonging to an associationthat, notwithstanding ourprofessional differences, is like-minded. We are notnecessarily like-minded in ourpoints of view or even ourapproaches. We are, however,like-minded about being thebest we can be to serve fami-lies and children: to attainprofessional excellence.

This professional excellence is apparent to me in themembers of our association. AFCC members go beyondmerely being excellent practitioners, policy makers orresearchers. They are true leaders in their communities;they spearhead initiatives, create programs, initiateresearch projects and, of course, provide outstanding serv-ice to children and families. Beyond this, they work withcolleagues across borders and across disciplines to helpcreate a better field of practice for us all.

Finally, AFCC members approach their work and theirassociation with an almost missionary zeal. AFCC had anexhibit table at the World Congress in Halifax last summer.While most organizations have paid staff working behindtheir exhibit tables, for AFCC it was our president-elect,Bob Smith, and Board member Hon. Linda Fidnick. Theyvolunteered their free time, extolling the virtues of member-ship and conveying the uniqueness and the indefinablebenefits of AFCC.

Over the last decade AFCC has taken on a greaterleadership role in our field. We have asked the toughquestions and encouraged the tough debates; convenedcollaborating organizations for ground-breaking initiatives;produced conferences that present the latest thinking inthe field; and created Task Forces that have developedstandards and guidelines that raise the bar (pun intended)in the field of family law that strive for “professional excel-lence.”

In order to continue to grow and to work at the highestlevel, we need every member of AFCC and then some.We need all AFCC members to reach out to colleaguesand help them understand that, while there are plenty oftangible, practical benefits of membership, the greatestpayoff is the intangible benefit of improving our field forfamilies and children. That is what my membership hasprovided for me and I sincerely hope you feel the same.

President’s Message

Hon. Emile KruzickAFCC PresidentBrampton, ON, Canada

AFCC members

go beyond

merely being

excellent

practitioners,

policy makers

or researchers.

They are true

leaders in their

communities…

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


Asking the Difficult QuestionsIn May 1998, AFCC opened itsannual conference with a ple-nary session entitled “Marriage,Separation and Divorce: Backto the Future?” The speakerswere Dr. Isolina Ricci, well-known to AFCC members asauthor of Momʼs House, DadʼsHouse; Dr. David Popenoe ofthe National Marriage Project,Dr. Barbara Dafoe Whitehead,author of the Atlantic Monthlyarticle “Dan Quayle was Right”;and the moderator was FredBarnes, Executive Editor of theWeekly Standard and now a

political commentator for Fox News. An overflow audiencewitnessed a spirited discussion about a return to traditionalvalues, covenant marriages and whether public policyshould focus on marriage preservation over separation anddivorce. The audience, while polite, clearly sided with Dr.Ricci over her more conservative counterparts. By allaccounts the program was a success, or so I thought.

But several session evaluations criticized AFCC forpresenting the conservative voice. Certainly many appre-ciated the discussion, but others were unhappy—somedownright angry—that we created a forum for views notclosely aligned with what seemed to be prevailing membersentiment. I was surprised. The session was interesting(to me at least), respectful and, as it turned out, somewhatprescient, because a short time later the U. S. had newpolitical leadership that backed most of the initiatives ourguests supported.

Over the years, AFCC has continued to ask the difficultquestions, even when the answers were not necessarilypopular. The Model Standards of Practice for ChildCustody Evaluation were heavily criticized during the draft-ing process. Timothy Tippins and Jeffrey Wittmann set offa firestorm of a debate when they wrote in Family CourtReview that custody evaluators should not make custodyand access recommendations. AFCCʼs work with theFamily Violence Department of the National Council ofJuvenile and Family Court Judges has drawn criticism frommore than one perspective. Plenary sessions at our NewOrleans conferences that challenged divorce, the benefitsof shared parenting and the role of children in the processraised the ire of some audience members. I have evenmanaged to stir the pot a bit myself with a recent FCRarticle questioning whether we should continue mandatorymediation.

There are many difficult questions on the AFCC hori-zon. Members of the AFCC Child Custody Consultation

Task Force are wracking their brains as they tackle theprocess of developing guidelines. You will have an oppor-tunity to hear about and contribute to this work at theAFCC Annual Conference in Denver next June.

Also in Denver, AFCC will build on a special issue ofFCR to be published in January 2010, and once again takeon the challenging topic of alienation. It has been nearly adecade since AFCC members first presented a reformula-tion of parental alienation syndrome at the 2000 AnnualConference, publishing their work the following summer ina special issue of FCR. So in spite of the oft misattributeddefinition of insanity—doing the same thing over and overand expecting a different result—here we go again!

I guess it would be easier if we simply declared victoryand announced that we have found the solution to ourproblems. Parent education, mediation, collaborative law,parenting coordination, unified family courts and manyother ideas have been trumpeted as saviors at one time oranother. Every new idea makes an important contribution,but we know in our hearts that there is no single answer tothe vexing challenges that our members must address,sometimes on a daily basis. And we know that if we are tofulfill the AFCC mission, we must continue asking the diffi-cult questions. And when the questions are so difficult,disagreement is inevitable.

So as we disagree in the future, let us keep in mind notonly the end goal of helping children and families, but theAFCC organizational values that will help us get there:

• Collaboration and respect among professions anddisciplines

• Learning through inquiry, discussion and debate

• Innovation in addressing the needs of families andchildren in conflict

• Empowering families to resolve conflict and makedecisions about their future

My father once told me that nobody gets upset withpeople or organizations that are not making a difference;so I think it is okay if everyone does not agree with whatAFCC says or what it stands for. But I hope we can allagree that our discussions should be transparent, and atsome level open to all who wish to participate or respond;that they are respectful, and never personal; and that theyare aimed at improving our work, our field and the lives ofthe children and families we serve. I look forward todisagreeing with you soon.

