1

2018 Family Law Section MIDYEAR MEETING & CONFERENCE

agenda

Semiahmoo Resort and Spa9565 Semiahmoo PkwyBlaine, WA 98230

FRIDAY – SUNDAYJUNE 29 through JULY 1, 2018

Invested in your success.™WSBA CLE|

2

ARE YOU an attorney or legal practitioner whose practice involves family law issues? Come join us for a three-day conference at the beautiful Semiahmoo Resort, approximately 20 minutes from the Bellingham Airport.

Get up-to-date on issues while catching up with colleagues and enjoying the amazing amenities of Semiahmoo.

TOPICS INCLUDE:

� Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017: Former IRS attorney and Gonzaga Law School Professor Ann Murphy will provide an update on what the 2017 Tax Reform Act means to your clients, and what you need to do to protect their interests.

� The new child support schedule

� Impact of gender on ethics and bar grievances

� Limiting costs of discovery in highly contentious litigation

� Attorney’s liens

� Legislative update, including Uniform Parentage Act (UPA)

� Making a record and preserving issues for appeal

� Case law update with Chris Meserve and Chuck Szurszewski

LODGING INFORMATION:Room block cutoff is May 29th after which reservations are based on availability and the room prices may increase. Guest room rates include complimentary wireless and parking.

ONLY ONE WAY TO RESERVE:Please call 855-917-3767 and let reservations know you are with the Family Law Midyear. The room block is for Friday and Saturday evenings at the rates below:

� Classic Queen, Classic King, Classic Deluxe Queen or Classic Deluxe King: $209

� Waterview Queen, Waterview King, Waterview Deluxe Queen, Waterview Deluxe King, Classic Junior Suite, Waterview Junior Suite or Classic Executive Suite: $229

For more information on Semiahmoo accommodations, please visit: www.semiahmoo.com/rooms.htm

CREDITSThis seminar has been approved for 14.5 CLE credits, including 1 Ethics and 13.5 Law and Legal Procedure.

TUITION$350 – Family Law Section Member

$385 – Join the Family Law Section ($35) and pay section member tuition ($350)

$400 – Non-Section Member

SECTION PARTNERWSBA Family Law Section

PROGRAM CHAIRLea ConnerDudley and Conner Attorneys at Law, Spokane

DATESFriday – Sunday, June 29 – July 1, 2018

VENUESemiahmoo Resort and Spa 9565 Semiahmoo Pkwy Blaine, WA 98230

REGISTRATIONOnline at wsbacle.orgenter 18529BLA in the search field.

WSBA CLE #18529BLA

2018 Family Law Section MIDYEAR MEETING & CONFERENCE

3

11:00 a.m. Check-in • Walk-in Registration • Coffee and Pastry Service

11:55 a.m. Welcome and Introductions by Program ChairLea Conner – Dudley and Conner Attorneys at Law, Spokane

12:00 p.m. Retirement Plan “Gotcha” Provisions: How Federal/State Laws Undo Decree and Property Settlements and Court Rulings

The division of retirement plan assets is subject to federal and state statutory law. This session will identify a few of the major provisions in private and federal pensions that must be followed when dividing the assets. These “gotcha” provisions undo a well thought out agreement or ruling and cannot be fixed by the court or the parties if they are in conflict with the statutory law and regulations for the plan. The focus is on private pension plans, the federal and civil service pensions, the military pension and the Washington state pension plans.

Dru Horenstein – Dru Horenstein Family Law PLLC, Seattle

12:45 p.m. Obtaining Discovery in Highly Contentious Cases Without Bankrupting Your Client

This session will cover formal and informal discovery strategies attorneys can utilize to efficiently and effectively acquire information necessary to move cases forward. The discussion will include the development of a discovery plan, acquiring information through public records requests, building your case through written discovery, and discovery abuses: How to respond when the other side won’t cooperate.

Lea Conner – Dudley and Conner Attorneys at Law, Spokane

Karen Schweigert – Addams & Leavitt PLLC, Spokane

1:30 p.m. The Attorney’s Lien Is Alive and Well in Washington

What you should know about attorney’s liens and how to make one stick.

Rhea Rolfe – Gilson-Moreau & Associates PS, Bellevue

2:15 p.m. Counsel vs. the GAL: How to Win Without Going to War and What Happens If You Have To

The GAL investigation has begun and you and/or your client are unhappy about the direction it is going or the GAL’s performance. How can you impact the GAL’s methods, decisions, and result without unnecessary confrontation, and, if necessary, how do you remove a GAL whom you believe is violating the GALR or professional and ethical standards?

James Cathcart – Attorney at Law, University Place

3:00 p.m. BREAK

DAY 1 AM/PM FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018

4

3:15 p.m. Effective Presentations in Family Law TrialsFamily law cases often present unique evidentiary challenges and opportunities. Detailed information must be presented in a clear and concise manner; financial issues abound; and civility is sometimes lacking. This session will give a judge’s perspective on these questions and more.

Judge Deborah E. Garrett – Whatcom County Superior Court, Bellingham

4:15 p.m. Legislative UpdateThe 2018 legislative session was only 60 days long, but lots happened in that short time: we’ll talk about what passed, what didn’t, and what bills keep coming back every time. Highlights include the new Uniform Parentage Act (UPA) which allows paid surrogacy contracts in Washington; and there’s a new “relative visitation” law that’s caused lots of discussion. What else do family law practitioners need to know, and what might be coming up in 2019?

Nancy Koptur – DSHS Division of Child Support, Olympia

5:15 p.m. Discernment Counseling and the Decision to Divorce

Many clients enter their divorce lawyer’s office with deep ambivalence about the decision to divorce. Research suggests a sizeable minority of couples prefer reconciliation to divorce. How do we detect such clients? How do we help them? Learn about Discernment Counseling, a growing field of therapy focused on clarifying this decision.

