American Academy of Mat ri mo nial Law yers

PROTECTING 

THE FAMILY, 

AAML 

Calendar 

IMPROVING 

THE PRACTICE 

of Events 

INSTITUTE FOR 

FAMILY LAW 

ASSOCIATES 

▲ June 21–24, 2007 

Renaissance Hotel 

Chicago, Illinois 

ANNUAL MEETING 

▲ November 7–10, 2007 



MIDYEAR MEETING 

▲ March 5–8, 2008 

La Costa Resort 

& Spa 

Carlsbad, California 

INSTITUTE FOR 

FAMILY LAW 

ASSOCIATES 

▲ June 19–22, 2008 



ANNUAL MEETING 

▲ November 5–8, 2008 



MIDYEAR MEETING 

▲ March 18–21, 2009 

Grand Hyatt Kauai 

Resort & Spa 

Kauai, Hawaii 

CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE 

WWW.AAML.ORG 

S UMMER 2007 

American Academy 

of Mat ri mo nial Law yers 

N E W S A N D I N F O R M A T I O N 

AAML News 

Goes Electronic 

This will be the last paper edition of the newsletter you will actually be able to 

hold in your hand…unless you print one off your computer, that is. 

The world is developing a new “normal” for communication—and turning newsletters 

such as ours into electronically accessed media is becoming the new “normal.” 

We join such forward thinking publications as the 29-year old InfoWorld, which went 

all electronic in April, as well as many other various membership organizations. Simply, 

the time for this has come. 

Here’s how it will work: Beginning with the next issue, all Fellows will be informed 

by email that the newsletter is available for their viewing pleasure online. Once you 

get your notice, you simply go to the AAML Web site and access the newsletter through 

the “Members Only” section. 

This change is motivated by a number of excellent reasons: 

▲ First, technology has made it possible for AAML to save thousands of dollars 

in printing and mailing costs. 

▲ Secondly, we will not be constrained to using only one color and black—we 

will now be able to publish the newsletter and all our great photos in full color. 

▲ Lastly, it will allow us to provide the most up-to-date news on Academy functions, 

without the six to eight week delay between the final editing to the final edition 

being mailed to you. 

▲ To further improve and launch us into the twenty-first century, all CLE 

materials at the November and March meetings will now be provided to you 

on a CD rather than via the cumbersome written 

materials previously utilized. 

Once again, this will save thousands of dollars for 

the Academy through the reduction of printing and 

freight costs to ship the materials to the midwinter 

meeting every year. 

To sum it all up, AAML news and information is 

moving completely into the electronic age. The result 

will be the saving of thousands of dollars, the streamlining 

of the presentation of news and information 

for all Fellows, and immediate access to all the 

information you need. 

Welcome to 2007!

THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 

GUY’S PROFILE 

■ HOME: Wilton, Connecticut. (Temporary home: The Inn at Middletown) I’ve been living in 

Middletown, Connecticut four days a week since January 8th because I made the mistake 

of agreeing to represent four children in a contested child custody case. If any of you claim 

to know of a longer custody trial, let me know. As of writing this, March 18, we’ve done 

32 days of trial. 

■ AGE: 54. 

■ MARITAL STATUS: Married to Eileen (thanks for putting up with me for 31-plus years) with 

two great sons, Ted (a junior at Franklin and Marshall) and Tom (entering Wilton High School). 

■ PROFESSION: Divorce lawyer (euphemistically, a “matrimonial lawyer”). 

■ HOBBY: New York Times Crossword Puzzles. 

■ LAST BOOK I READ: Nelson DeMille’s, Wild Fire (I loved it). 

■ LAST MOVIE I VIEWED: Borat. (I hated it). 

■ FAVORITE TELEVISION: Sports: NFL (“Go JETS”), NBA (Nets), NASCAR (Tony Stewart and 

Jeff Gordon), Professional Soccer (Premier League’s Wayne Rooney, Christiano Ronaldo), 

La Liga (Ronaldinho), Il Calcio (Luca Toni) and NCAA basketball (UConn). 

■ ENTERTAINMENT: Survivor and reruns of Seinfeld. (Please don’t ask me about The Sopranos.) 

■ MY LATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: None in 2007. (Try being AAML president—which is a lot 

like herding cats—and spending January 8th through who-knows-when on trial almost every 

Monday through Thursday. It doesn’t leave much time for accomplishments). 

■ WHY I DO WHAT I DO: Luck, good, I think. I had never wanted to be a lawyer until my third 

year at Brown. I was thinking about what to do with my life when I noticed that a lot of other 

aimless people were taking the LSATs. I had never wanted to be a divorce lawyer until soon 

after I graduated from law school. (I didn’t take family law in law school and I didn’t take 

psychology in college.) When Arthur Balbirer hired me right out of law school, we agreed that 

I wouldn’t handle divorce cases, but “every new lawyer should do a will, a closing, a divorce, 

etc.,” and there were tremendous commercial litigation docket backlogs, so…(Thanks, Art!) 

■ MY CAR: 2007 Atomic Orange Callaway SuperCharged 560 Corvette Convertible. (My fifth 

and best Vette. I don’t drive it to New Jersey—too high profile. I don’t drive it to Middletown 

—the valets would go nuts and the cars are parked overnight outdoors. Yes, the 560 means 

560 horsepower.) Some people say you can tell a lot about a person by the car he or she 

drives. If that is true… 

■ FAVORITE PRESIDENT: Theodore Roosevelt. (You didn’t think that Ted was named after 

Ted Kaczynski, did you? This is also the answer to the question: Why is the Executive 

Committee going to Mount Rushmore this fall?) 

2 ❚ American Academy of Mat ri mo nial Law yers 

The 

President’s 

Message 

GAETANO (GUY) FERRO 

2007 AAML President 

As you can tell from this 

message, I haven’t recovered 

from Grand Cayman, 

yet. I hope everyone had a 

great time. While I’m not im - 

partial, I can’t remember better 

CLE, better food, or better 

weather at a midyear meeting. 

Lorraine West and Vicki 

West and Eileen (resort, food, 

etc.) and Linda Lea Viken 

and Maria Cognetti (CLE) 

and Cheryl Hepfer (hostess 

and photograph taker) have 

earned thanks from all of us. 

We really lucked out with 

our CLE presenters. Those of 

you who missed Stephen 

Stark on Speaking for Lawyers 

missed a virtuoso performance. 

Simply stated, he provided 

out standing entertainment 

and ed ucation. He received 

rave re views and the longest 

applause I can remember at a 

CLE program. 

The other three presenters, 

Barry Sziklay on Hedge Funds, 

Arnold Sheinvold on Crazy 

Clients, and Laura Morgan on 

Child Support In High Income 

Cases, also got great reviews. 

Our new Hot Tips on Video 

worked quite well. Thanks to 

the Fellows who volunteered 

(or were volunteered by Maria). 

Cayman epitomized what 

Fellowship means. Madeline 

Marzano-Lesnevich gifted me 

with a basketball signed by 

Jason Kidd. Why? Because I’m 

a JKidd and a New Jersey Nets 

fan and she represents him. 

(Yes, it’s true I can get from my 

home in Wilton, Connecticut 

to the Meadowlands in 55 

minutes. Please don’t tip off 

the CT, NY, or NJ State Police. 

Yes, I’m fishing for more sports 

memorabilia—being AAML 

president doesn’t pay much!!). 

Thanks Madeline. 

I didn’t have a moment 

alone in Cayman, which was 

great. Thanks to all for keeping 

me company, even to those 

of you I had to throw out of my 

room at 12:30 a.m. Saturday 

morning. I’m way too old to get 

to bed that late and be up in 

time to be downstairs by 7 a.m. 

But, please, let’s do a repeat 

performance in Chicago. I’ll 

even extend the curfew until 1 

a.m. on the last night of my 

importance. (By the way, the 

reason you didn’t see any 

Caimans in the Caymans is

that “caimans” are spelled 

differently and can’t swim. 

Why there were no Porsches 

is another question. Ask Ed 

Nusbaum, our Connecticut 

President, he should know.) 

Start thinking about what 

you want to do for the Acade - 

my or what the Academy 

can do for you. In a few 

months, President-elect Jim 

Hennenhoefer will be sending 

you a letter asking you to sign 

up for a committee. 

A list of the committees 

and the chair of each can be 

found on the AAML Web site, 

www.aaml.org. (which continues 

to get better, thanks Deb 

Eldrich and Jim McLaren). 

The committees are the life - 

blood of the Academy. As I 

think back, many of the highlights 

of my work with the 

Academy involved committees, 

including the Bounds of Advo - 

cacy I and II, the Journal, and 

the ALI review commission. 

Jim Hennenhoefer and I 

are still accepting invitations 

to visit your Chapter’s annual 

dinner, CLE, retreat, or whatever. 

Just ask one of us. 

Whoops, I almost forgot… 

■ Thanks, Ken Altshuler for 

continuing to do a great job 

with the Newsletter. Some of us 

know how much time it takes. 

■ Thanks to Mort Marvin, 

my law partner (whom I forgot 

to thank in Chicago and who 

likes to remind me about that), 

for keeping the office together 

in my absence. 

Gaetano (Guy) Ferro 

AAML President 

New Canaan, Connecticut 

UNDER THE GRAND CAYMAN SKIES 

■ Guy Ferro, Suzanne and Mort Marvin and Ed Nusbaum 

■ George Stern, Guy Ferro, Maria Cognetti and Alton Abramowitz 

■ Marlene Moses, Lynda Doyle, Joan Kessler, Guy Ferro, Nell Lester, Art Balbirer 

American Academy of Mat ri mo nial Law yers ❚ 3

AAML NEWS-IN-BRIEF 

St. Augustine, Florida Provides 

Executive Committee Meeting with “Age” Theme 

by Susan Myres 

Houston, Texas 

The Executive Committee gathered together for its January meeting at the 

historic Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida—the oldest city in 

America. Friday evening, the committee was joined by Hal Castillo, 

Mel Frumkes, Barbara Buchwald and Elliott Zisser with his wife, Carolyn, and 

their friend (and potential applicant) David Garfinkel. The group also celebrated the 

birthdays of Mel Frumkes and of Alton Abramowitz, not the oldest men in America. 

Saturday morning and early afternoon were spent in executive session. In the 

late afternoon, several members enjoyed the sites and history of this remarkable city, 

including the original Fountain of Youth (which everyone agreed was not needed 

by the birthday boys, who already look younger than they have any right to look). 

