NYACP Newsletter - Fall 2021

NYACP News ~ Fall 2021

Volume 3, Issue 3

In This Issue...

President's Message
IACP Leaders Meeting
NYACP 2021 Annual Membership Meeting and Training

NYACP Trainings and Events

IACP Benefits for NYACP Members
Valuing Investment Company Interests
NYACP Community Conversation Sessions
NYACP Launches Pilot Mentorship Program
Dealing with Drug and Alcohol Use During Disputes

Pod Meetings

Our 3-part series on Social Media Marketing Concluded
Today’s Tax Issues
Dealing with Multicultural Issues
Setting Intentions
Getting Organized After Divorce
Anchoring and Priming
2021 IACP Forum: Show and Tell
Four Pillarsof New Retirement

Support Groups for Collaborative Professionals
Have News?  Share It With Your Collaborative Colleagues!


 A Message from the 2021 NYACP President

By Ken Novenstern

This is the third and final President's Message video to NYACP members for 2021. In it, Ken Novenstern talks about upcoming events and acknowledges the great work being accomplished by members. He also expresses appreciation to two departing board members and reminds everyone that becoming a board member is not only very rewarding, it is an excellent way to become more involved in the organization -- potentially with opportunities to get more cases. (Video length: 4:27)


Click Here to Watch Ken's Message!

IACP Leaders Meeting

On July 1, 2021, Ken Novenstern, Melissa Goodstein and Abby Curro participated in a call with IACP leaders, Amy Skogerson and Brian Galbraith, to discuss ways our two organizations can work together.

IACP, the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, is an international community of legal, mental health and financial professionals working in concert to create client-centered processes for resolving conflict. Amy and Brian would be providing an NYACP training on September 10th . NYACP members were to be encouraged to attend the IACP 22nd Annual Networking and Educational Forum on October 28-31, 2021 in San Diego, CA, Lighting the Way Together. A virtual component will also be available, Beacon When We’re Apart, a great way for NYACP members to get a feel for the organization without the expense of traveling.

Going forward, the NYACP and IACP will be providing each other with social media content to cross-promote our trainings and activities. The IACP will also be posting our member videos. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with our international partner, and to providing the NYACP members with additional benefits this partnership will provide.


NYACP 2021 Annual Membership Meeting and Training

Please join us for our 2021 Annual Business Meeting and Training!  We will be meeting virtually again this year out of an abundance of safety concerns for our members, and so that everyone, everywhere can join together.  We will convene at 12:30pm on Zoom for our Annual Business Meeting and enjoy a virtual networking lunch. Then we will hear from our renowned speaker, Donna Hicks, Ph.D.. 

Donna will present her Dignity Model Workshop for our Annual Training.  The need has never been more urgent for people in leadership positions to be educated in matters related to dignity. The desire to be treated as something of value is universal; it is our highest common denominator. At the same time, we are all vulnerable to having our dignity violated, creating conflicts wherever human beings cluster—in families, communities, in the workplace and among nations. It is one of the root causes of conflict, yet it is rarely addressed when attempting to manage and negotiate a resolution to disputes. How can something so fundamental to the human experience have been neglected for so long? In this training for Collaborative Divorce Professionals, participants will be introduced to the basic building blocks of the Dignity Model, an approach to understanding the role dignity plays in our lives and relationships. The session will then explore how it could be applied to the collaborative divorce process, and to how it can be applied to how we function in our collaborative team of financial, mental health and law professionals.

The workshop format will include an interactive presentation of the Dignity Model, small group activities as well as experiential components. Two practical and useful skills will be introduced (acknowledgment and giving and receiving feedback) and will be practiced in break-out sessions. 

All attendees will receive Donna's book, "Leading with Dignity" book in addtion to a special gift from NYACP. Register by November 26th!  Members: $75, Non-Members $150.

Register Here Today!

NYACP Trainings and Events

IACP Benefits for NYACP Members

On Friday September 10, 2021, Amy Skogerson and Brian Galbraith presented IACP/NYACP - Let’s Get Connected! Amy and Brian provided an overview of the IACP, and how NYACP members could benefit from their membership in the IACP. They discussed how our two organizations work together to provide an alternative for families experiencing divorce. The topics included:

• How IACP dues work, especially with local practice groups;
• What IACP is and does;
• The programming IACP offers;
• What is available on the IACP website; and
• Other IACP benefits

Brian Galbraith is IACP Co-Chair of Access to Collaborative Committee, IACP Co-Chair of Equity and Inclusion Committee, and a member of IACP Board of Directors. Brian received the Founders’ Medallion from Ontario Collaborative Law Federation. He is the owner of Galbraith Family Law P.C. and founding owner of The Mediation Centre of Simcoe County, Ontario. Brian has been practicing family law since 1990, mediation since 1994 and Collaborative Team Practice since 2001. Brian also teaches Collaborative Team Practice.

