NYACP NEWS ~ Winter 2023

Volume 5, Issue 1

In this Issue

President's Message
NYACP Board of Directors
NYACP’s 2022 Annual Business Meeting and Training
NYACP Pods
Events
Committees
Support Groups
Discipline Support Groups
Streamlined Collabortative Divorce
New Member Spotlight

A MESSAGE FROM OUR 2023 NYACP PRESIDENT

By Melissa Goodstein, Esq.

Happy New Year!

It is my privilege to begin my term as NYACP President with executive board members Ellen Jancko- Baken, VP, Meg Sussman, Secretary, Nancy Kaye, Treasurer and Ken Novenstern immediate past president. Board members Catherine Canadé, Kathleen Donelli, Randy Heller, Michelle Lewis, Stephen Linker, and Jeffrey Steiger. NYACP welcomes two new board members this year Ivan Alter and Jackie Caputo. And finally, to the person who makes everything happen, our ED, Abby Curro.

NYACP ‘s core strength lies and thrives is in its membership. It remains the board’s goal to connect more meaningfully with each of you. You matter. A lot. Your board is charged with delivering quality events and programs that further NYACP’s mission, vision and values which are as follows:

NYACP MISSION, VISION and VALUES
Vision:
   • NYACP Members will be widely recognized by clients and colleagues for excellence in Collaborative Divorce in the New York metropolitan area.

Mission:
   • Empowering members to achieve excellence in Collaborative skills and practice.

Values:
   • Achieve excellence in developing and perfecting Collaborative skills
   • Embrace dignity and respect in our relationships with divorcing couples and our colleagues
   • Have compassion and empathy for divorcing couples and their children
   • Be creative, open minded, honest and transparent
   • Build trust in our collaborative community

To that end, The Training and Education committee is hard at work planning programs through our annual day of training in December. Look for a combination of virtual Friday lunchtime webinars and in person evening training at convenient locations monthly on a variety of topics appealing to all disciplines and professional credit offered whenever possible. We are also co- sponsoring with other local collaborative associations and professional associations such as the Hudson Valley collaborative group and local bar associations trainings and events which will build stronger relationships with our larger professional communities. The membership committee is planning social events and networking opportunities in addition to the third year of our successful mentorship program. Our regional pod groups meet virtually once a month with a variety of topics and speakers and open to all members. Our support and Development groups will continue to meet monthly with case presentations and peer support. New this year, is a support and development group for MHP’s meeting quarterly. All of these initiatives are at no or at nominal charge for members. Please contact the office if you are interested in joining a SGCP group. The vibrancy and health of NYACP is dependent on member engagement and satisfaction. Tell us what you need to enhance your membership so we can make your experience a better one. Speaking on behalf of your board, we are listening and want to hear from you so we can all become better and stronger collaborative professionals together.

Take care, just breathe, and find beauty and gratitude in each day!

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YOUR BOARD HARD AT WORK

Our most recent Board meeting was held on January 12, 2023. Your board is working diligently on strategic planning efforts, creating a budget, increasing membership benefits, developing interesting and informative educational programs, offering social events where we can get to know each other and build strong relationships, and continuously brainstorming about ways to offer the utmost benefits for our members. We welcome your ideas, and want to address your needs and concerns.

Welcome New Board Members: Ivan Alter and Jacqueline Caputo!

Ivan Alter, Esq. After receiving my J.D. in 1993., I began practicing litigation in New York City, where I amassed over a decade of experience conducting trials and appeals in a broad range of matrimonial and complex commercial matters. While I enjoyed and appreciated the strengths of the judicial system, I also recognized its shortcomings in delivering meaningful and satisfying resolutions to conflicts.

I discovered mediation and collaborative law after my three daughters were born, after I had some time away from litigation. In fact, the farther I got from litigation, the clearer it became that I did not want to return; preserving families and protecting children seemed inconsistent with that system. I even took a brief detour to develop a different passion, earning a master’s degree in landscape design. Studying something so removed from law helped me clear my mind and reassess how I could contribute to, and not detract from, other peoples’ lives. Eventually, I resolved to reinvent my legal career in a way that was more consistent with my values and goals.

My daily interaction with a network of professionals and support resources keeps me on top of legal developments and provides me with the most up-to-date options for clients. I continue to further my lifelong education and share my knowledge through teaching at the forefront of alternative dispute resolution, conflict management, mediation, and collaborative law.