■ Linda Lea Viken 

and Joanne Ross Wilder 

■ Lea Hennenhoefer, Joan Kessler, 

and Marlene Moses 


■ Lorraine West and Barbara Handschu 

■ Barbara Buchwald 

and Mel Frumkes 

■ The Executive Committee 

■ Guy and Elaine Ferro 

■ Cheryl Hepfer 

and Alton Abramowitz 

■ Joslin Davis, Fred Harwell, 

and Joan Kessler

Twenty-One Fellows Certified at 

Matrimonial Arbitration Institute 

by Lynn Burleson 

Raleigh, North Carolina 

On April 27–29, 2007, the 

Maryland Chapter of the 

American Aca de my of 

Matrimonial Lawyers hosted the 

17th Matrimonial Arbitration Institute 

in Bethesda, Maryland. 

This was the second 

Institute conducted after the 

adoption of the AAML Model 

Family Law Arbitration Act 

in 2005. Twenty-one Fellows 

and ten non-Fellows from 

Cali for nia, Maryland, 

Minnesota, the District of 

Columbia, Texas and South 

Carolina successfully completed 

this two-and-one-half day 

training. Maryland Fellows 

Joseph C. Paradiso and 

Chapter President Deborah 

Reiser were instrumental in 

organizing this Institute. 

Faculty members for this 

In stitute were Marcia H. 

Armstrong, Lynn P. Burleson, 

Hanley M. Gurwin and 

Barbara K. Runge. 

The following Fellows successfully 

completed this training 

and joined the 295 other active 

Fellows who have been certified 

as matrimonial arbitrators by 

the AAML since 1998: 

■ Frederick S. Adams, Jr. 

■ Joseph P. Bluth 

■ Cynthia Callahan 

■ Glenn M. Cooper 

■ Faith D. Dornbrand 

■ Patrick W. Dragga 

■ Susan Carol Elgin 

■ Michael G. Hendler 

■ Kevin G. Hessler 

■ Richard B. Jacobs 

■ Alexandra Leichter 

■ Stephen E. Moss 

■ Christopher W. Nicholson 

■ James G. Nolan 

■ Ronald L. Ogens 

■ Joseph C. Paradiso 

■ Deborah E. Reiser 

■ Thomas C. Ries 

■ Fred Howard Silverstein 

■ Robert E. Stevens 

■ J. Mark Taylor 

Interest in matrimonial law 

arbitration has increased in 

recent years. While the AAML 

has actively promoted arbitration 

since 1989, the adoption 

of the AAML Model Family Law 

■ The Arbitration Committee 

Arbitration Act has generated 

renewed interest in an 

alternative dispute resolution 

meth od ology that previously 

has been primarily within the 

do main of commercial law. The 

Model Act includes not only a 

framework for state family law 

arbitration statutes, but also 

suggested rules for arbitration. 

The AAML is the only 

organization offering family 

law arbitration training and 

certification. Hopefully, family 

law attorneys completing this 

training are better equipped to 

serve as family law arbitrators 

and to represent their clients 

in arbitration proceedings. 


Awards to 

Texas Fellows 

★ The Texas Chapter of 

the AAML presented 

Gary Nickelson with 

its annual Sam Emison 

award, for his significant 

commitment and contribution 

to Family Law. 

★ The Tarrant County 

Family Bar in Fort 

Worth, Texas presented 

Barbara Nunneley with 

the Eva Barnes Award 

for outstanding service, 

leadership and uncommon 

contributions to 

Family Law. The award is 

the highest honor given 

by the Bar Association. 



New Champions Take the 

AAML 2007 Open Golf 

Tournament 

Under the beautiful Grand Cayman skies, thirty-eight golfers gath ered 

at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Britannia Golf course to compete in 

the annu al scramble golf tournament. 

Defending champions Gary and Melissa Nickelson, 

Walter Lesnevich, and Paul Nichols came up short by a 

scant one stroke, conceding the trophy to new champions 

Len and Cheryl Karp, Ken Lester and Brandon Blevins. 

Once again, the groups were extremely competitive, with only 

eight strokes separating the first place and the last place team. 

And, once again, three lucky winners received cash prizes 

after winning the right to their names being drawn in the 

casino hole (to be eligible, you must place your drive on 

the green of the designated par three hole). This year, 

Joslin Davis and her husband, Fred Harwell, won two of 

the three prizes, going home with $250. Bob Moses was the 

third winner and took home $100. 

Following the second place Nickelson team was the third 

place team of Carl Murway, Alton Abramowitz, Jim Cahn 

and Brock Schumacher. 

Rusty Howard won the prize for the men’s longest drive 

and Jean Welty for the women’s longest drive. Mitch Cohen 

hit his tee shot closest to the pin on the designated par three 

hole and Dan Hoffnung won the Director’s Award for most 

improved player. 

The Karp Team prepares 

to defend its throne at the 

2008 Tournament, to be 

held on Wednes day, 

March 5th, at the beautiful 

La Costa Resort and Spa 

in Carlsbad, California. 


Report of the 

Nominating Committee 

The Nominating Committee has put forth the following nominations: 

■ First Vice President: Marlene Moses 

■ Vice President: Jim McLaren 

■ Vice President: Joslin Davis 

■ Secretary: Sarah Eldridge 

■ Treasurer: Tom Vick 

■ Governors: 

Janet Platt—3 years (Non Chapter) 

Reneaux Collins (returning)—2 year term (Chapter) 

Susan Myres—3 years (Chapter) 

Executive Committee 

Meets in Charleston, 

South Carolina 



Gracious Southern Hospitality was in full bloom the weekend of April 27th 

as the Executive Committee traveled to the beautifully historic Charleston, 

South Carolina. 

Friday evening’s event took place in the stunning home 

of Robert and Susan Rosen in the heart of old Charleston. 

Robert’s selection of foods and Susan’s elegant flower arrangements 

made you feel completely at home. 

The event was graciously sponsored by the South Carolina 

Chapter, Dixon Hughes, PLLC, LexisNexis, McLaren & Lee and 

Andrews & Schull, PC. There were more than 135 people in 

attendance, including Fellows from North Carolina and Georgia. 

Approximately fifteen potential applicants attended, together 

with many members of the Judiciary. 

Diane and Lon had arranged for us to dine at McCrady’s 

Restaurant on Saturday evening. The menu was superb and 

the participants all had a wonderful opportunity to step back 

in time to an elegant era of beauty and service. 

Jim McLaren, Diane Current and Lon Schull are noted 

and thanked for their generous time and effort.

Greetings to 

Newly Admitted Members 

as of May 14, 2007 

We are always proud to print the names and locations 

of the attorneys who have recently been admitted to 

our Fellow ship. 

New members are the life’s blood of any organization. We 

welcome them, and look forward to their future involve ment in 

our goals and activities. 

■ David Abramson 

Portland, ME 

■ Mark Bank 

Birmingham, MI 

■ Suzanne Baumgardner 

Lexington, KY 

■ Virginia Dugan 

Albuquerque, NM 

■ Chris Haaff 

Crystal Lake, IL 

■ John Kinney 

Omaha, NE 

■ Pamela Kuzniar 

Chicago, IL 

■ Natalie Lemos 

South Miami, FL 

■ Scott Mann 

Shawnee, KS 

■ Kevin McDonough 

New York, NY 

■ El Presidente and friends 

■ Robert McGrath 

Boston, MA 

■ David Mendelson 

Birmingham, MI 

■ John Nichols, Jr. 

Houston, TX 

■ Sandra Parise 

Columbia, SC 

■ Lawrence Starkopf 

Highland Park, IL 

■ T. Lynn Ward 

Wichita, KS 

■ Anne (Jan) White 

Bethesda, MD 

■ Marc Winsberg 

New Orleans, LA 

■ Harold Zuflacht 

San Antonio, TX 

■ Alan Zvibleman 

St. Louis, MO 


■ Royce and Mike Hendler, Susan and Bob Corcoran 

■ Guy Ferro, Kim Willoughby, Susan Moss, and Michael Weiner 

■ Marlene Moses, Arnold Rutkin, Jean Welty, and Deb Eldrich 



Minutes from the Board of Governors Meeting 

in Grand Cayman, March 9, 2007 

Minutes from the March 9, 2007 Board 

of Governors Meeting, Grand Cayman 

The meeting of the Board of Governors of the 

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 

was called to order at 12:30 p.m.. on 

March 9, 2007 in the Grand Cayman by 

President Gaetano Ferro. 

Officers and Executive Committee 

Members in Attendance 

President: Gaetano Ferro 

President Elect: James A. Hennenhoefer 

First Vice President: Gary L. Nickelson 

Vice Presidents: 

Alton L. Abramowitz 

Kenneth P. Altshuler 

Maria P. Cognetti 

Joslin Davis 

Marlene Eskind Moses 

Linda Lea M. Viken 

Treasurer: G. Thomas Vick, Jr. 

Secretary: James T. McLaren 

Immediate Past President: Cheryl L. Hepfer 

Past President: Barbara E. Handschu 

Counsel: Arthur E. Balbirer 

Parliamentarian: Joan F. Kessler 

Executive Director: Lorraine J. West 

Governors in Attendance: 

Margaret L. Anderson 

Thomas L. Ausley 

Anne Berger 

Stephen J. Blaylock 

J. Ronald Boyd 

Lynn P. Burleson 

James S. Cahn 

Seymour Chase 

Wynter Reneaux Collins 

Michele Cummings 

Pamela E. Deal 

Sarah D. Eldrich 

H. Michael Fields 

Brian R. Florence 

Richard B. Jacobs 

Governors Absent: 

Samuel J. Goodman 

David Levy 

Larry W. Stuber 

Richard S. Victor 

Leonard Karp 

Susan M. Lach 

Elizabeth G. Lindsey 

Allan D. Mantel 

Denise K. Mills 

Cary J. Mogerman 

Arnold H. Rutkin 

Nancy Chausow Shafer 

John Slowiaczek 

Edward J. Thomas 

Ronald R. Tweel 

Bruce J. Wagner 

Brian L. Webb 

Daphne Webb 

Joanne Ross Wilder 


I. Approval of Agenda 

■ Upon motion duly made and seconded, the 

Agenda for the Board of Governor’s Meeting 

was unanimously approved. 

II. Approval of Minutes: November 9, 2006 

■ The Minutes of the November 9, 2006 

Meeting of the Board of Governors were 

received. Upon motion of Secretary James T. 

McLaren, duly seconded, the Minutes were 

unanimously approved as distributed. 

III. Financial Report 

■ Treasurer Tom Vick presented the 

Financial Report for the period ending 

December 31, 2006, and the update 

through February 13, 2007. Upon motion of 

Treasurer Vick, seconded by Barbara 

Handschu, the Report was accepted. 

IV. Introduction of 

New Executive Director, Vicki West 

■ President Ferro introduced the new Executive 

Director, Vicki West, who will assume her 

new duties effective January 1, 2008 and 

the Board of Governors welcomed her. 