Message from the Executive Director

Peter SalemAFCC Executive DirectorMadison, Wisconsin

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


Louise Lee McEvoy is an Amicus Attorney, an Attorney AdLitem and President of the Texas Chapter of AFCC.

What does your current position entail?My position mainly entails representing the best inter-

ests of children who are in a CPS case or a private custodymatter. It is my goal to find out not only about the child, butalso the environment and people who have influenced thechildʼs life. Then I am better equipped to represent to theCourt all of the issues that make up the best interests forthat particular child.

How did you become interested in the field ofseparation and divorce?

I earned my B.S. in Child Development and FamilyRelationships at the University of Texas in Austin. With thisdegree, I worked in the education field as a preschoolteacher, the Early Childhood Educator at The ChildrenʼsMuseum of Houston, and as an Early Intervention Special-ist with ECI (Early Childhood Intervention). Yet, I wanted todo more. I wanted to do more to help children who neededa strong voice, so I went to law school to advocate forchildren.

What advice would you give to someone enteringthe field now?

First, know your boundaries and take care of yourselffirst. You are no help to those who need you if you are notas healthy as you can be. As we all know, working withhigh conflict families can affect us emotionally, mentally,and physically.

Second, along the same lines, remember that this isyour job and not your life. Yes, you may be influencing thelives of the children and families that you work with, but thecircumstances that were created by the families are simplythat – created by them, not you.

Third, focus on the great, positive, and constructivework that you do or have done. Eight out of ten of mycases suck the emotional energy out of my day, but everynow and then, there are one or two cases where my workhas made a positive impact in a child/familyʼs life. Thoseare the days when I get to tell my husband, “It was a goodday to be a lawyer.”

What are the greatest challenges (or biggestchanges) you see in the field now?

Fatigue, burnout and turnover.

What would you like to seehappen in the field 10years from now?

I would like to see the needfor my job to be extinct. I knowit will not happen in ten years,but I think it would be nice ifhigh conflict is a term of thepast and that healthy communi-cation techniques are more ofthe norm in our society.

What aspect of your work do you enjoy the most?Helping a family reunify (at the end of a CPS case)

and/or helping parents learn how to be better parents.

How did you first learn about AFCC? When wasthat?

I first learned about AFCC when I was in law school.My professor was Judge Leta Parks, a former AFCC TexasChapter President. She is such a huge advocate of AFCC.She encouraged me to join when she learned about mybackground and my ambitions. That was about nine yearsago.

What do you like most about AFCC?Learning. I enjoy learning how other professionals are

helping these high conflict families in their respectivehometowns. I enjoy learning about the influences thatimpact their jurisdictions. I enjoy learning about our simi-larities and, more importantly, our differences in how wework with high conflict families.

What is your proudest personal achievement?I feel that my proudest personal achievement has been

finding out what God intended marriage to be like. Marry-ing my husband Robert is the best thing that has everhappened to me.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?Right now, it is getting our life ready for our new baby

girl in February. It is a very exciting time for us. During mypre/post-pregnancy days, I enjoy spending time with familyand friends – whether it is watching a game on TV, travel-ing, eating, or just relaxing with them. I also enjoy watchingmovies.

Answer a question that you wish I had asked.Where do you think the next AFCC conference should

be held? Honolulu, Hawaii.

M E M B E R P R O F I L E

Louise Lee McEvoy, J.D.

Louise Lee McEvoyHouston, Texas

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


By Andrew Schepard, J.D.Hempstead, New York

The Uniform Collaborative Law Act (UCLA) owes a debt ofgratitude to the Wingspread Conference on Domestic Vio-lence organized by AFCC and the Family Violence Depart-ment of the National Council of Juvenile and Family CourtJudges (FVD/NCJFCJ) and the Special Issue of FamilyCourt Review that resulted from it.

I was privileged to participate in the WingspreadConference, which took place in February 2007 at theJohnson Foundation Conference Center outside of Racine,Wisconsin, commonly called Wingspread and designed bythe legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The confer-ence was significant because it was organized by twoorganizations that address the problem of domesticviolence and the family court from different perspectivesand with different constituencies. The FVD/NCJFCJ has along history of partnering with leaders in the domesticviolence advocacy community and serving as a catalyst forimportant advances in this area. AFCC is a leader in themovement to develop alternatives to litigation for parentsand children in family court.

Wingspread Conference participants included experi-enced representatives from the family court judiciary andother court professionals, domestic violence advocates,representatives from a variety of professions that operatein the family court system, and academics from law andsocial science. They engaged in thoughtful, facilitateddialogue about domestic violence and the family court insmall groups for several days. A conference report draftedby co-reporters Professors Nancy Ver Steegh of WilliamMitchell Law School and Clare Dalton of Northeastern LawSchool was published in the July 2008 Family CourtReview along with detailed articles by participants in theWingspread Conference.

The dialogue incubated at Wingspread permeated thedeliberations of the UCLA Drafting Committee. This is nosmall matter, as the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) isone of the most important law reform organizations in theUnited States. The ULC has worked for uniformity of statelaws since 1892. It consists of over 300 lawyer commis-sioners from every state. It has drafted more that 200uniform laws on numerous subjects and in various fields oflaw where uniformity is desirable and practicable. Thesignature product of the ULC, the Uniform CommercialCode, has simplified the legal life of businesses and indi-viduals by providing rules and procedures that areconsistent from state to state. The ULC has taken thesame approach to alternative dispute resolution and familylaw developing, for example, the Uniform Mediation Act,

the Uniform Arbitration Act and the Uniform Child CustodyJurisdiction and Enforcement Act.