Joseph A. Shaub – Attorney at Law, Bellevue

6:15 p.m. Adjourn Day 1No-host reception with hors d’oeuvres immediately following.

DAY 1 PM FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018

5

DAY 2 AM SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2018

7:30 a.m. Late Check-in • Walk-in Registration • Coffee and Pastry Service

8:10 a.m. Welcome and Introductions by Program ChairLea Conner – Dudley and Conner Attorneys at Law, Spokane

8:15 a.m. Parentage and Child Support from the State’s Perspective

What to expect when the Division of Child Support and/or the Prosecuting Attorney’s Family Support Division gets involved in your client’s lives (and what the heck does that mean?). New developments in parentage and child support based on 2018 legislation such as the new Uniform Parentage Act (UPA), changes to the Washington State Child Support Schedule, changes in medical support enforcement, and more. Feel free to submit your questions prior to the midyear to our speakers so they can address your issues. (HBanks@wapa-sep.wa.gov or koptur@dshs.wa.gov). There will also be time for Q&A during this session.

Holly Banks – Kitsap County Prosecutor’s Office, Port Orchard

Nancy Koptur – DSHS Division of Child Support, Olympia

9:45 a.m. BREAK

10:00 a.m. Sex, Race and All That — Protecting Yourself in a Changing Ethical Landscape

Lawyers increasingly face allegations of sexual harassment and racial insensitivity, as well as assertions of bias in regard to others’ sexual orientation, gender, and national origin. In this session we will discuss the issues, the rules, and the proactive steps all lawyers need to take to protect themselves. Even you, one of the good ones, need to learn about these issues.

Kurt M. Bulmer – Attorney at Law, Seattle

11:00 a.m. Thinking Ahead: Making a Record and Preserving Issues for Appeal

Trial attorneys generally assure appellate attorneys that the critical case, the winning fact, the crucial argument, or that great statutory analysis are “in the record.” But are they really? In reality, these things are often lost in the ether, never to be seen again. This session explains how to be sure that you’ve stuffed your client’s record full of everything needed to maximize their chances on appeal.

Sharon Blackford – Sharon Blackford PLLC, Seattle

11:45 a.m. Annual Family Law Section Meeting

12:00 p.m. Luncheon hosted by the Family Law Section

6

DAY 2 PM SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2018

1:30 p.m. Best Practices and Ethical Considerations in Drug and Alcohol Testing

This session is an overview of drug and alcohol testing options to detect substance use and/or abuse, and your ethical obligations as an attorney with regard to drug and alcohol testing. Learn how to mitigate donor non-compliance issues and get strategies and tips for testing for parties who object due to long work hours and/or inability to pay. Discover the red flags that indicate potential tampering, dilution, and/or substitution and learn about innovative tests and how each can help provide evidence to help you in court. Review best practices when representing a party subject to drug and/or alcohol testing and tips on how to protect your client’s privacy.

Lea Conner – Dudley and Conner Attorneys at Law, Spokane

Terry Johnson – ARCpoint Labs, Vancouver

2:00 p.m. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, signed into law on December 20, 2017 made significant changes to the rules for alimony, exemptions (the lack thereof), and the Child Credit. The effective date for the change in the alimony rules is January 1, 2019. Hear how these changes may or may not affect your clients.

Ann Murphy – Gonzaga University School of Law, Spokane

3:15 p.m. Adjourn Day 2

7

DAY 3 AM SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2018

7:45 a.m. Late Check-in • Walk-in Registration • Coffee and Pastry Service

8:10 a.m. Welcome and Introductions by Program Chair Lea Conner – Dudley and Conner Attorneys at Law, Spokane

8:15 a.m. Clients at the Crossroads: When Psychology Meet Law

You’ve all had clients that present with anxiety, depression, and the effects of interpersonal violence. In this seminar you will learn about common psychological conditions and how they intersect with the legal system. You will gain knowledge on how to prepare and work with clients with these special circumstances to face opposing counsel at hearings, in depositions, and on the stand.

Martha Wakenshaw – Pacific Family Solutions, Edmonds

9:00 a.m. Military Family Law — Big Changes in Federal Law and Groundbreaking Case Law. Not Business as Usual

In December 2016, Congress passed major amendments to the Uniformed Services Former Spouse’s Protection Act (USFSPA) for the first time in over 30 years. Pension calculations are now far more complex. In addition, the Department of Defense is unveiling a new “blended” pension plan.  The 2017 Supreme Court case, Marriage of Howell, limits traditional tools used to protect spouses who are impacted by VA disability waivers. In addition, there is a movement to adopt pattern laws for military families.  

Lisa Brewer – Law Office of Lisa Brewer, Spokane

9:45 a.m. BREAK

10:00 a.m. 2017 – 2018 Case Law Update

This is our annual essential year-end discussion of all family law cases in the Court of Appeals or Washington Supreme Court. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn all about the cases that you will need to know about before going to court or mediation on any family law matter!

Christina A. Meserve – Connolly Tacon & Meserve, Olympia

Charles E. Szurszewski – Connolly Tacon & Meserve, Olympia

12:00 p.m. Adjourn Day 3

MIDYEAR MEETING & CONFERENCE

2018 Family Law Section

FRIDAY – SUNDAY JUNE 29 – JULY 1, 2018

Semiahmoo Resort and Spa9565 Semiahmoo PkwyBlaine, WA 98230

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage Paid

Seattle, WAPermit No. 2204

Washington State Bar Association1325 4th Avenue, Suite 600Seattle, WA 98101-2539

Invested in your success.™WSBA CLE|

Thank You to Our Sponsor!