The new Executive Director’s contract 

was approved, on motion of Ken Altshuler, 

and duly seconded. 

V. First Reading of Proposed Bylaws 

Amendments 

■ Joslin Davis, on behalf of the AAML Bylaws 

Committee, reported to the Board of 

Governors on the recommended changes to 

the AAML Bylaws, Article VIII., Section 8.1 

Board of Review, Sub-Section a. and b. The 

recommended change to Section 8.1 a. 

substitutes the first Vice-President for the 

President-Elect to serve on the Board of 

Review so that the President-Elect will not 

be burdened with this duty upon becoming 

President. The recommended change to Sec - 

tion 8.1 b. allows the Executive Committee 

to fill vacancies on the Board of Review if 

the number of members is less than five (5) 

as a result of vacancies. This report was 

accepted by the Board of Governors and 

given a favorable first reading. 

VI. Kentucky Chapter’s Request to 

Become a Charter Chapter 

■ By letter dated November 13, 2006, 

Louis I. Waterman requested that the 

Kentucky Chapter, which currently has 

provisional status, become a Charter 

Chapter. The Kentucky Chapter has 21 

active members and is awaiting the test 

results of two applicants. A copy of the 

Kentucky Chapter’s Bylaws is on file with 

the Academy. On motion duly made and 

seconded, the Kentucky Chapter was taken 

off provisional status and granted Charter 

Chapter status, by acclamation. 

VII. Proposed Change to At-Large 

Governors 

■ At the request of Ken Altshuler, the 

proposed change to the composition of 

At-Large Governors was removed from the 

Agenda as the Bylaws Committee was 

continuing their work on that project. 

VIII. Proposal of the AAML/ALI Committee 

that the AAML Adopt a Policy in Favor of 

Alimony/Spousal Support/Maintenance 

Considerations 

■ Professor Mary Kay Kisthardt of the 

AAML/ALI Commission reported on the proposal 

that the AAML adopt a policy in favor 

of Alimony/Spousal Support/Maintenance 

Considerations. Professor Kisthardt reported 

to the Board of Governors that the AAML/ALI 

Commission had studied in-depth the ALI’s 

so-called “tort approach” to the award of 

Alimony/Spousal Support/Maintenance, finding 

that the ALI approach was generally 

inconsistent with the law in that area in 

most states. The Commission then studied 

different approaches that had been adopted 

or tested throughout the United States. 

The common denominator in most of these 

approaches involved a formula type 

approach that heavily weighted two factors: 

income and duration of the marriage. The 

AAML/ALI Commission attempted to address 

a frequently expressed concern for lack of 

predictability and consistency throughout the 

United States in attempt to predict the 

amount and duration of such support. The 

Commission then authored a formula 

principally based upon the income of the 

parties and the duration of the marriage, 

subject to specific deviation factors. 

After looking at the support levels and 

duration that resulted from that proposed 

formula, the results were more often than 

not consistent, predictable and in keeping 

with what most members felt was a fair 

and just result. 

Professor Kisthardt requested permission to 

post an article on this subject in the AAML 

Journal, Fall 2008 Issue. The Commission 

requests that the work of the AAML/ALI 

Commission be adopted as considerations 

in making these determinations, as opposed 

to confirming a formula that the Chapters or 

Fellows must follow. 

Spirited and lengthy discussion followed. 

Linda Lea Viken suggested clarification be 

made to the proposed tables as they impact 

the length of the support to be awarded 

because there appeared to be some overlap. 

Professor Kisthardt agreed to make that 

change. 

Alton Abramowitz expressed concern that 

spousal support would be removed from 

the discretion of the Court and simply be 

determined by a fixed or binding formula. 

Professor Kisthardt responded that the 

proposed considerations are not binding on 

the Court; rather, are simply a reasonable 

approach with appropriate deviation factors 

that would need to be applied on a case 

by case basis. 

President Ferro noted that many jurisdictions 

have Guidelines and that the considerations 

proposed by the AAML/ALI Commission 

should be considered. President Ferro 

also noted that by a vote of 7 to 5, the 

AAML Executive Committee approved these 

considerations. 

Deb Eldrich expressed concern that the 

considerations may do an injustice to 

spouses age 55 or older, who are divorcing 

after a marriage of short term but have no 

way to be self-supporting. 

Barbara Handschu suggested that the 

example charts appended to the considerations 

be made gender neutral by re-naming 

the payor and payee as “Spouse #1” and 

“Spouse #2.” She also noted that under 

Deviation Factor No.7, other circumstances, 

the Court could deviate from the suggested 

duration of the spousal support for a spouse 

55 or older who is divorcing after a shortterm 

marriage. 

Art Balbirer suggested that Deviation No. 7 

allows attorneys to do their work as attorneys, 

providing reasons and justification to 

deviate from the suggested considerations. 

Arnold Rutkin initially suggested that the 

Guidelines may be “anti-woman,” particularly

where the spouse gave up a career, was 

unemployable, supported the career of the 

other spouse, and that future employment 

was unlikely. He suggested that an additional 

factor be specifically included to consider 

those types of considerations. After reflection, 

Arnold expressed the opinion that the Guide - 

lines would overall be better for women, 

particularly if a specific deviation factor was 

included for age, health, future employability, 

and a spouse who gave up a career or a 

career opportunity to support the career of 

the other spouse. 

Nancy Shafer suggested that the 30% 

portion suggested for spousal support may 

not be sufficient. She raised the question 

of what would be the effect if the state 

factors for determining support were 

different than those proposed by the 

AAML/ALI Commission. 

Joslin Davis suggested that we need some 

type of Guideline, particularly in dealing 

with temporary or pendente lite awards. 

Alton Abramowitz suggested that the 

AAML/ALI Commission considerations 

simply be accepted as a report, as opposed 

to adopted as a policy of the Academy. 

Marlene Moses suggested that the considerations 

be handled just as we have in the 

past, such as with the Parenting Plan. She 

also suggested that the proposed considerations 

will be helpful to the Courts, attorneys 

and affected parties nationwide. 

Ken Altshuler reported that he had 

presented a seminar on the Guidelines to 

Maine attorneys and judges where a fact 

pattern was presented. The judges and 

attorneys present found that the AAML/ALI 

Commission Guidelines provided needed 

consistency and predictability and felt that 

the Guidelines were an excellent starting 

point in making support determinations. 

Art Balbirer pointed out that our alternative 

is to simply make no suggestion and leave 

such awards in the total discretion of the 

Court, which has not proven satisfactory 

with no current predictability or consistency. 

He noted that the eight members of the 

Commission initially voted 7 to 1 for the 

considerations, with his vote being against 

any Guidelines or considerations. However, 

after running real life scenarios through the 

considerations, he was convinced that the 

end result was where he would have 

expected to be. 

Jim Hennenhoefer suggested that these 

are not “Guidelines” per se; rather, they 

are simply factors to be considered in an 

overall award, an additional tool in the tool 

box of a good Family Court advocate. 

Maria Cognetti raised the issue that if 

the Academy adopted these considerations 

as policy, Fellows might have difficulty 

presenting contrary positions. 

Ron Tweel suggested that before we have 

such a policy, 75% of the Board should be 

in favor (rather than a simple majority). 

He requested that the Minutes reflect that 

he is against the proposed considerations. 

Sy Chase felt that these Guidelines were 

not necessary. 

Gary Nickelson suggested that the Board 

exercise care in what these “considerations” 

are called. While he felt that Child Support 

Guidelines worked well in low income 

cases, his experience has been that there 

have been unreasonable limits in high 

income cases. 

Nancy Shafer suggested that Deviation Factor 

#3 should be specifically noted as applying 

to either spouse. She also suggested that 

this matter be reported out as a “model for 

consideration of calculating spousal support.” 

She also suggested that Table #2 be 

gender neutral, denominating the parties 

as “Spouse #1” and “Spouse #2.” She 

also agreed that the overlap in the duration 

tables be clarified and suggested that the 

30% cap be increased to a 50% cap. 

Alan Mantel suggested that these 

considerations might be helpful in some 

states, but opposed in other states. 

Cary Mogerman suggested that Deviation 

Factor #4 adds in the necessary discretion. 

Tom Vick suggested that if this proposal is 

to become a national standard for alimony, 

then we also ought to have a national standard 

for child support and equitable division. 

Joan Kessler suggested that the report of the 

AAML/ALI Commission may not be perfect, 

but what is out there, specifically the ALI 

Report (the tort claim approach), is far 

worse. She suggested that these considerations 

are a good starting point for making 

these determinations and we would be doing 

our clients a good service to approve them. 

Margaret Anderson stated that the proposed 

considerations give priority to alimony over 

child support (as alimony is determined 

first before determining child support, which 

would be contrary to the Child Support 

Guidelines in California). Professor Kisthardt 

suggested that most jurisdictions, when 


calculating child support, must consider all 

income, including alimony, before determining 

child support. 

Joanne Wilder stated that child support is a 

priority obligation. Just because alimony is 

calculated first, that only demonstrates that 

both parents have an obligation to support 

their children. She further suggested that we 

need a model for alimony calculations, as 

equitable division and community property 

are generally being handled properly nationwide. 

However, only with spousal support is 

there a general absence of any Guidelines 

or considerations—spousal support is normally 

determined by how a particular Judge 

feels that day. Litigants in spousal support 

controversies need to be treated more fairly. 

Jim Cahn suggested that formulas of any 

nature simply give Judges an easy way out. 

He suggested that the factors to be considered 

should be more specifically addressed. 

Marlene Moses then moved that the Board 

of Governors adopt the report of the AAML/ 

ALI Commission as a recommendation of 

considerations when determining Alimony/ 

Spousal Support/Maintenance, adding 

specific Deviation Factors for age, health, 

and when a spouse gives up a career, a 

career opportunity, or otherwise supported 

the career of the other spouse, with the 

technical correction of the example Tables 

to be gender neutral, which was seconded 

by Joslin Davis. After a tie vote broken by 

the President, the Report of the AAML/ALI 

Commission passed and was adopted by 

a vote of 22 for and 21 against. 

IX. Proposal of the Best Interest 

Standards Committee 

■ Maria Cognetti presented the report and 

proposal of the Best Interest Standards 

Committee. On motion, which was duly seconded 

and passed by the Board, the matter 

is referred back to the Best Interest 

Standards Committee for further study 

and with a specific instruction to come 

back to the Board with a plan by which 

the Academy will have more control and not 

be in the position of funding the proposal. 

