A Message From the Executive Board

September always feel like a restart button in family law. Clients return from summer schedules with new school-year parenting plan questions, extracurricular costs to reconciles and occasional “back to routine” conflict that needs your intervention. For many of us, the season means reviewing agreements, anticipating disputes, and helping families reset without escalating.  

As you all know, in this field, transitions are the name of the game. Whether it’s adjusting parenting plans for back-to-school, reviewing support agreements as expenses shift, or simply finding innovative ways to keep a family’s communication from unraveling, this season is a reminder that preparation makes all the difference.

Speaking of preparation, a quick word about technology. More people are leaning on AI tools as part of their daily practice to draft letters, track schedules, answer legal questions, and dare I say it, draft pleadings! These tools can streamline our work, but as lawyers we know that unchecked information carries risks. ALWAYS verify, analyze, review and make sure client outcomes (your license and reputation) aren’t left to chance (or to an algorithm).

As the leaves to start to fall, September is an opportunity to not only guide families through change but also to refine how we practice – giving special attention to balancing efficiency with accuracy, and innovation with diligence.