Agenda / Content Covered

1. INITIAL INTERVIEWS AND PLEADINGS
   9:00 - 9:45, Written by Kelly Rae Waggoner and Melinda A. Manley. Presented by Kelly Rae Waggoner in San Bernardino and Melinda A. Manley in Sherman Oaks.
   1. Effective Screening and Conflict Checking Processes
   2. Initial Interview and Fact Gathering
   3. Assisting With Initial Pleadings and Motions
2. CASE MANAGEMENT TIPS
   9:45 - 10:30, Written by Aruna P. Rodrigo and Melinda A. Manley. Presented by Aruna P. Rodrigo in San Bernardino and Melinda A. Manley in Sherman Oaks.
   1. Creating a Comprehensive Divorce Checklist
   2. Calendaring and Follow-Up Systems
   3. Organizing, Indexing and Tracking Client Documents
   4. Document Management Strategies for Produced Materials
   5. Tips and Techniques for Effective Time and Task Management
3. DISCOVERY GUIDELINES
   10:45 - 11:30, Written by Pourya Keshavarzi. Presented by Rebecca Perkins in San Bernardino and Pourya Keshavarzi in Sherman Oaks.
   1. Formal and Informal Discovery Methods
   2. Interrogatories and Request for Production of Documents
   3. Answering Discovery Requests
   4. Analysis and Summary of Documents
4. KEYS TO MANAGING FINANCIAL INFORMATION
   11:30 - 12:15, Written by Kelly Rae Waggoner and Pourya Keshavarzi. Presented by Kelly Rae Waggoner in San Bernardino and Pourya Keshavarzi in Sherman Oaks.
   1. What Documents are Important?
   2. Finding "Hidden" Information
   3. Characterizing Assets and Liabilities
   4. Financial Analysis and Balance Sheet Preparation
      1. Real Property
      2. Personal Property
      3. Debts and Liabilities
      4. Retirement Plans/Pensions
      5. Investments
      6. Business Interests
      7. Other Key Assets and Liabilities
   5. Working With Financial Experts
   6. Drafting the Financial Disclosure Statement
5. CHILD SUPPORT AND CUSTODY ISSUES
   1:15 - 2:00, Written by Aruna P. Rodrigo and Pourya Keshavarzi. Presented by Aruna P. Rodrigo in San Bernardino and Pourya Keshavarzi in Sherman Oaks.
   1. Determining and Calculating Child Support
   2. Preparing Child Support Worksheets
   3. Arrearage Calculations and Wage Assignments
   4. Working With Child Custody Experts
   5. Drafting of Parenting Plans, Agreements and Schedules
6. YOUR ROLE DURING SETTLEMENT AND TRIAL
   2:00 - 2:30, Written by Aruna P. Rodrigo. Presented by Aruna P. Rodrigo in San Bernardino and Rebecca Perkins in Sherman Oaks.
   1. Initial Drafting of Legal Documents
   2. Preparation of Trial Exhibits and Notebooks
   3. Management of Experts and Lay Witnesses
7. QUALIFIED DOMESTIC RELATIONS ORDERS (QDROs)
   2:45 - 3:30, Written by Lorrina M. Duffy. Presented by Lorrina M. Duffy in San Bernardino and Sherman Oaks.
   1. What is a QDRO?
   2. Why Do We Need QDROs?
   3. Why Retirement Accounts are Different from Other Assets?
   4. What Can I Do as a Paralegal to Help the Managing Attorney Prepare to Divide a Retirement Account?
   5. Timing Issues and Helping the Client Get Their Money
8. ETHICAL QUESTIONS
   3:30 - 4:30, Written by S. Roger Rombro. Presented by S. Roger Rombro in San Bernardino and Rebecca Perkins in Sherman Oaks.
   1. Avoiding Situations That May Expose You to UPL
   2. Evaluating Conflicts of Interest
   3. Managing Issues of Privilege

Accreditation Details:

LORRINA M. DUFFY is an attorney with QDRO Benefits Law Group, APC where she focuses her practice exclusively on the division of retirement benefits. Ms. Duffy drafts, reviews, and issues opinions on QDROs. She handles for family law attorneys and/or their clients the division of all types of retirement plans, from qualified domestic relations orders for private plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), domestic relations orders for public or governmental plans, to IRC 408 Orders to divide Individual Retirement Accounts. Ms. Duffy is familiar with and keeps abreast of changes to ERISA, case law, and governmental codes and/or regulations affecting retirement plans. She earned her B.A. degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz and her J.D. degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Ms. Duffy volunteers as a QDRO attorney for the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law, a non-profit which provides free legal services for low income families. She is on the Board of Directors for the Latina Lawyers Bar Association. (San Bernardino and Sherman Oaks locations)