X. Recommendations of Executive 

Committee to File an Amicus Brief 

Regarding “Marriage Cases” Pending 

in California 

■ President-Elect Jim Hennenhoefer 

presented the recommendation of the 

Executive Committee to file an Amicus brief 

regarding “Marriage Cases” pending in 

California. Jim Mahood addressed the 

specifics of the proposal and stated that 

the Amicus position had been approved by 

the AAML Amicus Committee and that it 

was consistent with the policy of the 

Academy. On motion of President-Elect 

Hennenhoefer, duly seconded, the filing of 

an Amicus brief regarding the “Marriage 

Cases” pending in California was approved. 

XI. Spring 2008 Meeting, 

La Costa, California 

■ President-Elect Hennenhoefer informed the 

Board of Governors on the progress made 

for the arrangements concerning the Spring 

2008 Meeting in La Costa, California. 

XII.Electronic Newsletter and Directory; 

CD Course Materials Recommendations 

■ Treasurer Tom Vick explained to the Board 

that approximately $80,200.00 was spent 

on the hard copies of the Newsletter and 

Directory. The next Newsletter will be 

published electronically and on paper, and 

then mailed. The electronic version will 

include color pictures and hyper-links, all at 

far less cost. The Blue Book, formerly listing 

all Fellows, will now be on the Web site. 

The Academy will save approximately 

$10,000 to $15,000 by publishing the CLE 

Materials on a CD, which allows electronic 

cutting and pasting. On motion of Tom Vick, 

which was duly seconded and approved: 

(a) the Fellow Directory will now be published 

on the Web site and the hard copy 

Blue Book will be dispensed with, as a 

considerable cost saving measure; (b) the 

Newsletter will go to electronic publishing 

only; and (c) the CLE materials will be 

published and provided on a CD. 

XIII. Recommendation of Executive 

Committee to Offer a 50% Off the 

Regis tration Fee to Associates 

Who Attend the Advanced Institute 

Training Program 

■ Ken Altshuler reported that the Executive 

Committee had recommended that 

Associates who attend the Advanced 

Institute Training Program be offered a 50% 

reduction off of their registration fees at the 

first Chicago Meeting after receiving training. 

This recommendation was made in order to 

encourage new attorneys to get involved 

with the Academy and to stay involved. On 

Motion of Ken Altshuler, and duly seconded, 

the Board approved the recommendation, 

retroactive to the first session of the 

Advanced Institute Training Program. 

…article continues on next page 



XIV. What’s New with the AAML Web Site 

■ Co-Chairs Jim McLaren and Deb Eldrich 

reported on the status of the Web site. 

Responsibility for the Web site has been 

formalized, with National having the 

responsibility for its day-to-day running, 

maintenance and operation. Andy Lambert, 

an independent Web site designer, has been 

engaged to take on the larger projects and 

to help National on the technical side. The 

Web Site Committee continues to oversee 

projects, subject matter, and the work of 

National and Andy Lambert, subject to 

Academy policies. Overall, it was reported 

that the site is now more comprehensive, 

has much more content, and a framework 

has been set up for additional items to be 

added to the site. 

The following projects have been authorized 

and are in the process of implementation: 

A. Upgrades of National’s computers 

and software. 

B. Mechanisms for acceptance of 

credit cards on line and fulfillment. 

C. Capacity for streaming video to be 

used for Hot Tips, messages from 

the President and Past-Presidents, 

news and other matters. 

D. Maximization of our Google ranking, 

including restructuring of the Web site 

content, spending funds for “buy rank,” 

and oversight of success of these 

efforts based upon money spent. 

E. Preparing a repository on the Web 

site for Newsletters, CLEs, the 

Fellow Blue Book, etc. 

F. The Find-A-Lawyer function is being 

improved to include a click box on 

the Home Page, more extensive bios, 

and interactive maps, state by state. 

G. A new Fellow of the Year Page, featuring 

the current Fellow of the Year and 

a news piece on that Fellow, together 

with a listing of Past-Fellows of the Year. 

H. A Policy Page. 

I. A Fellows Only section. 

J. Applicant Only sites to allow access 

to forms and suggested preparation 

materials. 

K. A Family Law Update Page. 

L. Posting of CLEs. 

M. Posting of Newsletters. 


XV. Report on the AAML Institute 

■ Tom Ries reported that the AAML Associates 

Institute is progressing. There are currently 

40 basic attendees and 23 advanced course 

attendees. 

XVI. Future Academy Meetings 

■ Gary Nickelson reported on the following 

future Academy Meetings: 

Annual Meeting 

Renaissance Chicago Hotel 


November 7 –10, 2007 

Midyear Meeting 

La Costa Resort & Spa 

La Costa, California 

March 5–8, 2008 

Annual Meeting 

Renaissance Chicago Hotel 


November 5–8, 2008 

Midyear Meeting 

Hyatt Kauai 

Kauai, Hawaii 

First or second week of March 2009 

XVII. President’s Report 

■ President Gaetano Ferro thanked everyone 

for their hard work and reported that all went 

well with our meeting at the Grand Cayman. 

XVIII. Other Business 

■ Jay Mahood reported that the California 

brief involved state constitutional issues. 

Past-President Cheryl Hepfer reported that 

the issue was similar to that which had 

been previously authorized in the Maryland 

briefs and was consistent with Academy 

policy. On motion of Past-President Cheryl 

Hepfer, duly seconded, the Board of 

Governors approved signing on the briefs 

submitted by the Chapter and National. 

■ He then reported on the New York relocation 

case, which had the effect of extending the 

emancipation age for child support purposes 

from age 18 to 21. The Amicus Committee 

had voted unanimously not to file a brief in 

the New York case. 

Bruce Wagner argued that the Uniform Act 

should be applied nationally with consistency 

and that forum shopping, such as was 

done in the Spencer case, should not 

be promoted. He further argued that the 

New York case will create a “wrong-minded” 

interpretation of the national Acts and will 

subvert the intention of full faith and credit 

constitutional considerations. 

Joan Kessler suggested that the New York 

case really involves a conflict of law issue 

(rather than a full faith and credit issue) 

and raised the question of how the Board 

would know which is the better choice of 

law in that conflict of law issue. 

Arnold Rutkin suggested that this case 

raises important issues and that National 

should support the New York Chapter. 

Jay Mahood then moved, with a second, that 

the Academy not file an Amicus brief 

in the New York case and accept the report 

from the Executive Committee. That motion 

failed in a vote of 19 to 21. 

Alan Mantel then moved to file an Amicus 

brief in the New York case, which was duly 

seconded. Linda Lea Viken suggested that 

the New York case gave the Academy an 

opportunity to make a contribution. There 

needs to be consistency in setting child sup - 

port, and this case has national implications. 

Art Balbirer voiced concern with National 

becoming involved in a case where a Fellow 

is bringing or defending a case in which the 

Academy is asked to take a position for or 

against a Fellow’s case. 

Alan Mantel’s motion, which had been duly 

seconded, was then put to a vote, which 

was passed. The Academy will file an 

Amicus brief in the New York case. 

XIX. New Business 

■ Foundations Report: Arnold Rutkin reported 

that the AAML Foundation is making an 

effort to raise $500,000.00 by November 

2008 by creating a different level of membership 

and giving within the Foundation. 

■ Jim Hennenhoefer then thanked 

President Ferro, In-Coming Executive 

Director Vicki West and Executive Director 

Lorraine West for the fine job they did 

with the Grand Cayman Meeting. 

Adjournment 

■ There being no further business, on motion 

of Brian Webb, duly seconded, and passed 

unanimously, the meeting was adjourned 

by President Ferro. The next meeting of 

the Board of Governors will be held on 

November 8, 2007 at 1:30 p.m. in Chicago. 

■ APPROVED at the meeting of the Board 

of Governors on November 8, 2007. 

Signed by 

Gaetano Ferro, President 

James T. McLaren, Secretary

■ Bill and Janet Glucksman, Tom Woodruff 


■ Art Balbirer, Guy Ferro, Mort Marvin ■ Carla and Greg Malever 

and friend 

■ Rick and Laura Femambucq 

■ Bob and Marlene Moses, Barbara Runge, Mike and Royce Hendler 

■ Elizabeth Lindsey, Sy Chase, Cary and Dee Mogerman 

■ Denise Mills, Ed Thomas, Linda Lea Viken, Sue Thomas 



■ Allan Mantel, Anne Berger, Bruce Wagner 

■ Melissa and Gary Nickelson 

■ Hank Fields, Susan Moss and Michael Welner 


■ Art Balbirer , Laura Belleau, Peter and Millie Economidis 

■ Armin and Peggy Kuder, Amy Weis and Mike Yeml 

■ Lea Hennenhoefer, John and Anne Durward

■ Guy Ferro and Barbara Runge 

■ Steve and Terry King, David Carlock, Larry and Donna Martin 

■ Fellows and guests from Illinois 


■ Pat and Jim McLaren 




■ Daphne Webb and Joan Kessler ■ Rusty Howard and Barbara Runge 

■ Cheryl Karp, Peter and Millie Economidis, Laura Belleau, and Leonard Karp 

■ Reneaux Collins and Maria Cognetti ■ John and Shannon Slowiaczek 

■ Ron and Floranne Boyd

■ Jim Hennenhoefer and Diana Skaggs 

■ Dan Hoffnung, Deb Eldrich, Bruce and Joann Wilder, Mort and Suzanne Marvin 

■ Bill and Chouteau Levine, Linda Lea Viken, Carl Murway, Jim Cahn 


■ Stan and Sandra Lipkin ■ Ronald and Sigrid Logar 


AN EXTRA-CURRICULAR REPORT 


Start Your Wining 

by David Levy 


Summertime 

and the 

living is easy. 

With summer upon us, one of 

the great joys of the season 

is to sit in your back yard or 

on your deck and enjoy a great glass of 

wine. It is the perfect time for light 

ephemeral wines, while enjoying the 

sunset or the heat of the day. There are 

so many interesting and delicious wines 

to enjoy that go perfectly with a summer’s 

day that I urge you to get out of 

your “comfort zone” of Chardonnay or 

Pinot Grigio and sample some of the 

world’s great quaffing wines. As a bonus, 

all of the wines can be purchased for 

less than $20 a bottle—and often less 

than that. 

Sauvignon Blanc may be 

my favorite summer wine. It is 

a grape that is grown all over 

the world, each region with its 

own distinctive style and taste. 

Personally, I most enjoy the 

sauvignon blancs from New 

Zealand. They are bright, fresh 

and have a distinctive citrus 

flavor. American Sauvignon 

Blancs tend to be more herbal 

or grassy flavored and generally 

a bit drier. Also, sauvignon 

blanc is the grape of the Loirre 

Valley in France. These are 

elegant well-structured wines 

that go well with a lemony fish 

or chicken dish. The wine 

from all regions go well with 

high acid cheeses such as 

goat cheese or feta. 