For those readers not familiar with collaborative law, forpresent purposes it is enough to note that it is an alterna-tive dispute resolution process where parties andcollaborative lawyers agree in advance, in a collaborativelaw participation agreement, that a collaborative lawyerrepresents a party only for the purpose of negotiations andis disqualified from representing that party in court if nego-tiations break down. The Wingspread Conferenceprovided a rich education about the dilemmas that alterna-tive dispute resolution presents to victims of domesticviolence. From the outset of its work, the Drafting Commit-tee recognized the importance of addressing domesticviolence concerns in the development of the UCLA. Itinvited Rebecca Henry, now the Acting Director of theABAʼs Commission on Domestic Violence, to participate inits sessions to insure that the perspectives of the domesticviolence advocacy community were taken into account.The empirical data and research perspectives presented atthe Wingspread Conference and in the FCR Special Issuewere discussed by the Drafting Committee and observers;they are cited extensively in the UCLAʼs Preface andCommentary. Collaborative law leaders and domesticviolence advocates discussed the nature and scope oftraining for collaborative lawyers around issues of domesticviolence during the drafting process.

The result is that the UCLA seriously addresses thesubject of domestic violence. The most important provisionis Section 15, which provides:

COERCIVE OR VIOLENT RELATIONSHIP.

(a) Before a prospective party signs a collaborativelaw participation agreement, a prospective collabora-tive lawyer must make reasonable inquiry whether theprospective party has a history of a coercive or violentrelationship with another prospective party.

(b) Throughout a collaborative law process, a collabo-rative lawyer reasonably and continuously shall assesswhether the party the collaborative lawyer representshas a history of a coercive or violent relationship withanother party.

(c) If a collaborative lawyer reasonably believes thatthe party the lawyer represents or the prospectiveparty who consults the lawyer has a history of a coer-cive or violent relationship with another party orprospective party, the lawyer may not begin orcontinue a collaborative law process unless:

The Wingspread Conference on Domestic Violence and theUniform Collaborative Law Act: A Thank You

continued on page 12

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


By Nancy Ver Steegh J.D., M.S.W.St. Paul, Minnesota

Have you ever wished that the family lawyers youencounter were more skilled and compassionate? If youare an attorney, did you emerge from law school fully pre-pared to meet the challenges of family practice? Theseare some of the questions that inspired fifty law professorsand family law professionals to attend the Future of FamilyLaw Education Conference held at William Mitchell Collegeof Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 25, 2009.

The seeds for the conference were sown several yearsearlier. In October of 2006, the Family Court Reviewpublished the final report of the Family Law EducationReform project (FLER) authored by Mary E. OʼConnell andJ. Herbie DiFonzo. The Report brought to fruition a seriesof dialogues between professors and interdisciplinaryfamily law professionals. Documenting dramatic changesin the practice of family law, the FLER Report raisedawareness concerning the gap between the traditionalcontent of family law courses and the day-to-day practiceof family law.

Todayʼs family lawyers need a thorough under-standing of many issues and practices that tradi-tional family law courses rarely touch upon.These include the appropriate—and inappropri-ate—uses of dispute resolutions processes, newcase management techniques in the family courts,the key roles played by professional from otherdisciplines in the court system, and currentresearch on such issues as the effects of conflictand loss of parental contact on children. Mary E.OʼConnell & J. Herbie DiFonzo, The Family LawEducation Reform Project Final Report, 44 Fam.Ct. Rev. 525, 528 (2006).

The Report called for law student training in the “FourCʼs”: content, context, conduct, and competence. Lawschools traditionally focus on family law content, thestatutes and cases that undergird the family law system.While content remains important, lawyers must be able toapply knowledge within a larger context, which the FLERReport defines as including: “(1) courts and family disputeresolution processes; (2) issues of class, race, gender,age, and power; (3) financial issues; and (4) issues ofpolicy and law reform.” Lawyers should be able to conductthemselves ethically and civilly and demonstrate strongcompetency in the areas of communication, education, andmanagement. The Report urged family law professors toadopt new teaching methods, teach from an interdiscipli-

nary perspective, and focus more on ADR and less onlitigation.

The FLER Report provided encouragement andsupport for family law professors who had already begun tomodify their courses and it inspired others to start innovat-ing. Two years later, a growing number of professors wereexperimenting with new course designs and teachingmethods but they were largely acting alone, without muchopportunity to cross-pollinate ideas. Because professorsneeded a way to communicate and collaborate, the FLERProject website was launched.

The FLER Project website (http://www.flerproject.org/ )is intended for use by full-time and adjunct law professorsand those teaching related academic courses. It containsthree types of material:

• short discussion guides written by recognized expertsin social science, mental health, and alternativedispute resolution designed to help professors inte-grate interdisciplinary perspectives on topics such asdomestic violence, child abuse and neglect, develop-mental psychology, mediation, parenting evaluations,and unified family courts;

• simulation exercises on skills such as interviewing,counseling, negotiation, representation in mediation,and courtroom advocacy;

• sample course syllabi for skills-based family lawcourses.

All of the materials found on the site have beendonated by the professors who developed them (more arewelcome!). The site is sponsored by the Association ofFamily and Conciliation Courts; Hofstra Law SchoolʼsCenter for Children, Families, and the Law; and WilliamMitchell College of Law.