Amy Skogerson is a Collaborative Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker, and is the co-founder of The Law Shop by Skogerson McGinn LLC. She is on the Board of Directors for the Iowa Law Firm Incubator, on the Iowa Supreme Court Interactive Forms Committee, and a Committee Member of the Iowa State Bar Association Rural Practice Committee. She serves on the Iowa State Bar Association Family & Juvenile Law Section as a Section Member, Section Council, and CLE Committee.


 Valuing Investment Company Interests

On September 24, 2021, the NYACP presented An Overview of Investment Partnerships’ Structures, Sometimes Referred to as Hedge Funds, and the Theories and Methodologies of Valuing Interests in Investment Advisers, This was Session 3 of NYACP’s Multi-Part Financial Series The presentation covered: 

- Management Cos and General Partnership Interests: Overview;
- Typical Structures; contractual relationships and flow of revenue to investment advisors;
- Types of Investment Advisors;
- The Essence of Valuing Interests in Investment Advisors;
- The Economics of the Fee Structures;
- Valuation Techniques: What is acceptable to use;
- Drivers of Value;
- Approaches to Fair Market Value of Management Companies;
- The Income Approach;
- The Market Approach and Appropriate Adjustments to Make; and
- Valuing the General Partner Interest

Stephen Shulman, CPA, is a valuation and forensic accounting professional. Stephen’s broad array of clients, unique blend of typical accounting and tax expertise and dispute resolution has provided clients with insights and perspectives that help them determine the proper course of action and fashioning equitable settlements. He currently practices through Shulman Associates, LLC.  Mr. Shulman is an arbitrator and collaborative law professional. He is on the roster of neutrals for the American Arbitration Association.

Stuart Fross, Esq., is a partner with Foley & Lardner LLP. He concentrates his practice on securities laws and regulations, as part of the Private Equity & Venture Capital, Transactional & Securities and International Practices. Stuart’s main focus is investment managers and pooled investment vehicles, including U.S. registered open-end, closed-end and exchange-traded funds, bank collective investment funds, UCITS funds, as well as private funds, organized in the United States and offshore.

The NYACP Financial Series: The first series session was on May 14, 2021. Lili Vasileff, CFP®, MAFF™, CDFA®, RIA, presented Unique Challenges for Late Life Divorce. Lili discussed how an understanding of two important economic concerns for divorcing couples in the 50-and-over demographic, accumulated wealth and retirement income, will help us as divorce professionals better advise clients.

On June 17, 2021, Denisa Tova, MBA, CFP, CDFA, CQS, presented the second session of the series: The New NYC Police Pension Rules, Due Diligence, and How “Equalization” in Settlements Leads to Misallocation of Benefits. Denisa discussed how dealing with retirement assets has been oversimplified, where the process breaks down and specific steps to get it right.


NYACP Community Conversation Sessions

On October 13, 20 and 21, the NYACP Membership Committee hosted a series of informal conversations in October about the hopes and concerns of our members.  Meeting in small groups, the Committee sought to encourage meaningful, authentic and rewarding conversation in a spirit of openness and curiosity. Members were provided with the opportunity for an open dialogue about their visions for our organization and to connect with other members to inspire creativity and growth. 


 NYACP Launches Pilot Mentorship Program

The NYACP launched a 4-month pilot mentorship program, running from September 15, 2021 through January 15, 2022. The intent of the program is to pair our more experienced collaborative professionals with some of our less experienced members for guidance on case consultation, best practices and setting up and running a collaborative practice. Currently there is one attorney pair and one financial pair in the pilot session.

The next session is expected to run from February 15, 2022 through June 15, 2022. If you are interested in joining the program, as either a mentor or mentee, you may contact Abby Curro at [email protected] or co-chairs Catherine Canadé at [email protected] or Shara Goldfarb at [email protected],


Dealing with Drug and Alcohol Use During Disputes

On November 12, 2021, Laurence Westreich, MD, presented Monitoring Drug and Alcohol Use During Child Custody Disputes. Dr. Westreich reviewed the forensic assessment of a custodial parent who has, or is accused of having, problematic use of intoxicating substances. He will give a presentation and then discuss questions raised by the listeners.