Jacqueline M. Caputo, Esq. was admitted to the New York State Bar in January 2004 and has concentrated on matrimonial law throughout the majority of her career. Jacqueline’s reputation, both as a skilled litigator but also as a very smart, highly regarded, and excellent mediator brought her to the attention of two of the partners at Joseph Law Group, P.C. many years ago. Recognizing that her skills and core values aligned with those of the firm, the firm regularly referred mediations and collaborative matters to her and always received great feedback from those clients.

Jacqueline began her career at a general practice firm, where she remained until joining Joseph Law Group, P.C. It was during her early years at that firm when Jacqueline discovered her passion and talent for matrimonial law, and as a result, pioneered that firm’s entrance into this practice area. Her reputation and the results she obtained allowed her to quickly build that department so that before long, she handled nothing other than matrimonial and family law matters.

Although Jacqueline originally showed an interest in journalism, it was not until moving into law that she felt truly fulfilled in her career. Her interest in matrimonial law comes from her deep-seated desire to help families by minimizing much of the emotional trauma that often accompanies a litigated divorce. It is her unwavering belief that the ending of a marriage should be an opportunity for each of the parties to grow, to become happier and healthier. When there are children, and when appropriate, she believes divorce should be treated as a “reorganization of a family” rather than an opportunity to exact vengeance on one another or to “right the wrongs” of the past. To that end, Jacqueline focuses her practice on mediation and collaborative recognizing that these methods can often help restore peace to families and provide a clear path for the future.

Jacqueline is the proud alumna of The College of Arts & Sciences at Cornell University and continues to be involved as a volunteer for the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network. Jacqueline is a member of the New York State Bar Association and both the Nassau County Bar Association and the Suffolk County Bar Association and their Matrimonial Law Committees. She served as a founding member – the Associate Director of the Long Island Chapter – of the National Association of Divorce Professionals from 2017 to 2019 and remains an active member to date.

During her spare time, she loves to run, enjoy good cuisine, and travel. One of her favorite travel destinations with her family is their vacation home in Maine. It is there that they find peace and joy while kayaking, paddleboarding, and most importantly, spending time with one another. Being a wife and mother is Jacqueline’s greatest joy. She is a mom to 2 beautiful kids, Anthony, and Dominic.

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NYACP’s 2022 ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING & TRAINING

On December 1, the 2022 annual business meeting was held. We expressed gratitude to Ken Novenstern for serving as our great leader as President for the past two years, welcomed Melissa Goodstein in as our incoming President, and voted in our new executive committee and board. We also welcomed our sitting and new Board members, Jacqueline Caputo and Ivan Alter (see above).

NYACP closed 2022 with a final and fantastic training led by Jacinta Gallant (former IACP Board Member and Collaborative Trainer) who led a full day interactive workshop at the Sonesta Hotel in White Plains. Jacinta spoke about how to bring questions into option generating. Information from this workshop certainly will help Collaborative Professionals ask better questions to aid in understanding and to keep interests on the table. We learned how to work with a “Decision – Making Agenda.” In order to effectively do so, we explored what kinds of questions help defuse defensiveness, and to actively listen to understand? How we can use questions to find creative solutions tailored to the clients’ needs and keep what really matters in the forefront of everyone’s minds.

 Our training was followed by a member reception hosted by NYACP

 

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PODS – JOIN A POD
Get Involved, Be Connected, Build Relationships, and Collaborate!

NYACP offers monthly virtual pod meetings for all of our members which provides the chance for our members as well as outside professionals to learn and grow together. Presenters can showcase their areas of expertise and deliver important information for participants on areas of interest related to our practice. See our calendar events for upcoming programs.

Long Island (LI) Pod

Neil Grossman, Ph.D.

Bob Raymond, Ph.D.

On Tuesday, December 6, 2022, the Long island Pod hosted a Zoom Pod Meeting entitled “Developing Parenting Plans in Collaborative Divorce”.  Neil Grossman and Bob Raymond presented information and facilitated an informative discussion about the development of Parenting Plans and how to approach them such that the parents understand what is involved in creating a detailed and sustainable plan that meets the needs of the children first and foremost as it also considers the needs and interests of the parents. 

New York City (NYC) Pod

On Tuesday, December 13, 2022, The NYC Pod hosted a virtual meeting focused on the "Psychological Side of Collaborative - Part Two." We continued the discussion about difficult Collaborative Clients. We spoke about what are best practices and protocols for managing difficult and challenging clients, and colleagues as well. Further, we explored team dynamics, and how to manage all of these issues as they arise. The conversation took a deep dive into what people have tried, what has worked, what has not, and how to air frustrations and talk about these things.