Riesling is another grape 

that is grown all over the 

world. It runs the gamut from 

very sweet to beautifully dry, 

with a pronounced tangy 

acidic structure with hints of 

mineral, floral and peach notes 

as well. The best Rieslings, in 

my opinion, come from the 

Alsace region of France. Some 

of the more popular producers 

are Hugel, Choffit and Trimbach. 

The bottle shape is very distinctive 

as well. The neck 

of the bottle is extremely 

long and the bottle itself is 

generally narrow. 

One of the great wine 

bargains in the world is 

Grüner Veltliner, which is the 

national grape of Austria. If 

you like Pinot Grigio, you will 

love Grüner Veltliner. It is 

fresh and vibrant and almost 

tingles on the tongue. Since it 

is an undiscovered variety, the 

cost is very inexpensive. This 

wine goes well with most vegetarian 

cuisines, which is 

another plus. 

The Albariño may be 

Spain’s best kept white wine 

secret. It has a crisp acidity 

with floral aromas. Aficionados 

of Albariño know that while it 

resembles a Riesling it can 

rival a Chardonnay as a white 

wine with some real body. It 

is grown on Spain’s Atlantic 

coast and, as such, it is 

designed to go well with all 

sorts of seafood. 

■ David Levy 

Finally, I urge you to try an 

Italian sparkling wine called 

Prosecco. The best Prosecco is 

bone dry with small tightly 

packed bubbles. It doesn’t 

have the weight or taste of 

champagne, but is thoroughly 

enjoyable on a warm summer 

afternoon. Last summer I 

fondly recall attending the 

wedding of a daughter of a 

Fellow in New York City. After 

wandering around Manhattan, 

my wife and I and another 

Academy Fellow found ourselves 

in Little Italy. We 

stopped for lunch, had a 

wonderful light meal of 

antepasti and bruchetta while 

enjoying a couple of bottles 

of Prosecco. What a wonderful 

way to spend the afternoon! 

As the weather heats up, 

these wines are perfect 

to keep you cool. Enjoy!

Information Is King 

by James T. McLaren 

Law Office Management Committee, Chair 

Columbia, South Carolina 

For years, we have all sought 

financial and other information 

through cumbersome and 

expensive written discovery, including 

interrogatories, production requests, 

subpoenas, depositions and the like. 

Also, we have all written innumerable 

checks for $500 to information services 

for public record searches normally 

provided by private investigators. 

I am happy to announce 

that I have now written my last 

$500 check to a private investigator 

for public record search 

reports. Let me tell you why. 

Our LexisNexis ® representative, 

Pat Clark, invited me to 

demo their new Smart Linx ® . 

SmartLinx produces a comprehensive 

report from a single 

search after combing through 

billions of public records. 

While there are many 

Web sites out there that allow 

searches of particular records, 

SmartLinx is the first service 

that combines numerous 

public databases searched 

with the stroke of a keyboard. 

These are the same databases 

used by the FBI, CIA, and 

other government agencies. 

Comprehensive and under - 

standable reports are issued, 

which you can then print for 

use in the office. The 

SmartLinx databases can also 

be accessed remotely through 

the Web when you are away 

from your office, such as in a 

trial or deposition. 

■ Jim McLaren 

From a “due diligence” 

stand point, we now have a 

tool to check for undisclosed or 

undervalued assets. SmartLinx 

also saves our clients considerable 

fees and costs in the 

infor mation gathering process. 

SmartLinx allows attorneys 

and staff to quickly locate and 

connect facts, retrieve names, 

addresses, phone numbers 

and other information, search 

personal and business assets, 

mort gage liens and bankruptcy 

liabilities. It also connects 

people with businesses, and 

helps to find neighbors, “lost” 

people and potential witnesses, 

as well as document the chain 

of ownership of businesses 

and property. 

In our practice, we now run 

SmartLinx searches on potential 

clients and their spouses who 

have scheduled initial appointments 

with our firm. We use 

this as both a screening mechanism, 

as well as a tool to be 

better prepared for the initial 

LAW OFFICE MANAGEMENT “HOT TIPS” 

conference with the client. 

The information is invaluable 

in making initial assessments 

regarding the case and preparation 

for the initial interview. 

After we get into the case, we 

then typically run SmartLinx 

searches on all of the potential 

witnesses, as well as experts. 

SmartLinx is the first 

service that combines 

numerous public databases 

searched with the 

stroke of a keyboard. 

SmartLinx is invaluable in 

gathering the nitty-gritty facts 

regarding properties, liens and 

mortgages. Generally, it provides 

an accurate description 

of the property, the date 

of purchase and sale, and 

relevant mortgage and lien 

information. Most states require 

that informa tion for Financial 

Declara tions and other financial 

filings with the Court. 

It also saves us many calls 

and trips to courthouses to 

verify information. The information 

that used to take hours, 

days, or even weeks to gather 

is now found at our fingertips. 

In order to get started, I 

suggest that you go on line to 

www.lexisnexis.com/smartlinx 

to check out the SmartLinx 

service. The LexisNexis Web 

site will give you general information 

regarding SmartLinx. 

And here’s a little present to you all: 

The Law Office Management 

Committee has made special 

arrangements for AAML Fellows 

to purchase subscriptions to 

SmartLinx at discounted prices. 

The subscription allows an 

unlimited number of searches 

for a fixed price per month 

with an annual subscription. 

(The cost our firm incurs is 

billed back to clients.) 

For assistance from your 

local LexisNexis consultant on 

this special AAML program, you 

can either leave your information 

on the AAML hotline at 

1.800.368.6955 Ext. 5276, or 

register at www.lexisnexis. 

com/aamlpromo. Your 

LexisNexis consultant will then 

contact you to discuss the ins 

and outs of SmartLinx, provide 

a demonstration of the program, 

walk you through its 

setup and use, and provide 

any information on the AAML 

discount that you may need. 

Happy information gathering! 


TAX WISE 


Refunds of Tax Overpayments 

on Joint Returns Can Create a Problem 

by Melvyn B. Frumkes 

Miami, Florida 

Taxpayers may get some good 

news if their estimated tax 

payments or taxes withheld 

exceed the tax for the year, as 

they’ll be entitled to a refund for the 

overpaid amount. However, a potential 

problem lurks within that good news. 

If a refund is sought, 

there are two alternatives: 

1. Have the amount refunded 

or 

2. Have the refund directly deposited* 

“into the taxpayer’s checking or 

savings account at a bank or other 

financial institution” (such as a 

mutual fund, brokerage firm, or 

credit union) instead of sending 

[the taxpayer] a check. 

If a joint return was filed 

and the check option is 

decided, the check will be 

made jointly to the husband 

and wife. If, on the other 

hand, a direct deposit is 

sought, lines 74b through d 

are to be completed, which 

(on the 2006 Form 1040) 

calls for: (b) Routing number, 

(c) Type: checking or savings 

and (d) Account number. 

BEWARE: The spouse in 

control of filing the return 

can route the refund into a 

solely named account. 

The IRS then goes on to 

caution that some financial 

institutions will not allow a 

joint refund to be deposited 

in an individual account. If 

the direct deposit is rejected, 

a check will be sent instead. 

(The IRS is not responsible 

if a financial institution 

rejects a direct deposit.) 

However, most financial 

institutions do allow such 

a deposit. 

The “Refund” portion of 

the Form 1040, Line 74a 

(of the 2006 form) recites: 

“If Form 8888 is attached, 

check here.” 

Form 8888, used for 

the first time for the 2006 

returns, is entitled “Direct 

Deposit of Refund to More 

Than One Account.” It allows 

direct deposits into either 

two or three accounts. 

Therefore one sum can be 

directly deposited into the 

husband’s account and another 

into the wife’s account. 

Attorneys should be sensitive 

to the need of correctly 

completing Form 8888, if 

their client is to re ceive part 

of the refund and it is to be 

directly deposited. 

* This procedure commenced 

with the tax year 1996. It 

first appeared on the 1996 

Form 1040. 

■ Mel Frumkes 

© Mitchell, 2003 

Mr. Frumkes maintains law 

offices in Miami and Boca 

Raton, Florida and re stricts 

his practice to marital and 

family law. He is a Fellow 

of the AAML and the IAML 

and a Diplomate of the 

American College of Family 

Trial Attorneys.

CHAPTER LEADERS CONVENE IN GRAND CAYMAN 

I slept and dreamt that 

life was joy. 

I awoke and saw that 

life was service. 

I acted and behold, 

service was joy. 

— RABINDRANATH TAGORE 

Chapter Leaders Meeting 



There was an enthusiastic turnout for the Chapter Leaders 

breakfast and meeting on Wednesday, March 7th, at the 

Midwinter meeting at the Westin Casuarina Resort in Grand 

Cayman. Almost every Charter Chapter was represented. 

The meeting began with reports from all the officers and several 

committees who shared information about the plans and issues 

facing the Academy in the next several years. 

The second portion of the meeting was a presentation from each 

Chapter representative outlining the accomplishments and concerns 

facing their Chapter. 

The individual Chapters continue to enhance and advance the 

reputation of the AAML as a whole. 

■ Susan Myres (Texas), Maria Cognetti (Pennsylvania), Linda Lea Viken (South Dakota), Guy Ferro (Connecticut), Barbara Handschu (New York), 

Ken Altshuler (Maine), Jim McLaren (South Carolina), Alton Abramowitz (New York), Marlene Moses (Tennessee), Carl Murway (Ohio), 

Jim Hennenhoefer (Southern California), Joslin Davis (North Carolina), Allen Mantel (New York Chapter President) 


CHAPTER LEADERS CONVENE IN GRAND CAYMAN 

■ Mike Albano (Missouri), Belinda Hanson (Northern California), Tom Vick (Texas), Joanne Wilder (Pennsylvania), Elizabeth Lindsey (Georgia), 

Susan Rhode (Minnesota), Howard Gum (North Carolina), Stan Lipkin (Colorado), Anne Berger (Massachusetts), Diana Skaggs (Kentucky), 

Sy Chase (New Jersey), Wade Harrison (North Carolina) 

■ Peter Walzer (Southern California), Mary Cushing Doherty (Pennsylvania), Daphne Webb (Wisconsin), Jim Mahood (Pennsylvania), 

Gary Nickelson (Texas), Steve King (Texas), Mike Wilson (Kansas), Kathy Farmer (Illinois), Suzie Thorne (Northern California), 

Susan Williams (Oregon) 

20 ❚ American Academy of Mat ri mo nial Law yers

Northern California 

Chapter Report 

The Northern California Chapter’s 2007 meetings began auspiciously with 

our annual Judges Night. Twenty-one family law judicial officers joined fifty 

Chapter Fellows and ten distinguished guests for dinner on February 28, 2007 

to discuss changes in family law procedures and new family law programs in each 

of eleven Bay Area counties. 