Extending FLER work, the Future of Family LawEducation Conference provided those who attended withan opportunity to share the many joys and a few of thefrustrations inherent in educational reform. Programsincluded the following topics:

• review of the FLER Report;

• interdisciplinary practitioner advice concerning whatfamily lawyers should know and be able to do;

• tips on course design;

The Future of Family Law Education Conference

continued on page 12

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, theAmerican Humane Association (AHA) and the WernerInstitute for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution atCreighton University School of Law have formed a partner-ship to support the development of Guidelines for ChildProtection Mediation. The impetus to develop guidelinescame from a desire to integrate the lessons learned overthe last 25 years in the practice of child protection media-tion into a resource for existing and struggling programsand practitioners.

A workgroup has been formed and has begun meetingby teleconference. The workgroup represents a range ofdisciplines and expertise, and includes AFCC membersBernie Mayer, Karen Largent, Marilou Giovannucci, LizDunn, Greg Firestone, Catherine Friedman, Susan Storcel,Debora Brownyard, and Susan Butterwick.

The workgroup will rely on additional outside expertsfor advice and guidance through a consultation group.Planning is underway to define the scope of the guidelinesincluding format, areas to be addressed and a work plan.

The workgroup anticipates convening an open forumhosted by AFCC at its Annual Conference in June 2010 inDenver. The open forum will provide a broader audienceof conference attendees an opportunity to examine theprogress and provide input and feedback to the workgroup.

Anyone interested in learning more about the initiativemay contact Marilou Giovannucci at [email protected].

Workgroup Formed to DevelopGuidelines for Child ProtectionMediation

Peter Salem, AFCC Executive Director, is one of threeDistinguished Fellows selected this year by the WilliamT. Grant Foundation. The Fellowship is designed forthose who are in mid-career and influential in their rolesto create connections between research, policy, andpractice. Fellows use their experiences to return totheir primary roles and work to increase the supply of,demand for, and use of high-quality research in theservice of improved youth outcomes.

Peter has worked for AFCC since 1994 and waspreviously a director and mediator in a Wisconsin court-connected mediation program. He will use hisDistinguished Fellows award to become a more effec-tive consumer of research in order to systematicallyintegrate social science research into the family lawcommunity and facilitate partnerships betweenresearchers, practitioners and policymakers. He willwork with Irwin Sandler, Sharlene Wolchik and DavidMacKinnon at the Arizona State University PreventionResearch Center, which specializes in research onchildren of divorce. Peter will strengthen his under-standing of research methods and processes byimmersing himself in an experimental evaluation of acourt-based intervention for high-conflict families, aswell as participating in some smaller scale researchundertakings. He will spend one week each monthparticipating in research activities at ASU.

“This program has become an integral part of ourwork to improve the relevance of research, particularlyfor practitioners. The researchers who have completedtheir Fellowships are doing work that reflects a moreaccurate understanding of the needs of practitioners,and while there are fewer graduates from policy andpractice roles, they tell us they are much more able tocommission and recognize good empirical work,” saidRobert Granger, President of the William T. GrantFoundation.

AFCC Executive DirectorAwarded William T. GrantFoundation Fellowship

Join AFCC’s eNEWS list!AFCC eNEWS, Association of Family and ConciliationCourtsʼ free monthly e-newsletter, available to membersand non-members, provides practice tips from leadingexperts, the most up-to-date research and statute informa-tion, family law in the news, and reading recommendations,as well as the latest updates on what is happening withAFCC, from conference plenary previews to the newesttraining opportunities. Send an email to [email protected] sign up now for the monthly AFCC eNews!

Don’t Miss AFCC in Denver!

AFCC’s 47th Annual ConferenceTraversing the Trail of Alienation: Rocky Relationships, Mountains of Emotion,

Mile High ConflictJune 2-5, 2010, Denver, Colorado

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


$1,000 travel stipends. AFCC members receive prefer-ence for all conference scholarships. Look for thescholarship application announcement in the AFCCeNEWS and on the AFCC website at www.afccnet.org inJanuary.

The Sheraton Denver is offering conference attendeesa special group rate of $165 per night, single or double.The Sheraton just completed a $70 million renovation andis conveniently located on the 16th Street Pedestrian Mallat the heart of Denver's business and financial districts.Check the AFCC website and the AFCC eNEWS for thelatest information on the conference, including the confer-ence program brochure, online registration and hotelreservations. For more information, please contact AFCCat [email protected] or (608) 664-3750.

Family Court Review, Vol. 48, No. 1, January 2010Editorial Notes: Andrew SchepardSPECIAL ISSUE: Alienated Children in Divorce andSeparation: Emerging Approaches for Families and CourtsGuest Editorsʼ Introduction:Barbara Jo Fidler & Nicholas BalaArticlesChildren Resisting Post-Separation Contact with aParent: Concepts, Controversies and ConundrumsBarbara Jo Fidler & Nicholas BalaFamily Bridges: Using Insights from Social Science toReconnect Parents and Alienated ChildrenRichard A. WarshakCommentary on Family Bridges: Using Insights fromSocial Science to Reconnect Parents and AlienatedChildrenJoan B. KellyHelping Alienated Children with Family Bridges:Practice, Research, and the Pursuit of “Humbition”Richard A. Warshak & Mark R. OtisWhen Children Reject or Resist Spending Time with aParent: Tailoring the Intervention to Fit the ProblemSteven Friedlander & Marjorie Gans Walters

Outcomes of Family Counseling Interventions withChildren Who Resist Visitation: An Addendum toSteven Friedlander and Marjorie WaltersJanet R. Johnston & Judith Roth GoldmanOvercoming Barriers Family Camp: A Program forHigh-Conflict Divorced Families Where a Child isResisting Contact with a ParentMatthew J. Sullivan, Peggie A. Ward & Robin M. DeutschEarly Identification & Prevention of Parent-ChildAlienation: A Framework for Balancing Risks &Benefits of InterventionPeter G. Jaffe, Dan Ashbourne & Alfred MamoAlienating Audiences from Innovation: The Perils ofPolemics, Ideology, and InnuendoRichard A. WarshakAlienation: Canadian Court Cases 1989-2008Nicholas Bala, Suzanne Hunt & Carolyn McCarneyOne Case – One Specialized Judge: Why CourtsHave a Duty to Manage Alienation and Other HighConflict CasesThe Honorable Donna J. Martinson

Save the Date!