Also hosted by the NYC Pod, on Tuesday, January 10, Andrea Vacca, Esq. presented "Tips for Creating Full Team Collaborative Cases".  Andrea offered valuable tips that included and were not limited to how to create more collaborative matters and encourage clients to agree to utilizing interdisciplinary teams (when they think they don’t need it!). Andrea provided questions to ask potential clients, how to address concerns and objections, and the mindset that the lawyer can bring to these conversations. This presentation provided a great discussion and learning opportunity for all of us who want to build their collaborative practice and create strong teams!

Andrea Vacca, Esq. is the founder of Vacca Family Law Group, a collaborative law and mediation firm in Manhattan that focuses exclusively on non-adversarial divorce and family law matters. After practicing traditional, litigation-focused family law for many years, Andrea’s firm has spent the past 10 + years working only with clients who want to keep their divorces out of court and want their prenuptial and postnuptial agreements negotiated in a non-adversarial manner. She believes strongly in the team approach to divorce by bringing in other professionals who can help her clients address the emotional issues, financial issues and other legal issues that arise while negotiating their agreements and beyond. Andrea is currently serving in her final month as the Immediate Past President of NYACP.

North Westchester Pod (NW) hosted Parent Coordination

The NW Pod met on January 18, 2023 for a discussion led by Meg Sussman about the use of parent coordinators post collaborative divorce. Parent coordination has typically been either ordered by judges or agreed to in negotiated settlements. Some attorneys also include language in mediation or collaborative divorce that includes the use of PCs in the event that parents are having difficulty with access schedules, which activities to choose for their children, communication between them, etc. The importance of the PC staying outside the Court system so as to maintain neutrality was stressed. The group agreed that the protocols committee should consider whether to permit/encourage family specialists to serve as PCs post collaborative divorce. The NW Pod meets on the third Wednesday of each month from 9:00am-10:00am.

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NYACP EVENTS

On Friday, January 27, 2023, from 12:00pm - 1:00pm, Steven Kaplan CPA/ABV, MBA presented and Anthony Markus, Esq., of Markus & Sheridan, LLP moderated a follow-up program about 529s and Less Appreciated Tax-Deferral Accounts: Ownership, Uses and Transfers. A recent NW POD meeting featured a discussion covering a variety of college issues, including use of marital 529 accounts.  Many questions came up about the ownership and transfer of 529 accounts.  Continuing the discussion, this session aims not only to address open questions about the use and transfer of 529 funds but also to demystify various other tax deferral accounts with marital dissolution implications and opportunities such as HSA's (health savings accounts), ABLE Accounts and Roth IRA Accounts.  You may not be aware, but several of those account types are intertwined and transferable. This was a very useful program and all were encouraged to attend. 

Steven M. Kaplan, CPA/ABV
Steve is the founder and owner of S. Kaplan CPA, a practice focused on dispute resolution services. He has over three decades’ experience in public practice and is also accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) in addition to holding an MBA in taxation, giving Steve the “seen it all” experience to help clients with their dispute resolution, settlement support, business valuation and forensic accounting needs.

Steve has lectured on a variety of tax, valuation, forensic accounting, collaborative practice and matrimonial dissolution topics for several organizations including the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA), the New York Association of Collaborative Professionals (NYACP), the Hudson Valley Collaborative Divorce and Dispute Resolution Association (HVCDDRA), the Family Divorce and Mediation Council (FDMC), the Collaborative Law Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania (CLASP), the New York State Bar, the Financial Planning Association and the Foundation for Accounting Education. In addition, Steve has shared his expertise by writing articles for the CPA Journal, the CPA Litigation Service Counselor and the National Litigation Consultants’ Review. He has appeared on the PBS program, “Dollar for Dollar,” and served as a tax editor and consultant for Thompson Publishing Co. and Harcourt Brace Professional Publishing.

COMMITTEES

NYACP Training and Education Committee

NYACP Training and Education Committee meets monthly September-June on the first Thursday of the month from 12 to 1pm via Zoom. This committee develops and implements interdisciplinary programs for all professionals supporting our work in the collaborative process. This will include periodic advanced collaborative practice trainings averaging once a month from September to June every year for all professionals by non-members and members, basic collaborative divorce training for prospective new members by members annually or every other year and annual day of collaborative process training and annual meeting in December.  The committee will be given a budget approved by board on an annual basis and programs will be designed to enable members achieve excellence in collaborative practice.