Laurence M. Westreich, MD is a psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of patients dually diagnosed with addiction and mental disorders. He is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in general psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry and is certified as a Medical Review Officer by the Medical Review Officer Certification Council. He is the author of Helping the Addict You Love (Simon and Schuster), and A Parents Guide to Teen Addiction (Skyhorse Publishing) and is Past President of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.


Pod Meetings Open to NYACP Members Only

Meeting Times:
Northern Westchester: Third Wednesday of the month - 9:00-10:00AM from September through June. Pod Leaders: Meg Sussman and Melissa Goodstein
Long Island: Meets on the first Tuesday of each month from 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. in September, November, January, March and May; and from 8:45 to 10:00 a.m. in October, December, February, April and June. With questions, contact Neil Cahn at (516) 741-0001 or [email protected].
New York City: Second Tuesday of the month - 8:30 to 9:30am. Pod Leader: Judie Stein

All NYACP members are welcome to attend any of the Pod meetings. Our Pods are open to all members so members can connect with colleagues from all geographic and practice areas, and if anyone has any ideas for any topics or speakers for future meetings to contact POD leaders. 

Our Three Part Series on Social Media Marketing Concluded

On July 21, 2021, the Northern Westchester Pod continued Vikram Rajan’s 3-part series on Social Media Marketing (begun on June 16th) with Social Media Marketing 201: From Profile Dormant to Posting Active. The various types of posts were discussed: written, images, audio and video. Vik taught how to create a client-centric content and discussed apps to make it quick, easy & automated.

On August 25, 2021, Vik presented Social Media Marketing 301: Cross-Promotion & Multiplying Results, and discussed how to multiply referrals by sharing and getting shared; and presented learn seven ways to cross-promote and the use of the ANEW framework to multiply likes, comments and shares.

Vikram Rajan, Co-Founder of Videosocials.net and phoneBlogger.net, has presented on behalf of every major Bar Association in the Greater New York City area. His marketing column premiered in the AICPA’s CPA Insider publication in Fall 2009 became the most popular column in July 2010. He has also presented to the AICPA, the National Network of Accountants,  the National Conference of CPA Practitioners, the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation; the Association of Conflict Resolution (GNY), the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (Queens), the Association of Divorce Financial Planners, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and more.


 Today’s Tax Issues

On August 31 and October 5, Stephen Linker and Sallie Mullins Thompson presented to the Long Island Pod their 2-part series, It’s All About Cash Flow After Taxes in Divorce. Discussion at the first session included Covid-related tax aspects (including enhanced unemployment benefits, withdrawals from retirement assets, and enhanced child tax credits), the dependent exemption, filing status, deductions, the marital residence capital gains exclusion, spousal support, and retirement planning.

In addition to reviewing the first session, Part 2 discussed stock compensation (options and restricted stock units), the earned income credit, stimulus checks and COBRA.


Dealing with Multicultural Issues

On September 14, 2021, Alla Roytberg led the NYC Pod in a discussion of Cross Cultural Issues - Helping Clients Find Their Voice. The program’s objectives included: 

- Gaining an understanding of issues raised by cross-cultural, multi-cultural and religious families involved in family and divorce disputes;
- Learning techniques to navigate among these issues sensitively and help families develop compromises and agreements that will honor their cultural beliefs and yet be legally enforceable in the 21st century legal system; and
- Developing tailored tools and checklists to help collaborative professionals better understand their clients’ cultural backgrounds to better tailor unique solutions addressing their clients’ needs.

Alla Roytberg is a lawyer, mediator and frequent lecturer with over 30 years of professional experience. Her practice focuses on all aspects of family and matrimonial law, including representation, mediation, collaborative divorce and work on prenuptial and marital agreements. She is fluent in Russian and frequently addresses the legal needs of the Russian community as well as the multi-cultural and international communities in Queens County.


Setting Intentions

On October 12th, Judie Stein led the NYC Pod discussion on Setting Intentions:  Process Goals for Encouraging Calm, Effectiveness, and Sanity in the Room. Many clients bring into the room their own personal challenges or long-standing interpersonal dynamics that translate into complex, incendiary or unpredictable communication patterns. The presentation shared a simple technique to put clients in charge of defining what they need in order to feel respected and be effective in the room, while also gently opening the door for professionals to “add a few ideas they’ve found helpful over the years.”