AFCC Ninth Annual Symposiumon Child Custody Evaluations

October 28-30, 2010

Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Cambridge/Boston, Massachusetts

Denvercontinued from page 1

Sneak Peek! FCR Special Issue on Alienation Coming in JanuaryAFCC members can preview issues of FCR online beforethe print version is sent out. Until then, here is an earlypeek at the articles youʼll find in the upcoming Januaryissue. AFCCʼs Annual Conference in Denver will build onthe content of this special issue.

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


AFCC Member NewsLinda Elrod, AFCC member from Topeka, Kansas, wasappointed to the U.S. Secretary of Stateʼs Legal AdvisoryCommittee on Private International Law (ACPIL). ACPILmet in Washington, D.C. on October 19-20, 2009. Profes-sor Elrod was on a panel for International Family Lawissues and spoke on emerging issues in international law.

Ford Nicholson, AFCC member from Tucson, Arizona,recently retired after 23 years of working for the PimaCounty Family Center of the Conciliation Court. Mr.Nicholson worked for 20 years as a custody/parenting timemediator, and became Clinical Supervisor in March 2006.

Suzan Ponder-Bates, AFCC member from Festus,Missouri, has been appointed by Governor Jay Nixon tothe Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board. The boardprovides an independent review of child abuse and neglectdeterminations in instances in which the alleged perpetra-tor is aggrieved by a decision of the Childrenʼs Division ofthe Department of Social Services.

Theresa Spahn, AFCC member from Denver,Colorado, has recently accepted a position with the Insti-tute for the Advancement of the American Legal System(IAALS) at the University of Denver. Ms. Spahn leaves herposition as founding Executive Director of ColoradoʼsOffice of the Childʼs Representative (OCR), where for thepast eight years she has been instrumental in overseeingand training GALs, Child Legal Representatives and attor-ney Child and Family Investigators. OCR representsapproximately 19,000 Colorado children each year in juve-nile, family law and probate cases.

Larry V. Swall, AFCC member from Liberty, Missouri,has been named the 2009 Missouri Bar Family Law Practi-tioner of the Year. He is also this yearʼs recipient of theMissouri Bar Associationʼs Presidentʼs Award.

AFCC Members Write OnKatherine Andre, AFCC member from northern Californiaand her co-author Amy J.L. Baker have written I Don'tWant to Choose: How Middle School Kids Can AvoidChoosing One Parent Over the Other. Published by Kin-dred Spirits, the book fills a gap in prevention efforts byteaching children of divorce how to navigate the conflictsand loyalty binds that can lead to choosing one parent overthe other. The authors use 17 common parental alienationsituations to teach critical thinking skills and to manageemotions so that children can resist the pressure to takesides. A workbook and facilitator's manual for a school-based prevention group are also available.

Ken Lewis, AFCC member from Glenside, Pennsylva-nia, has written Child Custody Evaluations by SocialWorkers: Understanding the Five Stages of Custody.Published by the NASW Press, it is a first of its kind bookoffering advice to professional social workers on how toconduct custody evaluations. Dr. Lewis describes the fivestages: marital discord, initial custody, visitation denial,custody modification and child removal, and the specialconsideration each stage requires.

Marsha Kline Pruett, AFCC member from Northamp-ton, Massachusetts, and her husband, co-author KylePruett, have written Partnership Parenting: How Men andWomen Parent Differently—Why it Helps Your Kids andCan Strengthen Your Marriage. Published by Da CapoLifelong Books, the book, with wisdom and humor, helpscouples take advantage of their individual strengths toraise confident children while simultaneously improvingtheir marriage.

John M. Haynes DistinguishedMediator AwardRobert Benjamin is this yearʼs recipient of the John M.Haynes Distinguished Mediator Award given by the Asso-ciation for Conflict Resolution. The award is given to aprominent and internationally recognized leader in media-tion who demonstrates personal and professional commit-ment to finding mediation solutions to conflict whilebalancing therapeutic and legal perspectives. Past recipi-ents of this award include AFCC members Peter Salem,Jim Melamed, Arnie Shienvold, Nina R. Meierding, ZenaD. Zumeta, Barbara Landau, Donald T. Saposnek, LarryS. Fong, Joan B. Kelly and Janet Johnston.

Robert Benjamin and Peter Salem

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


AFCC Chapter News

CaliforniaThe AFCC California Chapter is working on its upcomingannual conference, The Crisis of Underfunding FamilyCourt Resources: A Clear and Present Danger to Our Chil-dren, to be held in Santa Monica on February 12-14, 2010.The conference brochure and registration are available atafcc-ca.org. The chapter focused this year on organiza-tional efforts, with special attention to their members—howto expand their participation and meet their needs. Twomembership surveys have been completed and the chap-ter board has spent a great deal of time working on a planfor implementation based on the data collected.