POURYA KESHAVARZI is an attorney with Bergman Law Group where he devotes his practice to dispute resolution. As a trained mediator and skilled litigator, Mr. Keshavarzi handles dissolution of marriage, child custody, child support, spousal support, premarital agreements, transmutation agreements, domestic violence, and complex property issues and tracing. He also has significant experience in the area of civil litigation including real estate and contract matters. Mr. Keshavarzi is also a real estate Broker, licensed by the California Department of Real Estate. He is admitted to practice law in California and before the United States District Court, Central District of California. Mr. KeshavarI is a member of the State Bar of California. He earned his B.A. degree from California State University at Northridge and J.D. degree from Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law. (Sherman Oaks location)

MELINDA A. MANLEY is an attorney at Rombro & Associates. She was admitted to practice law by the State Bar of California in 1996. Ms. Manley has practiced extensively in the field of civil, business and employment law, and has handled arbitrations and trials. She also clerked for judges of the Superior Court in civil, family, and complex litigation. Before attending law school, Ms. Manley was the director of human resources at a national publishing company in New York City, New York. For the past 11 years, she has practiced primarily in the area of family law, and has been certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California as a Certified Specialist in Family Law. Ms. Manley also has volunteered as a Daily Settlement Officer in the Central District. She earned her B.A. degree from Marymount Manhattan College, and her J.D. degree from Whittier School of Law. (Sherman Oaks location)

REBECCA PERKINS is the sole practitioner at the Law Office of Rebecca Perkins. Ms. Perkins exclusively practices family law. Prior to becoming an attorney she was a paralegal to several family law attorneys. Ms. Perkins worked full time as a paralegal while attending law school at night. She is admitted to practice in California. Ms. Perkins is a member of the California Bar Association. She earned her B.A. degree from California State University at Los Angeles and J.D. degree from the University of La Verne. (San Bernardino and Sherman Oaks locations)

ARUNA P. RODRIGO is a senior counsel at CKB VIENNA LLP where he exclusively practices family law. He is a Certified Family Law Specialist as certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Rodrigo is admitted to practice in the state of California and before United States District Court Central District of California. He is a member of the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists and East-West Family Law Counsel. Mr. Rodrigo earned his B.S. degree from San Diego State University, J.D. degree from University of La Verne College of Law, and Master’s in Public Administration from University of La Verne College of Business and Public Management. (San Bernardino location)

S. ROGER ROMBRO is an attorney in the Manhattan Beach law firm of Rombro & Associates and is a Certified Specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He clerked for the Honorable Stanley N. Barnes, U.S. Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit immediately following law school. Before entering private practice, Mr. Rombro was a deputy district attorney for the county of Los Angeles. He has been lead counsel in nearly 4,000 trials in the state and federal courts, nearly 300 of which were before juries. Mr. Rombro also is a lecturer and materials author for family law, domestic relations, ethics, and trial advocacy with National Business Institute. He was co-chair of the Children’s Issue Sub-Committee of the State Bar of California, Los Angeles Regional Standing Committee, and after being appointed by the Board of Trustees, is currently serving his second of a three year term of office to the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of California, otherwise known as “FLEXCOM.” Mr. Rombro's duties with FLEXCOM include those as membership chair. He is a member of the Los Angeles County and Beverly Hills bar associations. Mr. Rombro is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Tulane University School of Law. (Sherman Oaks location)

KELLY RAE WAGGONNER is an experienced attorney in San Diego with over 25 years experience practicing in the area of family law and, previously, in business and civil litigation. Ms. Waggonner is a family law certified specialist, certified in 2015 by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and she is a San Diego SuperLawyer in family law for 2017 and 2018. She focuses on assisting clients in obtaining the best legal results possible, while preserving resources and working in an efficient manner towards negotiated resolutions when possible. Ms. Waggonner's experience working for two preeminent large San Diego law firms has led to a focus on high net worth matters involving complicated financial and business issues. She also works as a private, neutral mediator to assist parties in reaching a negotiated settlement of their family law disputes and post-judgment issues. Ms. Waggonner earned her B.A. degree from The University of Texas at Austin and her J.D. degree from George Washington University. (San Bernardino location)