~ Update: Program will be available for purchase on December 1, 2022 ~

There is a point in (almost) every family law file when the parties provide their respective financial disclosure.

Then, the pressure is on… you.

If you are a lawyer or law clerk, the client is expecting you to make sense of the information, especially where the chase for disclosure became the story: you wanted it, you (finally) got it. Now what?

If you are a mediator, your clients expect you to understand the implications of what they’ve given.

Is there a systemized way to organize, understand and follow up on the information received?

In this 4-hour interactive program, we will start with confronting your procrastination, size up financial statement entries, and delve into tax return line items,  pay stubs and supporting property documentation. We will assess how the information links to the legal issues involved, what to do with it, and what to ask for next. In the process, discover secondary uses for the typical documentation received.

The materials will focus on separation after marriage at first instance. Self-employment income and motions to change will be touched upon, but a deep dive into corporate disclosure and disclosure for variations will be the subject of future sessions. 

In advance of the program, you will be “served” with a mock financial statement, a disclosure brief, and a frantic email from your client seeking advice.

Bring your questions, they will be answered.

Details:

• Original Program Date: Friday September 30, 2022 @ 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Format: Zoom
• Open to family law professionals: Law students, articling/LPP students, lawyers (especially 0-5 years out), law clerks and mediators.  Separate programs for the general public and advanced issues for legal professionals are in the works.
  
• A recording of the session will be provided to registrants.
• Materials included:
  
  • A mock financial statement and disclosure brief
  • Rule 13(3.1) Toolkit for Income Disclosure
  • Rule 13(3.3) Tookit for Property Disclosure
  • Rule 13(11) Disclosure Request Form
  • A post-program summary of law on topics discussed
• Eligible for 4.0 hours of LSO Substantive CPD credits.

Presented by:

Shmuel Stern, family law lawyer and founder of Disclosure Clinic, a limited scope service assisting litigants, lawyers, and mediators confronted with all issues touching family law financial disclosure. Shmuel also runs the @corollaryrelief Twitter feed and more recently is website editor of courtnoticefinder.ca.

Maria Ilie-Draga, family law lawyer practicing at RBP Family Law in Ottawa. Maria has experience in criminal law and high-conflict family law disputes, and is able to assist with client matters in English, French and Romanian. Her approach to client disclosure is to consider the other side’s disclosure as well,  determining the strength and weaknesses of the client’s overall situation.

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