ColoradoThe AFCC Colorado Chapter spring conference, Nontradi-tional Family Structure, focused on an exploration intonontraditional families and the various influences on chil-dren. The full-day conference was well attended andspurred a lot of discussion about related issues. The chap-terʼs fall conference, Domestic Violence Assessment andParental Responsibility: Using the Latest Research in Par-enting Plans and Complex Cases, was co-sponsored bythe Metro Denver and Boulder County InterdisciplinaryCommittees on Child Custody. The Colorado Chapter isexcited to welcome AFCC to Denver for the AFCC 47thAnnual Conference, June 2-5, 2010, and hopes that youwill all join them in the mile-high city!

FloridaThe AFCC Florida Chapter has completed a project, pub-lished by Professional Resource Press, that includes amonograph on making empirically based parenting planrecommendations, a Bench Book supplement (that hasbeen distributed to the Office of State Court Administrationunder the Florida Supreme Court), a comprehensive bibli-ography of the reviewed social science literature, and aPower Point presentation to support workshops and edu-cational seminars where the material is presented. Many ofthe authors have volunteered to form a speakersʼ bureau totrain people in the various circuits. The Bench Book sup-plement is available at www.flafcc.net.

The chapter has also formed a Task Force, titled SocialInvestigation and Parenting Plan Evaluation (SIPPE), todefine various processes used in what used to be calledcustody evaluations, and to work toward the establishmentof best standard practices.

LouisianaCongratulations to Louisiana on becoming AFCCʼs newestprovisional Chapter! The chapter was approved at theAFCC Board of Directors Meeting at the Regional TrainingConference in Reno, Nevada, November 5, 2009.

Family Court Review SeeksAssociate Editor

Family Court Review (FCR), the quarterly academic andresearch journal of the Association of Family and Concil-iation Courts (AFCC), is seeking an Associate Editor.FCR, an interdisciplinary journal, is published at HofstraUniversity Law School and is operated by a studenteditorial staff, working under the supervision of the Edi-tor.

The Associate Editor will be responsible to and workclosely with the Editor. He or she will work with theEditorial Board and student staff of FCR to promote theinterdisciplinary mission of FCR and AFCC. Duties ofthe Associate Editor include:

• Soliciting and developing articles with a particularemphasis on empirical research in the social andbehavioral sciences;

• Advising the Editor of trends in social and behav-ioral sciences and empirical research that should bereflected in FCR;

• Consulting with Guest Editors of special issues;

• Assisting in making FCRʼs research articles under-standable and relevant to all professions that makeup the interdisciplinary readership of FCR;

• Aiding the Editorial Board, the Editor and thestudent staff during the process of reviewing socialand behavioral science and empirically based arti-cles submitted to FCR for suitability for publication,especially when reviewers of articles are indisagreement;

• Recruiting authors for FCR articles;

• Advising the FCR student staff in the research andwriting of their student notes;

• Suggesting appropriate books and reviewers forFCR book reviews;

• Attending meetings of and suggesting newmembers for the FCR Editorial Board;

• Participating in planning meetings with AFCC andPublisher of FCR.

For a complete job description or to apply, pleasecontact: Betty J. Black at [email protected] must be received by February 1, 2010.

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


(1) the party or the prospective party requestsbeginning or continuing a process; and

(2) the collaborative lawyer reasonably believesthat the safety of the party or prospective partycan be protected adequately during a process.

The UCLA is the first uniform statute that places anobligation on a lawyer for a party to screen and helpprotect the safety of a victim of a violent and coercive rela-tionship (the actʼs term for domestic violence, suggested byRebecca Henry, because of state to state differences indefining domestic violence). In addition, Section 9(c) (2)creates an exception to the disqualification requirement fora collaborative lawyer to represent a victim in proceedingsseeking emergency protection orders if substitute counselis not immediately available. The UCLA also creates anexception to the evidentiary privilege otherwise extendedto a collaborative law communication which is: “a threat orstatement of a plan to inflict bodily injury or commit a crimeof violence,” Section 19 (a) (2). This exception recognizesthat confidentiality in collaborative law communicationsmust yield to the value of protecting the safety of victims ofcoercion and violence.

The provisions addressing domestic violence in theUCLA were among its most controversial. A motion tostrike Section 15 failed on the floor of the Uniform LawConference by a very close vote of 58-70. Thereafter,however, the UCLA was passed unanimously and recom-mended for adoption to the States.

My point here is not to argue the merits of the domesticviolence provisions of the UCLA. It is simply to note thatthe provisions in the Act show how seriously the subjectwas taken during the drafting process and how central the

Wingspread Conference was to the drafting of this land-mark development for the collaborative law movement.

Indeed, it could even be suggested that the influence ofthe Wingspread Conference might extend to future lawreform efforts. Towards the end of the floor debate on theUCLA, James Bobb, an especially thoughtful ULCCommissioner from Indiana, asked:

I … understand that [Section 15] is the first timesomething like this [the requirement of screeningfor domestic violence] has been introduced in auniform act. I would certainly recognize that theconcerns that animate the requirements of Section15 would exist in other contexts.…In other words,this can arise in a number of settings, where thecoercive or violent relationship could result in atleast unfairness in the proceeding….Is the reasonthat this [Section 15] is here is that this [collabora-tive law] is a particularly unique system of alterna-tive dispute resolution…or is this [domesticviolence] something that the [Uniform Law] Con-ference should be sensitive to and put in otheracts in which this danger is manifest?

I replied:Itʼs something [Section 15] you should beextremely proud of.…[It] is part of the generaltrend in alternative dispute resolution to reconcilethe great trends in family law of basically allowingpeople to self-determine [while] recognizing thereis a significant risk of violence and coercion in thedevastation of domestic violence….