Under the leadership of our Chapter President Belinda 

Hanson, more judges from more counties attended this year’s 

Judges Night than ever before. The meeting was held atop one 

of San Francisco’s architectural masterpieces, the City Club of 

San Francisco. The City Club is an art deco treasure with bigger 

than life size Diego Rivera murals and inspiring views of the city. 

The Chapters 2006 schedule concluded with a December 

gathering of Chapter Fellows and guests at the Chapter’s annual 

Holiday Party. This year’s event was graciously hosted by Fellow 

Jill Hersh and her husband John O’Connor at their sumptuous 

home in the exclusive St. Francis Woods district of the City. 

Fellows and guests found abundant space around Jill’s pianoforte 

and grand piano to “catch up” with each other and enjoy an 

elaborate evening buffet. Our thanks to Jill and John! 

Many Northern California Fellows lecture around the Golden 

State. In a program sponsored by BASF (Bar Association of San 

Francisco) and Matthew Bender, Fellows Diana Richmond and 

Stephen Wagner, along with Commissioner of the San Francisco 

Superior Court, the Honorable Marjorie A. Slabach, conducted 

a day-long seminar on “Family Law Developments and Strategies.” 

Topics included fiduciary duties, child support guidelines, 

spousal support termination, retirement and pension benefits, 

and relocation. On June 1, 2007, Jill Hersh will participate in a 

LOCAL CHAPTER NEWS 

panel discussion on Meeting Mediation Challenges: How Advocates 

and Mediators Overcome Obstacles to Settlement. This discussion is 

being co-sponsored by the AAML Northern California Chapter. 

Chapter Fellows continue to travel and support other 

Chapters and national Academy events. Fellows Garrett Dailey, 

Robert Sanders, Tony Dick, Stephen Wagner, William 

Whiting, Paul Jacobs and Thomas Wolfrum sojourned to 

Newport Beach over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend to join 

with Southern California Academy members at the Southern 

California Chapter’s outstanding, annual Trial Advocacy Institute. 

Attending—and entertaining Advocacy attendees—at the 

Saturday night dinner were Rat Packer’s “Dean Martin,” “Frank 

Sinatra,” and “Sammy Davis, Jr.” The Institute was another success 

for the Southern California Chapter. 

Our Chapter Fellow, Garrett Dailey, was awarded the 

Southern California Chapter’s “State Fellow of the Year” award. 

Last year’s Southern California Chapter’s State Fellow of the Year 

award also went to one of our Chapter’s Fellows, Stephen Wagner. 

Both Garrett and Stephen are prodigious authors of family law 

materials, Garrett, through his Attorney’s Briefcase company, and 

Stephen, with his seven (and growing) volumes, Complex Issues 

in Family Law. Both publications continue to draw rave reviews 

from Golden State family law judicial officers and family law 

attorneys. 

Keeping our Chapter performing at peak efficiency, Chapter 

President Belinda Hanson just completed The Northern 

California Chapter Handbook. The Handbook includes the recently 

updated Bylaws and provides written job descriptions for each of 

the Chapter’s standing committees and officers. 

Last, but by no means least, a big salute to Fellow Jennifer 

Jackson for her revision of the Chapter Web site, which is drawing 

well deserved rave reviews from Fellows across the U.S.A. 

(Local Chapter News continues on the next page) 



Southern California 


Our 14th Annual Trial Advocacy Institute was held at the Balboa Bay Club 

in Newport Beach. The club overlooks Balboa Bay with million dollar yachts 

and priceless views. 

The “Deans” of this year’s Institute were our Fellows Saul 

Gelbart and Michael Morris of Newport Beach. They planned a 

three-day weekend of outstanding seminars and entertainment, 

which was attended by 175 lawyers from throughout the state. 

The mornings started out with a “wake up” primer on how 

to read personal, corporate and partnership tax returns. There 

were seminars on life insurance issues, “equitable apportionment,” 

cash flow, and breakout sessions to address valuation 

problems. Local judicial officers participated on the panels. 

As for entertainment, Friday night started out with a welcome 

cocktail party and a dine-around. Saturday night was Las Vegasstyle 

entertainment with the “rat pack” recreation of Dean 

Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis, Jr. 

We gave our Person of the Year award (which we call the 

“Normie” after deceased Fellow Norman Dolin) to Northern 

California Chapter Fellow Garrett Dailey. 

We also honored Commissioner Nori Ann Waller of Los 

Angeles County, Judge Michael Naughton of Orange County, 

and Judge Edward J. Huntington of San Diego County with 

our Judicial Officer of the Year awards. 

On Sunday night, our Fellows cruised through the harbor 

with Frank Sinatra, who joined us for an evening of dining 

and dancing. (For those of you back east who cannot imagine 

us on a harbor cruise in the middle of January, eat your hearts 

out. But we did suffer—temperatures reached the low sixties.) 

Our annual Fellow’s retreat will be held in Sedona, Arizona 

at the Enchantment Hotel. We are planning line dancing, jeep 

rides, a chili cook off and golf. 

Fellows will be giving morning seminars, and we are flying 

in Samuel Roll, PhD from Santa Fe, New Mexico to give a 

seminar on psychological issues. The seminars are designed to 

be appealing to both Fellows and their spouses. 

Our Chapter joined with the Northern California Chapter 

in drafting an Amicus Brief before the California Supreme 

Court on the right of litigant in a family law trial to present 

live testimony. Our Chapter wrote legislation to deal with 

ambiguities in the law relating to the date of separation. 

In June our new president, Don Mike Anthony of Pasadena, 

California, takes office. He is already busy planning next year’s 

Institute. 


Massachusetts 


Massachusetts is currently in the process of the first complete analytical 

review of its Child Support guidelines since the guidelines were originally 

promulgated nearly twenty years ago. 

The Chief Administrative Judge of the Massachusetts trial 

court, who holds the statutory authority to promulgate the 

guidelines, has convened a fourteen-member task force to 

analyze Massachusetts’ child support guidelines and to recommend 

policy priorities and possible guidelines changes. The trial 

court has appointed two AAML Fellows to the Task Force: 

Fern Frolin and Robert Rivers. Fern currently serves as 

Chapter vice president while Bob sits on our Board of Managers. 

On October 5, 2006, eighty Fellows and their guests 

honored and reminisced with Judge Jay Stevens (a Fellow and 

one of our finest judges of the probate and family court) on his 

retirement, and heard the Chief Administrative Judge of the Trial 

Courts, Robert Mulligan, outline his agenda and priorities for all 

of the family courts in Massachusetts. The December 18, 2006 

issue of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly had photos from that event 

featured in “On The Town.” 

On December 5, 2006, we had seventy-five Fellows and 

guests at a dinner meeting. Our speakers were David Medoff, 

PhD, one of the most experienced mental health professionals 

specializing in forensic psychological assessment, and Andy 

Clark, MD, the Medical Director of the Children and the Law 

Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, who conducts court 

related evaluations involving children and families. Both men 

spoke on “Current Mental Health Issues in High Conflict 

Domestic Disputes.” 

On February 8, 2006, fifty Fellows and guests gathered at a 

dinner meeting to hear “An Update on Child Support Guideline 

Reform” by two of our Fellows, Fern Frolin and Bob Rivers, 

who were selected as members of the Massachusetts Taskforce 

on Reform of the Child Support Guidelines. Also speaking was 

Steven Nisenbaum, PhD, JD, former President of the Mass - 

achusetts Psychological Association, and Rina Z. Folman, PhD, 

on “The Out of Control Clients: Coaching Litigants for Resilience 

Through Divorce and Consulting to Their Attorneys.” 

On April 10, 2007, we had a dinner meeting in Sunderland, 

Massachusetts. There we heard Attorney Jeffrey A. Newman, 

who was a lead counsel in the Boston Archdiocese clergy abuse 

scandal representing over four hundred victims, speak on 

“Representing Victims of Abuse and Violence in Inter-Family Tort 

Litigation—Unique and Explosive Issues to Consider.” 

Our annual dinner is planned for June 5, 2007. We will present 

the Hon. Edward Ginsburg Service Award to Joe O’Connor,

one of the hardest working and most effective “family service 

officers” in the family courts. We will also hear one of our 

Fellows, Hon. Fernande V. Duffly, Associate Justice of the 

Massachusetts Appeals Court, speak on “The 2006/2007 Annual 

Review of Family Law Appellate Case Law in Massachusetts.” She 

will talk about her experiences going from trial practice to the 

trial bench, then to the Appeals Court. 

In November, 2006, the Chapter co-sponsored, with the 

Center for Advanced Legal Studies at Suffolk University Law 

School, a program entitled “Difficult Issues in Child Custody Cases” 

(co-chaired by two Fellows, Rudy Jaworski and Karen Tosh). 

On March 5, 2007, we co-sponsored “Advanced Evidence in 

the Probate and Family Courts.” Two of our Fellows, Judge Ed 

Ginsburg and Paul Kane, presented this program to the 

Flaschner Judicial Institute to rave reviews, and again to the 

Family Law Bar. 

There is an active effort, spearheaded by Bill Levine, who is 

chair of National’s Arbitration Committee, to have legislation 

similar to the Uniform Matrimonial Arbitration Act enacted 

in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Chapter has one of the 

largest pool of trained family law arbitrators. 

Legislation addressing the Parenting Coordinator bill, removal, 

mediation, and the reform of Massachusetts UCCJEA efforts, are 

all in progress. Massachusetts is also in the process of a complete 

review of the Child Support Guidelines. Two of our Fellows 

selected as task force members are actively involved in this effort. 

Ed Hamada is our representative on a new committee of 

the Trial Court Department, “Wireless Access to the Courts.” 

Issues addressed include identifying wireless access needs in 

each trial department and of different litigant groups; establishing 

a process for determining best practices from other judicial 

systems; determining key issues (security, privacy, fairness) for 

committee deliberation; and determining prioritization and 

resolution of key issues. 

EDITOR’S NOTES: The newsletter staff welcomes articles of person al and human interest, 

along with educa tional articles pertinent to our profession. If you have a special interest 

or special know ledge in an “extra-curricular” field, please consider sharing your enthusiasm 

with the AAML. 

SPECIFICATIONS: Please submit articles electron i cally. Photos must be provided as jpg 

or tif—an alternative is to mail the Editor hard copy photos for scanning. Photos will be 

promptly returned. 

Please contact News letter Editor, Ken Altshuler at kpa@maine.rr.com 


New Jersey 


The New Jersey Chapter has continued a busy year with Chapter meetings in 

December and February. We honored two law students in December who were 

selected for their excellence in Family Law by their law schools. They received 

a recognition plaque and a monetary award. We have decided to continue this 

tradition by creating a per petual fund in memory of Fellows who have passed away. 

