Any sailor will tell you that being able to anchor a ship is important to the crew and guests. Anchoring your law firm is equally important to your clients and your business. Learn how to do just that in the session, “Anchoring Your Divorce and Bankruptcy Practice,” on Saturday, October 8th from 8:30 am-9:30 am. 

Here’s a fun look at what you’ll discuss in this sessions with Ian Falcone and Sandy Karlan: 

There’s a hole in my boat!  The stay doesn’t stay everything,

Keep it above board.  Reviewing divorce forms to protect your client from committing bankruptcy fraud.

Over a Barrel: Dischargeability Issues

Any port in a storm:  Who determines whether an award is a dischargeable?

Dead Reckoning:  What determines whether an award is dischargeable?

Give me some slack:  Learn the importance of language contained in the divorce decree

Batten down the hatches:  Protecting attorney’s fees in discharge proceedings.

Presenters:

Ian Falcone

The Falcone Law Firm, P.C.

Ian M. Falcone is a Senior Attorney with more than 20 years of legal experience with The Falcone Law Firm, P.C. located in Marietta, Georgia. The practice focuses on complex bankruptcy matters involving intertwined corporate and personal debt situations, tax liabilities and divorce related obligations. Mr. Falcone also handles contested and uncontested divorces,child support modifications, contempt cases, as well as small business representation and litigation.Mr. Falcone received his Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Engineering at Tufts University in 1989 and his Juris Doctor from Albany Law School in 1992. He has served as President of the Bankruptcy Section of the Cobb County Bar, President of the Solo and Small Firm Section of the Cobb County Bar, is a member of the Family Law Section of the Cobb County Bar, a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA), and a member of the Metro Atlanta Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney Group. He maintains a bankruptcy blog: BK Beyond the Basics which can be found at http://falconefirm.blogspot.com.

Sandy Karlan

Retired Circuit Court Judge, Center for Conflict Resolution

Sandy Karlan is certified by The Florida Supreme Court as a family court mediator and is board certified by The Florida Bar in Marital and Family Law.  She is the author of a chapter on Bankruptcy for the Matthew Bender six-volume series on Florida Family Law and is currently a commentator on bankruptcy law for The Florida Family Law Reporter published by Matthew Bender.  She has also written numerous articles and lectured on bankruptcy and family law, and is regularly invited to teach at Judicial College.

Sandy Karlan was appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles to the Circuit Court in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Miami-Dade County where she served for almost 20 years until December 2014. During that time, she also served as the Administrative Judge of the Family Division. As Administrative Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit’s Family Division, Sandy Karlan was responsible for projects including coordination between the Court and Department of Revenue regarding child support matters.  She also helped to develop KidSide, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing funding for Family Court Services.

For several years, Sandy Karlan was a member of the Florida Supreme Court’s Family Court Steering Committee, which developed the model family court and the Florida Supreme Court adopted the model in May 2001.  She was Chair of the Florida Bar Commission on the Legal Needs of Children, which studied the needs of children who appear in all divisions of Florida courts and produced a comprehensive report documenting the unmet legal needs of children, including recommendations to meet those needs in areas such as representation and confidentiality.  That report provided a blueprint for changes that have subsequently been implemented.

Her recent appointment, as a member of the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet was made by Governor Rick Scott. The Cabinet’s statutory purpose is to ensure that services for children and youth are coordinated between state agencies and delivered to improve the quality of life for Florida’s children.

Sandy Karlan received her Juris Doctor degree in 1978 with honors from the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University.  In private practice for 17 years, she specialized in bankruptcy and family law.

Sandy Karlan received numerous awards throughout her career including the Greater Miami Jewish Federation Community Service Award and Legal Services of Greater Miami has created the Judge Sandy Karlan Law Student Fellowship in her honor.  She is currently a board member and past President of the Florida Chapter of the Association of Family & Conciliation Courts (FLAFCC) and a member of the International Women’s Forum.