I hope that those who organized the WingspreadConference and FCR Special Issue share that sentiment.Thank you for bringing your expertise and perspective tothe drafting of the UCLA.

Wingspreadcontinued from page 6

• suggestions for integrating skills education into familylaw courses;

• demonstration of teaching;

• incorporating scholarship into teaching;

• integration of doctrine, skills, and clinics across the lawschool curriculum;

• teaching with technology; and

• teaching controversial topics.

The Conference was sponsored by the Midwest FamilyLaw Consortium (Indiana University School of Law—Indi-

anapolis, University of Missouri—Kansas City School ofLaw, William Mitchell College of Law); Academy of Matri-monial Lawyers, Minnesota Chapter; Association of Familyand Conciliation Courts; Association of Family and Concili-ation Courts, Minnesota Chapter; and Hofstra UniversitySchool of Law, Center for Children, Families and the Law.

Although family law professors are frequent leaders inreform, they are being joined in this effort by the legalacademy as a whole. Several influential books and reportshave underscored the need for law schools to more closelyalign their educational programs with the knowledge, skills,and professional attributes practitioners need to betterserve their clients. In addition, new law school accredita-tion requirements are likely to support long-term change.

Family Law Education Conferencecontinued from page 7

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


How permeable should the boundary, or membrane, bebetween court personnel and outside professional serviceproviders? This question, notwithstanding its ponderousimplications for community-court relations, is answered (ifat all) in strikingly different ways from one court jurisdictionto another. As a result, an outside professional serviceprovider (custody evaluator, divorce educator, parent coor-dinator) may well find themselves accountable to highlydiscrepant rules in court jurisdictions in close proximity toone another. What passes as accepted practice (say,dropping by the court house and chatting up a judge inchambers) in one locale may be strictly forbidden inanother. Perhaps the only universal rule is prohibiting exparte communication with a judicial officer regarding aparticular case. Or is it?

Arguments can easily be made for competing positionson this important subject. In defense of the impermeableposition, one that effectively imposes a news blackoutbetween court officials and outside service providers, someargue that courts must protect themselves from even theappearance of cronyism, or any other possible tainting ofimpartiality. By contrast, it can be argued that courts stifle

innovation and fail, merely because of ignorance, to referor suggest professional services aimed at divertingcombative litigation, to their and the publicʼs disadvantage.

AFCC members and like-minded colleagues commonlyfeel a responsibility to contribute to bringing about an inno-vative, if not enlightened, interface between courts, and thecommunity comprised of researchers, divorce educators,custody evaluators, parent coordinators, and mediators. Asimple, direct way of making such a contribution is taking afew minutes to complete a ten-item online questionnairedeveloped by AFCC members Les Herold of California andChris Hahn of Montana. Their survey affords the opportu-nity to add text commentary to straightforwardagree/disagree statements representing varying positionson the question of how openly and freely outside profes-sional services providers should be able to interface withcourt personnel.

If you would like to participate in this survey, contactLes Herold, Ph.D. at [email protected] or Chris Hahn,Ph.D. at [email protected].

How Permeable Should the Boundary between Court Personneland Outside Service Providers Be?

AFCC Board Approves BriefFocused AssessmentGuidelinesThe AFCC Guidelines for Brief Focused Assessment,developed by the AFCC Task Force on Brief FocusedAssessment, were adopted by the AFCC Board of Direc-tors on November 5, 2009. The Guidelines will be postedon the AFCC website in the Resource Center under Stan-dards of Practice.

The Task Force on Brief Focused Assessment wasappointed in 2007 by then AFCC President Hon. Bill Fee tostudy the issues of “limited assessment” models used infamily courts.

In August 2007, the Task Force conducted a survey offamily court practitioners that revealed that these assess-ments are increasingly practiced in a multitude of familycourt settings, but with little clear definition or standardiza-tion of methodology and practice.

In early 2009, a draft of the Guidelines on BriefFocused Assessment was made available for comment onthe AFCC website, and the Task Force held on OpenForum at the AFCC Annual Conference in New Orleans.The Task Force received many thoughtful and articulatecomments that were carefully considered in the final edit-ing process.

The Task Force was co-chaired by Phil Bushard, D.P.A.and Linda Cavallero, Ph.D. (Reporter); members include:Andrea Clark, M.S.W; Hon. Linda Fidnick; Jonathan Gould,Ph.D., ABPP; Susan E. Hanks, Ph.D.; Grace M. Hawkins,M.S.W.; Lorraine Martin, M.S.W.; Carole McKnight, B.A.;Nancy Olesen, Ph.D.; Jennifer L. Rosato, J.D.; ArnoldShienvold, Ph.D.; and Robert M. Smith, J.D., M. Div.

AFCC is on Facebook! Become a Fan!

Keep in touch with friends and colleagues, getupdates and announcements from AFCC, and network

with those you meet at AFCC events. To visit theAFCC Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com, then

search for “Association of Family and ConciliationCourts.” Click “Become a fan.” You donʼt have to be a

Facebook member to view the page!

+

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


Educator’s Guide OnlineAn Educator's Guide: Interacting withSeparating, Divorcing, Never-MarriedParents and their Children is a new AFCCpublication written by a work groupappointed by former AFCC PresidentHugh Starnes and chaired by BarbaraSteinberg, Ph.D. This guide addressesnot only how educators can recognize the challenges thesechildren face, but how they can facilitate the parent'sinvolvement in the childʼs education at a difficult time for thefamily. The Guide also provides information to help teach-ers identify how they can be most helpful to the familiesand courts without getting caught on the middle of the par-entsʼ conflict. Family court professionals and the rolesthey play are defined, as well as the type of informationthey request from teachers or school administrators. Thisguide is designed specifically for educators, who will find ituseful in navigating all aspects of the family law process.You can download the Guide on the AFCC website,www.afccnet.org, in the Resources for Professionals sec-tion of the Resource Center.