Judith Stein, Ph.D., LCSW, is a seasoned mediator and family specialist. A former Adjunct Professor in Child Development.  She specializes in high-conflict cases and emotionally-challenged clients. Dr. Stein has a Ph.D. in Public Health from UCLA (Behavioral Sciences & Health Education), with specializations in Psychiatric Epidemiology and Psychopathology.  She also has an Master’s in Social Work from NYU and has received advanced training in couple therapy, family therapy, and divorce mediation at The Ackerman Institute, the Center for Understanding in Conflict, and the New York Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy.  Dr. Stein was on the Family & Divorce Mediation Council Board of Directors for six years (Vice President for five years).


Getting Organized After Divorce

On October 20, 2021, Michelle Sarao led the Northern Westchester Pod discussion, Working with the Divorce Population. Michelle is the founder of Divorce Rx, a company that provides a unique brand of professional organizing that focuses on the needs of divorcing and divorced families. She helps divorcing families organize their homes and lives when transitioning from one home to two. Her discussion included:

Her background and journey to becoming a professional organizer working with the divorce population;
- Organization is more than just an uncluttered room or a color-coded calendar;
- Why do people hold on to things, and why during divorce can it be so much harder to part with “stuff”?
- How to overcome the overwhelm and move forward, creating a space and life that works for this new stage of life;
- How can working with a professional organizer help during and after divorce? and
- What are the benefits of being organized before, during and after divorce?

Anchoring and Priming

On November 2nd, Teresa Ombres led the Long Island Pod discussion on Anchoring and Priming; a workshop to see examples of how different priming strategies can produce different results and how anchors keep people tethered. The topics included:

- What are our clients primed to listen for and hear?
- What keeps them stuck?
- What can we do to help them process, engage, and work toward the common goals?
- Do we do it overly or covertly?
- Are we comfortable doing it?
- Is it ethical?
- What about priming each other?


The Four Pillars of the New Retirement

The NW Pod hosted an interactive program with speaker Judi McAnaw of Edward Jones on November 17th 2021 on the Four Pillars of the New Retirement – a five-generational study by Edward Jones and Age Wave.

Last year, Edward Jones partnered with Age Wave on a landmark study, The Four Pillars of the New Retirement. Judi introduced and discussed a new, comprehensive framework to help people live well to and through retirement by considering both the challenges and opportunities within four massively important, interconnected pillars: health, family, purpose and finances. This study had particular relevance to our  clients navigating the effect divorce may have on their financial futures. 


2021 IACP Forum: Show and Tell

On November 9, 2021, the NYC Pod discussion was led by NYACP members who attended the IACP's Virtual "Forum 2021: Beacon When We’re Apart."  Pod members shared their impressions and key take-aways.  A group pass was purchased by NYACP that will give our members access to all 2021 Forum recordings.  We will be staging a watch parties to view different presentations as part of our 2022 training program. 


Support Groups (for NYACP members only)

NYACP Support Groups (SGCPs) are formed to share cases, networking and/or seek to benefit their members from meeting with colleagues doing collaborative work with our colleagues. The groups aims to support skill-building and practice-development.  If you are interested in forming a SGCP in your area, contact the NYACP office.

New York City Tuesday Support Group: Meeting the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. This is a closed group and not open for new members at this time. With questions, contact Barbara Rothberg at [email protected], or Marc Fleisher at [email protected].

New York City Wednesday Support Group: Meeting will be the 4th Wednesday of every month from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.  This group is currently full. With questions, contact Rachel Fishman Green at (718) 965-9236 or [email protected], or Bob Raymond at (212) 769-2455, or [email protected].

Westchester Support Group   Meetings are on alternate third Wednesday or Thursday monthly. This group is currently full.  With questions contact Peg Clark or MaryEllen Linnehan

Lower Westchester Support Group: Meets the second Tuesday of the Month at 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. This group is currently full.  Members collectively decide how the group operates, but the group is focused on building greater collaborative skills and insights, not to mention building community. With questions, contact Ellen Jancko-Baken or Steve Kaplan.


2022 Membership Year is About Growth and You!

We Need You!

As you all know, it was after considerable research and serious consideration, the Board voted to reduce dues 30% to $595 starting in 2021. However, it is now imperative that we grow in numbers, both to secure the financial well being of the organization, and to help increase Collaborative cases for our members.   We need you to assist with recruitment and actively participate in the effort so we can maintain the new dues level, or even reduce it further in the years to come.  

NYACP Volunteer Positions are Open

There are positions opened for the following committees/work groups!  If you are interested in any of the following topics, contact the office today: Social Media, Professional Standards, Membership, Diversity/Inclusion.


TELL US...WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

The NYACP wants to connect with you, and hear how you are.  Please send us an update, a story, or just well wishes to your fellow colleagues. We want to hear from you, please write!