For more information contact Melissa Goodstein (Co-Chair) or Anthony C. Markus (Co-Chair)

Upcoming Programs, Trainings and Events

• February: Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Protection On behalf of the NYACP and in conjunction with Hudson Valley Collaborative Group, Steve Kaplan will present on Cyber Security on February 9, 2023, from 8:30 am to 10:00 am. (8:30 am to 9:00 am networking and 9:00 am to 10:00 am will be the presentation). This event will be in-person and virtual. It will be held at O’Conner Davies in Newburgh. This year New York will require attorneys to earn one credit in cybersecurity, privacy and data protection. Register Here
• March: Public Pensions and QDRO’s  In March, Carolyn D’Agostino will present virtually on public pensions and QDRO’s. See the events calendar for the exact date and time.
• April: Stop The Clock Agreements There will be a round table discussion for April 19^th, 2023, at 5:30 pm at 445 Hamilton Avenue, Conference Room to discuss “Stop-the-Clock” agreements.
• May: Equalization of Retirement Accounts Denisa Tova will present on equalization of retirement accounts. This will be held virtually on May 5, 2023.
• The Streamline Collaborative Committee is continuing to evaluate the interest in conducting a training. 
• Other education and training ideas are continuously being developed. 

NYACP Membership Committee

The NYACP Membership Committee is a robust group of members working to enhance the quality of our membership, bring in new members and strengthen relationships with one another.  Some of the things we have been working on include our Mentorship Program that was started last year chaired by Catherine Canade and Shara Goldfarb.  If you are interested in being a Mentor, please let us know.  You can get more information about the program on the website.  We are working on ways to increase membership and to expand the reach of the Collaborative Process to our communities.  To that end, the Membership Committee has planned networking and social opportunities for all of NYACP’s members.

Collaborative Connections – It’s Not Just Lunch

If you are a collaborative professional looking to expand your connections with your collaborative colleagues, join us for our bi-monthly meet ups for lunch, coffee, or drinks after work. The NYACP Membership Committee is launching gatherings in Westchester, Long Island and Manhattan to offer an easy way to get to know your collaborative counterparts better with a simple RSVP.  These small group (six person) meet ups will offer a wonderful opportunity to connect with collaborative colleagues you might not already know, share experiences and insights, and learn more about one another both personally and professionally. Invitations will be sent out by Abby Curro for each scheduled meet up, and the first six NYACP members to register via the online form will reserve a spot for the next meet up at a designated time and location. These meet ups offer a great chance to build up you professional and personal network and to find support and encouragement in helping families who have chosen the collaborative process. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with your peers and get more involved in the NYACP. RSVP for our next meet up!

We are also working on developing our social networks. Research suggests that positive outcomes in our Collaborative matters is contingent not only on the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the Collaborative professionals, but also on the development of strong and connected teams. To that end, the Membership Committee has now formed a Social Event Sub-Committee.  The focus of this committee will be to plan social events so that members can join together, get to know one another, and have fun doing it! We need your help! We welcome your ideas, suggestions, and participation.

Initial plans are for a bowling event for the Winter, a Speed Meet and Greet for the Spring, and perhaps a Summer Swim and BBQ.  Some other ideas include and are not limited to a wine tasting, a ping pong tournament, or a sail around the Hudson. New members and ideas are welcome. Let us know what interests you! For more information, please contact Michelle Lewis at [email protected]

The Membership committee includes members from every discipline.  We meet the first Wednesday of every month and we welcome anyone wanting to get more involved in the NYACP to join our committee.  If you are interested, please email Ellen Jancko-Baken at [email protected]

NYACP Streamlined Collaborative Model Committee

The streamlined committee has been working diligently over the past two years in developing and adapting the streamlined model to meet the needs of our jurisdiction and association. One streamlined case has been successfully completed and the committee is working together with the professionals involved in this case to further refine the model based upon their experiences. To be considered for the streamlined collaborative model, prospective clients are first required to complete an online assessment called the Separation and Divorce Readiness Inventory (SDRI) with results analyzed by the MHP team member. It is only after this assessment is completed and clients deemed suitable for the streamlined collaborative model can the matter proceed as a streamlined collaborative case. Some SDRI assessments outside of the initial streamlined case have been completed with the finding that the streamlined approach was not suitable,  however,  these cases did proceed in the traditional full team collaborative model. Ideally, the committee would like to complete more streamlined cases so that we can more fully refine the model for training. To that end the streamlined committee hopes to be ready to present a training by the Spring/Fall 2023. If any NYACP member has a case they feel would be appropriate for the streamlined model (for example, two W2 wage earners, simple assets, aligned parenting, good communication and mutual motivation) before this proposed training  please contact Abby Curro who can then connect you with one of the streamlined committee members to discuss the next steps.