In an upcoming Chapter meeting in May, our Fellows will 

hear from a defense malpractice attorney on practice issues 

particularly unique to family lawyers. (We hope it will help us 

keep out of trouble.) 

June 2nd was our annual dinner dance, which was attended 

by Judges from around the state and by our purveyors. Our 

new officers and board of managers were sworn in. It was a 

memorable evening of comradeship, food and drink. 

New York 


The New York Chapter had its first general meeting in 2007 at the Cornell Club 

in New York City on March 20th. Allan E. Mayefsky chaired a great 

program featuring the Honorable Rosalyn H. Richter and the 

Honorable Harold B. Beller, Justices of the Supreme Court, New York 

County. The event was well attended and we enjoyed an evening of Fellowship 

and education. 

Our Annual Dinner Dance Weekend was held on May 4–6, 

2007, and was a spectacular gala event. As part of the weekend 

activities, on May 4, Robert Z. Dobrish chaired a dynamic 

seminar entitled “Inquiring, Prying, Snooping and Spying: The 

Use and Misuse of Private Investigation.” 

Speakers included Professor Bruce Green of Fordham Law 

School, Director of Louis Stein Center of Law and Ethics, and 

California’s own Steven Kolodny, Esq. Steve was counsel for 

Lisa Kerkorian in the Pellicano wiretap scandal. 

Private investigators Vincent Parco, Adam Deutsch and 

Dorothy Fransca also joined the panel. Last, but certainly, not 

least, Bruce J. Wagner, Immediate Past President of the New 

York Chapter, shared his most educational and entertaining 

updates on the law. 

On May 5, Robert Z. Dobrish arranged for a roundtable 

discussion among the bench and bar. This year the focus of the 

discussion was the Miller Commission Report and implementation 

by the Appellate Division. Bob organized an impressive panel of 

judges to participate in the roundtable. 

(New York Chapter Report continues on the next page) 



The big weekend wrapped up with our annual Black Tie 

Dinner Dance. This year we honored Jacqueline W. Silbermann, 

Deputy Chief Administrative Judge of the Matrimonial Parts of 

New York State, for her contributions to matrimonial law. New 

York State Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye presented the award. 

Richard Alderman and Howard Woronov hosted our up - 

state meeting the weekend of June 1–3, 2007, in Syracuse, New 

York at the Genesee Grande Hotel. Our seminar chair, Stephen 

W. Schlissel (aka “The Professor)” organized a morning of CLE on 

court mandated parenting issues and parent education programs. 

Our annual retreat will be held over Columbus Day weekend 

at the Beekman Arms in Rhinebeck, New York with Leonard 

Klein hosting the weekend events. Michael Stutman, the weekend 

seminar chair, promises to put on a timely and interesting 

program on “Evidentiary Issues of Electronic Discovery.” 

Kentucky 


The Kentucky Chapter held its annual meeting January 19th at Napa River Grill 

in Louisville, Kentucky, organized by Past President Louis I. Waterman. 

Elections were held for two year terms. Diana L. Skaggs was elected 

Chapter President; Mitchell Charney, President-Elect; Martha Rosenberg, 

Vice President; Melanie Straw-Boone, Secretary; William Tingley, 

Treasurer; and Sandra Mendez-Dawahare, Chapter Delegate to the Board 

of Governors. 

The group’s spring seminar, the tenth annual AAML/LBA Family 

Law Seminar: Kicking Off Our Next Decade of Cutting Edge 

Topics, was held April 19 and 20, 2007, again immediately preceding 

the Thunder Over Louisville Derby Festival opening event. 

For the first time, the group has formed a Legislation Com - 

mittee, chaired by William Tingley, on which Bonnie Brown, 

Valerie Kershaw, Martha Rosenberg and Diana L. Skaggs are 

also serving. The committee plans present the AAML Model 

Relocation Act and Model Arbitration Act to the Legislature. 

All of the newest Fellows of the Kentucky Chapter are diving 

into Chapter activities: Melanie Straw-Boone is chairing the 

membership committee, Mark Ogle is the ADR committee chair, 

and Valerie Kershaw spoke at the April seminar. 

Several of our Fellows—Wynter Reneaux Collins, 

Sandra Mendez Dawahare, William L. Hoge, III, Steven J. 

Kriegshaber and Melanie Straw-Boone—wrote Chapters in 

Kentucky Domestic Relations Practice, First Ed., published by the 

University of Kentucky Office of Continuing Legal Education. 

Steve Kriegshaber was elected the 2007 President of Kentucky 

Collaborative Family Network, Inc., the Louisville metropolitan 

area interdisciplinary collaborative family law organization. 


Melanie Straw-Boone is the Chair of the Louisville Pro Bono 

Consortium and was instrumental in developing pro se divorce 

forms for the family courts. 

In 2006, Catesby Woodward received the Fayette County Bar 

Association’s “Pro Bono Attorney of the Year” and Diana L. Skaggs 

received the Louisville Bar Association’s 2006 Family Law Award. 

Pennsylvania 


Since the January, 2007 meeting held in Atlantic City, the Chapter has 

updated its fifteen year old Bylaws. We look forward to a revised, attractive 

Web site later this year. 

We are also finalizing a history of the Pennsylvania Chapter, 

as well as our long range plans. These will be part of our 

Chapter Officers’ Handbook to facilitate a smooth transition to 

new Chapter presidents year after year. 

We have tried to institutionalize our CLE contribution to the 

statewide bar by incorporating an academy-run high-level CLE 

course at each of the statewide meetings with the Pennsylvania 

Bar Association Family Law Section. 

The presentation in January, 2007 in Atlantic City addressed 

the evolution of alimony awards in Pennsylvania. Alimony 

reform legislation was drafted and rejected several years ago. A 

new alimony statute is contemplated and the Academy Fellows 

want to take a leadership position to heighten the awareness of 

the need for alimony reform in Pennsylvania. 

The program, which was scheduled for forty attendees, in 

fact attracted eighty-five lawyers, many of whom came to the 

meeting early to see what the Academy lawyers had to say. 

We’re also planning a program for our meeting July 11th 

and 12th in Cambridge, Maryland. 

We have contacted the Chapter leadership in Maryland and 

hope that our Maryland Fellows can join us for dinner or our 

program, “Internet Risks and Resources for Family Lawyers.” 

The presenters will include moderator David Hofstein of Phila - 

del phia and panelist Rick Campbell, AAML Fellow from Georgia. 

Marriage is 

our last, best chance 

to grow up. 

B.A. BILLINGSLY

South Carolina 


On December 1, 2006, the South Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of 

Matrimonial Lawyers held its annual Holiday Dinner at the Woodcreek Farms 

Country Club in Columbia, South Carolina. Fun was had by all. 

Heidi Golden attended as a special invitee. Fellow J. Mark 

Taylor presented Heidi with a CD of remarks made by Chapter 

Fellows and others at the 2006 Hot Tips Seminar, held soon after 

Fellow Harvey L. Golden passed away. After remarks by Heidi, 

the group was treated to a showing of the excerpted remarks 

regarding Harvey. Many thanks to Fellow J. Mark Taylor for 

making these arrangements. 

As has been the tradition of the South Carolina Chapter, two 

Harvey L. Golden Family Law Student of the Year Awards were 

presented to outstanding law students. The first award was presented 

by Fellow J. Mark Taylor and Heidi Golden to Melissa 

K. Moore, a 2006 graduate of the Walter F. George School of 

Law at Mercer University. 

“Missy” was a third year reciprocal student at the University of 

South Carolina School of Law through May 2006 and graduated 

Magna Cum Laude from Lander University, where she was also 

actively involved with a school district mentoring program and 

Meals on Wheels. She has continued her community involvement 

as a recent graduate and has already committed membership 

in the Family Law Section of the South Carolina Bar. 

The second Harvey L. Golden Family Law Student of the 

Year Award was presented to a Charleston School of Law 

student, Adam J. Whiting. Adam is a third-year law student at 

the Charleston School of Law. Adam had originally begun law 

school at the University of South Carolina School of Law, but 

had to withdraw due to cancer. 

While in the process of deciding whether or not to return to 

law school, Adam went to work for Fellow James T. McLaren’s 

law office, where he was soon put in charge of discovery and 

assisting with litigation support. After having his fire re-lit, Adam 

returned to law school, this time at the Charleston School of Law 

in Charleston, South Carolina. 

Three Fellows were then honored for their appointments and 

achievements in the last year. First, Fellow John O. McDougall 

was honored for his election to Secretary and Officer of the 

International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, U.S.A. Chapter, 

and as Secretary and Board Member of the AAML Foundation. 

Fellow James T. McLaren was honored for his election to 

Secretary and Executive Committee of the AAML, and as a Board 

Member of the AAML Foundation. 

Fellow Pamela E. Deal was honored for her appointment to 

the AAML Board of Governors. 


The Chapter was then favored by the remarks of Sharon 

Williams of the USC School of Law, who is the Associate 

Director of the University of South Carolina School of Law Nelson, 

Mullins, Riley & Scarborough Center on Professionalism project. 

Sharon was followed by remarks from her husband, the Hon. H. 

Bruce Williams, Judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals, 

who previously served as a Family Court Judge. Both spoke on 

civility, professionalism, and collegiality in the practice of law. 

The incoming President of the Chapter was then sworn in by 

President Thomas M. Bultman and the slate of Officers was 

installed by the Chapter as follows: 

■ Jack W. Lawrence, President 

■ Timothy E. Madden, President Elect 

■ Thomas M. Bultman, Immediate Past President 

■ Robert N. Rosen, Vice President 

■ Michael W. Self, Sr., Secretary 

■ Diane C. Current, Treasurer 

■ Pamela E. Deal (2008), National Delegate 

■ J. Mark Taylor (2009–2010), National Delegate 

Virginia 


The Virginia Chapter has joined with the Family Legal Assistance Project (FLAP), 

established by the Fairfax Bar Pro Bono Program, to form a unique alliance 

designed to help those most in need of family law pro bono services with 

representation by leading family lawyers in Virginia. 

FLAP is the only free low-income legal service program in the 

Northern Virginia area available to handle family law matters that 

are not otherwise accepted by the local legal aid providers due to 

conflicts, case priorities, insufficient staffing or other reasons. 

In October 2005, AAML Fellow Dennis Hottell presented 

the idea of the Virginia Chapter of the AAML partnering with 

FLAP to provide pro bono representation in complex family law 

cases. Virginia’s AAML enthusiastically adopted a resolution to 

create the Virginia AAML Pro Bono Project in recognition of the 

disparity be tween indigent and low-income people and their 

access to justice. 

