www.LouisvilleDivorce.com News-This is an advertisement
www.LouisvilleDivorce.com News-This is an advertisement
Our “about” page was initially submitted to the Bar and resubmitted when modified. Because this post contains content similar to what may be found on a law firm website, we are submitting it to the Bar Association under the advertising rules. We will rarely use this blog to “advertise”, but there has been so much happening at Diana L. Skaggs + Associates that I would really like to use this venue to share it with you. If you’re not interested, move on to the next post and be assured you will not see another like this for a long time.
With sweaty palms, weak knees, a flip-flopping stomach, and fear of fainting, Michelle presented her first CLE seminar October 26, 2006 at the LBA: “Personal Goodwill-Is Whether It Is Divisible Marital Property Settled in Kentucky?” Of course such a topic drew the most experienced, sophisticated practitioners to attend, making the apprehension worse. As the seminar got rolling, however, PowerPoint and all, Michelle reported that it was great fun and the audience was kind in its comments to her. Just as the ABA Family Law Trial Practice Institute ordeal about which Michelle posted here bolstered her skills and confidence, this inaugural seminar did the same. Returning to the office after the seminar, she got busy making plans to become more active in the Louisville Bar Association Family Law Section and ultimately chair that section and to join and become active in the Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys new Domestic Law Section. Michelle will receive the www.LouisvilleDivorce.com 2006 award for “Most Courageous.” Bravo for facing your fears and conquering them!
SANDRA G. RAGLAND
Jefferson Circuit Court, Family Division Judge Paula Sherlock was effusive in her praise of Sandy to the Family Court Forum audience last month. Judge Sherlock is running a weekly pilot project each Tuesday evening for her pro se docket, so litigants who cannot afford attorneys can come to court without missing work. Sandy has faithfully appeared every Tuesday to mediate these cases, with most litigants leaving the courtroom with a signed agreement and a court order in place.
Sandy has also tirelessly worked with the Kentucky Family Law Network, Inc., the Louisville area interdisciplinary collaborative family law group. Whether the meetings are at 7:30 a.m. or 6:00 p.m., Sandy is always present, and serves on the organizations’ executive committee. Most of her work is very much behind the scenes, so few beyond the executive committee know of her tireless work promoting this organization and the collaborative process in which she passionately believes.
For these efforts, Sandy will receive the www.LouisvilleDivorce.com “2006 Volunteer of the Year Award.”
For those of you who do not know, Sandra Ragland was trial counsel for the husband, where the wife was held to be equitably estopped from denying her husband’s paternity of the child whom DNA testing revealed was not biologically related. That Court of Appeals case, Hinshaw Hinshaw , is marked “to be published” but is not yet final as a Motion for Discretionary Review in the Kentucky Supreme Court is pending. She was also wrote the appellate brief for Downing v. Downing, 45 S.W.2d 449 (Ky.App. 2001) which established the “three pony rule” for child support in large income cases.
INTRODUCING: SARAH J. NIELSEN
Sarah is our newest associate and we are delighted to have her. A 2002 cum laude graduate of St. Louis University School of Law, Sarah earned her undergraduate degree, cum laude, from University of Notre Dame. She comes to us from the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy. While in law school, she was an intern and court-appointed special advocate with CASA in St. Louis and a court advocate for the Center for Women and Families in Louisville.
INTRODUCING: EMILY A. HINDERLITER
A cum laude Vanderbilt grad, Emily is a law student at The Ohio State University Morris College of Law working on her JD with certificate in dispute resolution. She is a visiting student during the 2006-2007 school year at Louis D. Brandeis School of Law in Louisville and we are pleased to have her as an intern at Diana L. Skaggs + Associates. She was actually hired to be a file clerk and runner, but she is so talented that we want her to intern. She also is working with Tony Belak at the International Center for Dispute Resolution at Sullivan University. Previously she served as research assistant for Professor Cole, co-author of Mediation: Law, Policy and Practice (2d Ed. 1994) updating and organizing this treatise. Last year she also taught weekly lessons using dispute resolution techniques to a 5th grade class as a volunteer project.
www.LouisvilleDivorce.com has a complete makeover
The lawfirm website of Diana L. Skaggs + Associates was completely revamped this year. Check it out!
DIANA L. SKAGGS
2006 has been a busy year for yours truly as well. This blog was born. I received a very nice award (Family Law Practitioner of the Year) at the Louisville Bar Association, presented by Olu Stevens. I was honored and humbled by Alan T. Slyn asking me to substitute for him in presenting with retired judge Richard A. Revell the 15th Annual Domestic Relations Update. Having done it once, Alan then tapped me to take it over for good, so Judge Revell and I will again be presenting it on February 23, 2007. As you may know, Richard A. Revell and Alan T. Slyn wrote Kentucky Divorce, the practice system library published by Thompson.West and updated it annually for more than 20 years. Surprise! Alan has bequeathed that honor to me, as well, and I look forward to doing the 2007 revisions with Judge Revell. I lectured to the annual Kentucky Chapter of the AAML and LBA on “appreciated nonmarital assets-active or passive” and I filmed a “hot tip” for the national AAML to be part of an AAML video seminar next year. The topic? Blogs! As president-elect of the Kentucky Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, I will become president in January 2007 for a two year term. We have tons of great ideas in the works, and I am thrilled to try to make them happen.
In the meantime, back to work.