NYACP Committee for Racial Equity

The Committee for Racial Equity is seeking members!

Our mission and goals:

Mission:  Support NYACP members to understand the impact of systemic racism on each of us both personally and professionally. 

Goals: Provide programs focused on self-reflection and education to more effectively work with clients and colleagues who have been historically excluded from the collaborative process due to race.  Through this work, the goal is to create a safer community and to foster membership that more accurately reflects the diversity of the greater New York area. 

If you are interested in participating, please contact Jessica Rothberg at [email protected]).

NYACP Mentorship Program

The mentorship committee is concluding its current session on January 15th and will have a feedback session on February 1st. The new session is beginning on February 15th and will run until June 15th.  We welcome new applications as both mentors and mentees! If you are interested please email  Abby Curro at office@nycollaborativeprofessionals. org and she will send you an application. Any questions about the program,  please contact co-chairs Catherine Canadé at [email protected] or Shara Goldfarb at [email protected].

NYACP SUPPORT GROUPS

NYACP support groups were formed in response to multiple requests to facilitate a support and development group for practitioners. The groups are generally  focused on building greater collaborative skills and insights, share cases, and/or seek to benefit from meeting with colleagues doing collaborative work with our colleagues, while building relationships and community.

The Support Groups for Collaborative Practice (SGCP) are facilitated interdisciplinary groups of members who meet monthly over the course of 2 semesters per year: September through January and February through June.

• New York City Support Group for Collaborative Professionals Second Tuesday of every month at 9:30-11am
• Lower Westchester Support Group for Collaborative Professionals meet Second Tuesday of the Month at 5:30 PM

Please contact Abby Curro for more information.

DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC SUPPORT GROUPS

Support Group for Mental Health Professionals

After years of participating in interdisciplinary pods and support groups, we thought it would be worthwhile to establish a process group for Family and Child Specialists to talk among ourselves about the work we are doing. The NYACP Board has approved this initiative, and we are excited about getting started.

We successfully launched our first MHP Process Group this past Tuesday. Six of us met and spoke about the value and benefits of this type of group, and we talked about what we each would want from the group. First and foremost we all felt the group provides a place for learning and support. We discussed the range of our professional roles ( Family Specialist, Child Specialist, Mediators, Parent Coordinators), and spoke about sharing the challenges that come up in our work. There was also a desire expressed to share some practical/business related ideas to support our work and individual practices.

We decided to meet on the third Tuesday of every other month from 7:45am-9am.
We have a rich and varied community.
Please join us for upcoming meetings which will occur on the following dates:

• March 21st
• May 16th
• July 18th
• September 19th
• November 21st

To join the group please register on the website. By registering on the website you will receive the Zoom link for the meeting.  If you have questions or want more information, please contact either Jeffrey or Bob.  Hope to see you at the March meeting.

Jeffrey Steiger - [email protected] or Bob Raymond [email protected]

Support Group for Financial Neutrals

Steven Linker will be facilitating a support group for professionals with designations and credentials such as CPA, forensic accountant, business valuator, RFC (Registered Financial Consultant), CDFA (Certified Divorce Financial Analyst), and others provide different services in collaborative divorce matters.

In the focus group meetings attended only by the financial neutrals, you will become familiar with what each can offer to the collaborative divorce process. This will enable you to refer another professional to a matter when the need for additional expertise arises. All NYACP members benefit from this, as every esoteric or unique financial circumstance will be attended to by the professional who can best advise the attorneys on Win/Win scenarios. If you are interested and would like more information, please contact Abby Curro or Steven Linker.