The Virginia AAML pro bono partnership matches indigent 

and low-income clients with complex family law matters with 

experienced AAML Fellows, who provide full legal representation 

of matters that may include divorce, custody, child support, 

spousal support, and adoption. 

We are proud to report that each Virginia AAML Fellow has 

agreed to accept at least one pro bono case per year. 


AAML FOUNDATION NEWS 

Looking to Increase Passionate Giving 

To and From the AAML Foundation 

by Arnold H. Rutkin 

Westport, Connecticut 

The officers and Board of Directors of the Foundation are pleased to update 

all Foundation members and members of the Academy. The Officers and 

Board of Directors have two major meetings each year: the annual and spring 

meetings with bi-monthly conference calls in between. 

The Officers this year are: Suzie Thorn, President; 

Brian Webb, President-Elect; John MacDougall, Secretary; 

Joanne Ross Wilder, Treasurer; Anita I. Rodarte, Assistant 

Treasurer; Suzanne Harris, Counsel. 

The purpose of this particular article is to reacquaint you 

with our mission. The reason for the Foundation to exist is the 

gift of giving. But how do we make these important decisions? 

Each year, grants are invited and solicited by the Foundation 

from various organizations that are devoted to the well-being 

of children. All the in come that is earned is disbursed in accordance 

with the grants and as required by law; the organizations 

that receive this money are extremely appreciative. Some of the 

grant recipients are: 

■ Alliance for Children’s Rights 

Los Angeles, California 

■ Calm Waters Center for Children 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 

■ Center for Violence Prevention & Recovery 

Boston, Massachusetts 

■ Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Chicago, Illinois 

■ Chrysalis Minneapolis, Minnesota 

■ City Bar Justice Center New York, New York 

■ Clearfield County League on Social Services, Inc. 

Clearfield, Pennsylvania 

■ Coalition for Family Justice 

Irvington-on-the-Hudson, New York 

■ DePaul University College of Law 


■ Emerge Cambridge, Massachusetts 

■ Family Law CASA of King County 

Seattle, Washington 

■ International Commission on Couple 

and Family Relations Trust Kent England 

■ Virginia Poverty Law Center, Inc. 

Richmond, Virginia 


We get heart warming letters of thanks from all our grantees. 

This letter is from the The New York Society for the Prevention 

of Cruelty to Children: 

“This donation will enable us to continue our amazing 

work at finding permanency for children who have 

been in the foster care system for far too long.” 

Anita Rodarte heads up the Grants Committee. This committee 

must go through the many grant requests we receive in order 

to recommend to the board and executive committee who will 

receive the funds. If any members know of particular organizations 

in your communities that might welcome applying for a 

grant, please contact Anita Rodarte or Suzie Thorn. 

Fundraising is an ongoing priority and the life blood of the 

Foundation. At the annual meeting, the Fundraising Committee 

has a cocktail party. We hope to expand the scope of that gathering 

this year. We will also continue with the raffle and silent auction at 

the annual meeting. We all appreciate the hard work of David 

Hofstein and Maria Cognetti at the annual meeting and request 

additional volunteers. 

We are considering a new event at the annual meeting—a live 

auction. Many of us feel that a live auction will be great fun and 

will create added. (We will be contacting you again concerning this.) 

This year we plan to increase the visibility of fundraising. The 

Fundraising Committee is comprised of George Stern, Stephen 

Arnold and Arnold Rutkin. We want to raise the consciousness 

of our members to the many charitable options that exist. 

Each day a wonderful event such as a graduation, wedding, 

anniversary, bar- and bat-mitzvah, Christenings, and other celebrations, 

occur in our lives that could be memorialized in a 

donation to the Foundation. Sadly, life hands us other events 

that also might suggest a donation of remembrance to the 

Founda tion. These remembrances and special events are always 

noted in the Newsletter. 

We believe that many of us are very thankful for the financial 

rewards our profession has given us and especially the importance 

of being a member of the AAML. 

We believe making a significant gift—$10,000 or more—to 

the Foundation in our own estate plans would be an appropriate 

way of thanking the Academy and the profession. We will be 

sending out appropriate language for use in a will, trust or

codicil and hope you will 

see fit to incorporate this new 

way of giving back. 

The Fundraising Com mit tee 

has undertaken a new initiative 

to raise $500,000 in the 

next 18 months. We have 

al ready begun raising this 

money in order to in crease our 

income and be able to help so 

many other worthwhile organ - 

i zations that help children. 

Lawyers—and family 

lawyers, in particular—are 

among the most generous 

people on earth. We give of 

ourselves every day over and 

above the fee-generating 

aspect of what we do. As a 

Foundation believe that our 

collective voice as an organization 

is an opportunity. We 

hope you will help us with 

this initiative. 

Many of us have clients 

with great wealth. Some of 

them have charitable foundations 

that are looking for 

places and organizations to 

place their funds. We hope 

you will be mindful of this 

and make an inquiry so that 

some one from the Foundation 

might call your client 

to discuss a gift. Being able to 

give a gift is itself a gift which 

is why family foundations 

exist. We ask that you please 

send George Stern, Steve 

Arnold or Arnold Rutkin 

the names and telephone 

numbers of potential donors. 

We are very proud of 

the number of Life Members; 

our goal is to have every 

member of the Academy be a 

Life Member. We look forward 

to seeing you at the Annual 

Meeting and wish you all 

good health and happiness. 

Foundation Donations 

as of May 23, 2007 

Foundation 

AAML 

If you would like to make a 

contribution to the AAML 

Foundation, please call or 

write to the following: 

LORRAINE WEST, 

Administrator 

AAML FOUNDATION 

150 No. Michigan Avenue, 

Suite 2040 

Chicago, Illinois 60601 

PHN 312.263.6477 

FAX 312.263.7682 

EML office@aaml.org 

■ Lifetime Members 

Thomas J. Kasper 

Elizabeth Green Lindsey 

Ronald A. Witmer 

■ General Donations 

Laila Kolodny 

■ In Honor of Joseph DuCanto’s 

80th Birthday 

David Dolowitz 

Jerome & Elaine Levin 

■ In Memory of 

Joel Bernbaum’s Father 



Mark Dischell’s Father 



Laura Gitlin-Petlak 

Davis, Friedman, Zavett, Kane, 

Macrae, Marcus & Rubens LLP 

David Dolowitz 

Donn Fullenweider 

Dianna Gould-Saltman 

Illinois Chapter 

Jerome & Elaine Levin 

Tom & Leslie Ries 

Gary Schlesinger 

Stern & Edlin Law Firm 



Sylvia Hendler-Passen 

Alton Abramowitz 

& Susan Gorelick 

Sarah Eldrich 


Barbara Runge 


Ronald Poepplein 

Alton Abramowitz 

& Susan Gorelick 

■ In Memory of Nathan Small, 

Eileen Ferro’s Father 

Michael & Royce Hendler 


Barbara Runge 


Thomas Wolfrum 

Application 

TO: Lorraine J. West, Executive Director, AAML FOUNDATION 

150 No. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2040, Chicago, Illinois 60601 

I enclose a check payable to the AAML FOUNDATION: 

✔ 

■ $1,500. Life Foundation Membership 

■ $250. Life Foundation Membership 

■ 

I pledge to con trib ute $250 each year for the next nine years. 

$___________________ General Contribution 

I understand this is separate and apart from my mem ber ship in 

the American Academy of Mat ri mo nial Lawyers. 

SIGNATURE ____________________________________________________ 

NAME ________________________________________________________ 

(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE) 

ADDRESS ______________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________ 

FAX (____________) ____________ – __________________ 

PHONE (____________) ____________ – __________________ 

E-MAIL ________________________________________________________ 



Come to La Costa! 

It’s not too early to 

mark your calendars 

for March 5–8, 2008 for 

the next exciting AAML 

Mid winter meeting, to 

be held at the fabulous 

La Costa Resort and Spa 

in Carlsbad, California. 

After a $140 million 

reno vation program, La 

Costa is once again setting 

the standard for resorts. The 

Resort offers an all new spa 

for the ultimate in relaxation. 

You will experience LaCosta’s 

usual superb service and 

casual elegance, only now 

villa rooms and suites are a luxurious addition. The two 

golf courses, first-rate tennis courts and elegant meeting 

facilities are outstanding. 

LaCosta is a very family-friendly destination. The Resort also now includes a Teen 

Lounge—Vibz, La Costa's exclusive new teenspace, and a Kids’ Club—Kidtopia, 6,000 

square feet of world-class adventure that serves children from six months to twelve years. 

The Club offers memorable age appropriate activities and sports and the latest in technology. 

So don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to greet new and old friends and get the best in 

continuing legal education. 

AMERICAN ACADEMY 

OF MAT RI MO NIAL LAWYERS 

150 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2040 


Pre-Sort Standard 

U.S. Postage 

P A I D 

Walnut, CA 

Permit No. 50 

NEWSLETTER OF THE 

American Academy 

of Mat ri mo nial Law yers 

PUBLISHED PERIODICALLY BY THE 

AMERICAN ACAD E MY 

OF MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS 

150 North Michigan Avenue, 

Suite 2040 


PHN 312.263.6477 

FAX 312.263.7682 

E-MAIL office@aaml.org 

© 2007, AAML. American Academy of 

Matrimonial Lawyers 

S UBMIT MATERIAL FOR PUBLICATION TO: 

KENNETH P. A LTSHULER, ESQ. 

257 Deering Avenue 

Portland, Maine 04103 

PHN 207.773.0275 

FAX 207.772.6723 

E-MAIL kpa@maine.rr.com 

PRESIDENT 

Gaetano Ferro, Connecticut 

PRESIDENT-ELECT 

James A. Hennenhoefer, California 

FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT 

Gary L. Nickelson, Texas 

V ICE PRESIDENTS 

Alton L. J. Wade Harrison, New York 

Kenneth P. Altshuler, Maine 

Maria Cognetti, Pennsylvania 

Joslin Davis, North Carolina 

Marlene E. Moses, Tennessee 

Linda Lea Viken, South Dakota 

TREASURER 

G. Thomas Vick, Texas 

S ECRETARY 

James T. McLaren, South Carolina 

I MMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT 

Cheryl Lynn Hepfer, Maryland 

PAST-PRESIDENT 

Barbara Handschu, New York 

C OUNSEL 

Arthur E. Balbirer, Connecticut 

PARLIAMENTARIAN 

Joan F. Kessler, Wisconsin 

EXECUTIVE D IRECTOR 

Lorraine J. West 

N EWSLETTER STAFF 

Kenneth P. Altshuler, Maine 

Editor 

Patricia Lasher, Texas 

Proofreader 

PHOTOS BY 

Cheryl Lynn Hepfer, Maryland

American Academy of Mat ri mo nial Law yers

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