AFCC Award NominationsAFCC is seeking nominees for the following awards to bepresented at AFCCʼs 47th Annual Conference in Denver,Colorado, June 2-5, 2010.

John E. VanDuzer Distinguished Service Award:Recognizes outstanding contributions and/or achievementsby members of AFCC.

Stanley Cohen Research Award: Recognizesoutstanding research and/or research achievements in thefield of family and divorce.

Irwin Cantor Innovative Program Award: Recog-nizes innovation in court-connected or court-relatedprograms. Nominations for this award should be forprograms, not individuals.

If you would like to nominate someone for one of theawards, please email your nomination to AFCC in care ofErin Sommerfeld at [email protected]. Pleasespecify the award for which you are submitting a nomina-tion. Include your name, address and phone number alongwith the same information for the nominee. Please includea statement of no more than 600 words as to why youbelieve the nominee is a good candidate for the award.The nomination deadline is March 15, 2010.

Electronic submissions in Word or WordPerfect arepreferred. For further information on award criteria andnomination instructions, please visit the “Awards Commit-tee” page on the AFCC website atwww.afccnet.org/about/awards_committee.asp.

AFCC Board of DirectorsNominationsThe AFCC Nominating Committee is seeking nominationsfor individuals to serve on the AFCC Board of Directors.Recommended individuals must be AFCC members andhave an interest in and knowledge of AFCC and its work.

Nominations must be received by January 15, 2010, inorder to be considered by the committee prior to the elec-tion at AFCCʼs 47th Annual Conference, June 2-5, 2010 inDenver, Colorado.

If you or a member you know is interested in serving onthe AFCC Board of Directors, please forward name,contact information, resume and letter of intent to:

Robin DeutschChair, Nominating Committeec/o AFCC6525 Grand Teton PlazaMadison, WI 53719Fax: (608) 664-3751Email: [email protected]

AFCC NEWS FALL 2009


AFCC 47th Annual Conference

DENVERJune 2-5, 2010

Sheraton Denver • $165 single/double

Located in downtown Denver within waking distance of the State Capitol, the U.S. Mint, the 16thStreet Pedestrian Mall and the city’s best shops, restaurants and theaters.

TRAVERSING THE TRAIL OF ALIENATION:Rocky Relationships, Mountains of Emotion, Mile High Conflict

Alienation and high conflict present some of the most insurmountable challenges for professionals who work with sepa-rating and divorcing families. Join AFCC for a look at innovations and interventions for addressing our most difficultwork. This conference will build on a special issue of Family Court Review on alienation, forthcoming in January 2010,guest edited by Dr. Barbara Fidler and Professor Nicholas Bala. The program and journal will examine the latest inter-ventions designed to address family conflict involving allegations of alienation, featuring unique perspectives fromjudges, lawyers, mental health and dispute resolution professionals.

A s s o c i a t i o n o f F a m i l y a n d C o n c i l i a t i o n C o u r t s

“I can’t imagine life without going to AFCC Conferences.”—Mary Lund, Santa Monica, California

Nearly 900 professionals attended last year’s Annual Conference. Find out why!

• Develop the latest practice skills and techniques that you can put to immediate use.

• Exchange ideas and interact with interdisciplinary family court leaders from around the globe.

• More than 150 presenters and 3-hour advanced workshops.

• Earn up to 22 hours of continuing education credit!

• Apply for one of over 30 available conference scholarships. Application will be posted at www.afccnet.org in January 2010.

Conference Program Available in January 2010 at www.afccnet.org!

For more information, contact AFCC at [email protected] or (608) 664-3750.

www.afccnet.org

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts

AFCC Conferences

AFCC 47th Annual ConferenceTraversing the Trail of Alienation:Rocky Relationships, Mountains ofEmotion, Mile High ConflictJune 2-5, 2010Sheraton DenverDenver, ColoradoAFCC Ninth Symposium onChild Custody EvaluationsOctober 28-30, 2010Hyatt Regency CambridgeCambridge/Boston, MassachusettsAFCC 48th Annual ConferenceJune 1-4, 2011Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek ResortOrlando, FloridaAFCC 49th Annual ConferenceJune 6-9, 2012Hyatt RegencyChicago, Illinois

AFCC Training Programs

Parenting Coordination: HelpingHigh Conflict Parents ResolveDisputesJoan B. Kelly, Ph.D.December 7-8, 2009Baltimore, MarylandAdvanced Issues in ChildCustody: The Childʼs PerspectiveMindy Mitnick, M.Ed.December 9-10, 2009Baltimore, MarylandParenting Coordination: Workingwith High Conflict FamiliesChristine Coates, M.Ed., JDFebruary 22-23, 2010Houston, TexasAttachment, Alienation andDifficult ClientsArnold T. Shienvold, Ph.D.February 24-25, 2010Houston, Texas

AFCC Chapter Conferences

New York Chapter AnnualConferenceAssociation of the Bar of theCity of New YorkDecember 4, 2009Arizona Chapter AnnualConferenceFebruary 5-7, 2010HIlton Sedona Resort and SpaSedona, ArizonaCalifornia Chapter AnnualConferenceFebruary 12-14, 2010Sheraton Delfina HotelSanta Monica, CaliforniaMissouri Chapter AnnualConferenceMarch 11-12, 2010Sheraton St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri

Upcoming AFCC Conferences and Trainings

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