STREAMLINED COLLABORATIVE CASES

The streamlined committee has been working diligently over the past two years in developing and adapting the streamlined model to meet the needs of our jurisdiction and association. One streamlined case has been successfully completed and the committee is working together with the professionals involved in this case to further refine the model based upon their experiences. To be considered for the streamlined collaborative model, prospective clients are first required to complete an online assessment called the SDRI with results analyzed by the MHP team member. It is only after this assessment is completed and clients deemed suitable for the streamlined collaborative model can the matter proceed as a streamlined collaborative case. Some SDRI assessments outside of the initial streamlined case have been completed with the finding that the streamlined approach was not suitable,  however,  these cases did proceed in the traditional full team collaborative model. Ideally, the committee would like to complete more streamlined cases so that we can more fully refine the model for training. To that end the streamlined committee hopes to be ready to present a training by the Spring/Fall 2023. If any NYACP member has a case they feel would be appropriate for the streamlined model (for example, two W2 wage earners, simple assets, aligned parenting, good communication and mutual motivation) before this proposed training  please contact the office who can then connect you with one of the streamlined committee members to discuss the next steps.

NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – NYACP Welcomes Our New Members!

Dina DiGiorgio

Dina De Giorgio is excited to join the New York Association of Collaborative Professionals. Since beginning her career in law over 30 years ago, Dina has strived to provide a peaceable experience for her clients while working towards the best possible outcome for them. By focusing on collaboration, she is able to save her clients money, as well as some of the undue stress that typically comes with the process.

Dina has practiced Family Law exclusively for the past 25 years, primarily in Port Washington, New York. While she previously ran her own boutique law practice, she recently joined Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas, LLP as Partner, working in Matrimonial, Family and Reproductive Law. Their firm serves clientele in New York City as well as Long Island, with offices in both locations. One of her primary focuses for 2023 is to grow her Collaborative Practice at the new firm.

Dina’s desire to create a positive environment and experience for her clients has been the backbone of her law and mediation practice since the beginning of her career, allowing her to successfully advocate for her clients while maintaining mutual respect and collaboration with all parties involved. Dina looks forward to taking part in the NYACP community, continuing to develop her skills in Collaborative Law, and sharing her personal experiences and best practices with these new peers.

Mark’s early training is in Psychology and he has been at the forefront of the practice of mediation in Connecticut since the early ‘80’s when he was employed with the Connecticut Judicial Department Family Division while attending Law School. Upon admission to the bar in 1986, his law practice initially focused on traditional litigation of Family Matters at the trial and appellate levels in addition to his work as a mediator and collaborative lawyer. His practice is now focused entirely upon mediation and collaborative law; and he occasionally serves as an Arbitrator drawing upon years of experience as a court-appointed Custody Evaluator and Appellate Law Clerk. In addition to his law practice, he has taught law students about alternative dispute resolution for over thirty years as an Adjunct Professor at Quinnipiac University School Of Law. He is admitted to practice in Connecticut, New York, the Federal District Court and the United States Supreme Court. He is an active member of the Connecticut, New York, and American Bar Associations; the International Association of Collaborative Professionals (IACP); the Connecticut Council for Non Adversarial Divorce (CCND); and has recently joined the New York Association of Collaborative Professionals (NYACP). 

Mark Soboslai

Mark’s early training is in Psychology and he has been at the forefront of the practice of mediation in Connecticut since the early ‘80’s when he was employed with the Connecticut Judicial Department Family Division while attending Law School. Upon admission to the bar in 1986, his law practice initially focused on traditional litigation of Family Matters at the trial and appellate levels in addition to his work as a mediator and collaborative lawyer. His practice is now focused entirely upon mediation and collaborative law; and he occasionally serves as an Arbitrator drawing upon years of experience as a court-appointed Custody Evaluator and Appellate Law Clerk. In addition to his law practice, he has taught law students about alternative dispute resolution for over thirty years as an Adjunct Professor at Quinnipiac University School Of Law. He is admitted to practice in Connecticut, New York, the Federal District Court and the United States Supreme Court. He is an active member of the Connecticut, New York, and American Bar Associations; the International Association of Collaborative Professionals (IACP); the Connecticut Council for Non Adversarial Divorce (CCND); and has recently joined the New York Association of Collaborative Professionals (NYACP). 

Closing Remarks

I hope everyone’s 2023 is off to a good start! This is your newsletter. I welcome all of your input, ideas, activities, challenges and successes. It is my intention and hope that this newsletter will be a forum in which through the sharing of information and invitation, we all get to know each other a little better, and strengthen our relationships, on not just a professional, but also a personal level, as we become more active in building our Collaborative practice in this coming year. Thank you for all of your contributions to building a meaningful and successful organization. Please don’t hesitate to send photos, blogs, or anything you want to share with our members to Randy Heller at [email protected].