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CLE Program

The Parent Coordinator’s Challenge: How to Keep Parents in the Boat if They Want to Jump Ship

Date:

Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Runtime: 1:30h

Program Code:

FLE25

Program Options:

Watch On Demand

The MBA offers, upon request, Certificates of Attendance to individuals who attend real-time webcasts. Certificates are not available for participation in recorded MBA On Demand programs.

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Non-member : $50.00
MBA Law Student : $0.00
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In the high-stakes world of family law, the role of a parent coordinator is both pivotal and complex. This program will delve into the unique challenges faced by parent coordinators when managing both high-conflict and non-high-conflict cases when one or both parents are on the brink of abandoning the process or defying agreed-upon parenting plans. Whether it is due to entrenched emotions, distrust, resorting to dysfunctional marital communications, or the inability to move on from the combative litigation process, a parent coordinator's ability to keep parents engaged can make or break the outcome for children and families.

Led by highly respected and experienced faculty, this program will equip parent coordinators, mediators and family law professionals with practical tools and strategies to:

  • Identify early signs of disengagement or resistance from parents.
  • Utilize effective communication techniques to address emotional and psychological barriers that prevent parents from fully participating.
  • Promote collaboration and cooperation, even in adversarial situations, to ensure parents remain "in the boat" for the benefit of their children.
  • Understand the psychological dynamics that underlie parents' behaviors, including conflict, fear of loss, control issues, lingering feelings about the bruising divorce process, and perceived power imbalances.
  • Develop strategies to ensure that agreements made in the parenting coordination process are respected and adhered to by both parents.
  • Use the parent coordinator’s various tools to creatively manage the process in the best interests of the family.
  • Consider when and whether to engage adjunct professionals to participate in the process (e.g., lawyers and individual and/or family therapists).
  • Obtain a guardian ad litem report, if one exists, and other aspects of court involvement if the parent coordinator believes it is warranted.
  • Determine when to consider resigning as a parent coordinator.

The MBA is happy to share the news that Chief Justice John D. Casey will be one of our distinguished attendees and will provide brief remarks. We are also honored to welcome as attendees Domenic DiCenso, Deputy Court Administrator, Probate and Family Court and Denise Fitzgerald, Assistant Deputy Court Administrator, Probate and Family Court.

This program will qualify for 1.5 credits towards Category V requirements for Parenting Coordinators. Attorneys attending the Live Webinar can receive Certificates of Attendance by emailing education@massbar.org after the program.  Certficates of Attendance are not available to those who view the On Demand Recording.

This webinar was hosted using Zoom.  

Faculty:

Vicki L. Shemin, J.D., LICSW, ACSW, Program Chair
Fields and Dennis, LLP, Wellesley Hills
Premela Deck, , LICSW, JD, PhD, Panelist
SD Law, P.C., Canton
Tony Pelusi, Esq., Panelist
Tony Pelusi & Associates, North Andover

Sponsoring Sections:

Family Law Section

NOTE: This is a previously recorded MBA On Demand product.
When you register, you will receive a link via email to the previously recorded MBA On Demand program and its ePublication. Your member profile will also contain a permanent link to the MBA On Demand version of the program.

System Requirements
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