Hello Texas collaborative attorneys!
I am the chair of the Collaborative Law Section of the State Bar of Texas this year, and on behalf of the entire CL Section Council, welcome to the 2020-2021 year!
Your council has been hard at work planning several initiatives this year, including more member benefits for YOU. This year you can expect to receive newsletters and email announcements containing informational articles and training opportunities. The council is also planning to produce broad-interest collaborative law webinars for CLE credit, FREE for members.
And finally, the council is working on ways to leverage our collaborative training, toolbox, and mindset in non-traditional settings, in order to broaden our market both in family conflict settings, and in a civil context. You might think of it as “expansion collaborative by stealth.” (See the below Work Group announcement for details.)
How can you maximize your section benefits?
First: Rejoin the CL Section if you have not already done so. You can rejoin online via your MyBarPage or by downloading this Membership Application. This is a year you will not want to miss.
Second: Mark your calendars. There are several training and CLE events listed below.
Third: Get trained. There is no substitute for formal basic training, and there has never been an easier or more cost-effective time to obtain it. If you don’t know whether you have ever received basic training, or if you’ve slept since then and have only a vague memory of it, then it is time for a refresher course! I’ve completed basic training twice, and the second was even more valuable to me than the first.
Fourth: Get involved. Perhaps you have a passion for compiling newsletters (you never know until you ask!) We are looking for volunteers for our Work Group. We are also looking for volunteers to conduct webinars and submit newsletter articles. Do you have a great CLE presentation that you would like to share on a statewide platform? Do you have a great CLE that would easily translate into an article? Bonus benefit – the more your name gets out on the internet connected to CL Section activities, the more likely it is that your next collaborative client will find you.
If you have something to contribute, talent or time, please contact me.
This will be a great year to be a member in the Collaborative Law Section! I’ll see you soon.
Regards,
Laura R. Schlenker, Chair
214-923-5071
Collaborative Law Section
State Bar of Texas
Family Law Basic Training Opportunity
Collaborative Divorce Texas Introduces Virtual
Basic Collaborative Interdisciplinary Training
November 12-13 and November 19-20
To meet the demand for basic training, Collaborative Divorce Texas is holding its first Virtual Basic Interdisciplinary Training with trainers from around the state. We hope you will join us remotely with other collaborative minded professionals on the following dates!
Dates and Times
Session One: Thursday, November 12 – Friday November 13
Thursday: 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. CST
Friday: 8:30 a.m. – Noon CST
Session Two: Thursday, November 19 – Friday, November 20
Thursday: 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. CST
Friday: 8:30 a.m. – Noon CST
Participants must attend both sessions to receive credit for the training.
Tuition
Early bird rate (through 11:59 p.m. Oct. 30)
$149 for Collaborative Divorce Texas members
$199 for non section members $25 for law students
Regular rate (Oct. 31 – 5 p.m. Nov. 5)
$199 for Collaborative Divorce Texas members
$249 for non section members $30 for law students
REGISTER HERE
Brochure/Training Information
Civil Law Training Opportunity
- Date TBD: Watch for announcement of Virtual Basic and Advanced Civil Training, produced by the Global Collaborative Council. For more information and resources for Civil Collaborative Law, visit here.
Hold the Date
- March 4-5, 2021: TexasBarCLE 14th Annual Collaborative Law Course 2021 (webcast only)
Register for webcast - June 17-18, 2021: State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting (tentative)
Omni Hotel and Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth
June 18: Collaborative Law Section CLE
Volunteer for NEW Work Group
The section is forming a Design & Evaluation Work Group.
We need volunteers. Persons desiring to volunteer should submit their name and resume to the Work Group chair, Richard Shannon. The deadline for submission is November 30.
Vision: Design enhancements to the collaborative law practice model to make it
(1) more accessible to a broader demographic, and
(2) a more attractive conflict resolution method in the private free market. This is an exciting project intended to produce ground-breaking outcomes. Can the private market outperform the traditional courts in producing conflict resolution that is more cost effective, faster, more durable with higher satisfaction of participants?
Qualified Volunteers: Collaboratively trained attorneys (both civil and family), collaboratively trained neutral professionals (both financial and mental health), academic professionals with expertise in conflict resolution and decision-making theory, and mediators. The group will be intentionally limited in size and diverse in areas of expertise.