Message from the Chair

The Family Law Section offers attorneys practicing in the area of Domestic relations (child support, child custody, spousal support, and divorce), Protection From Abuse, Same-sex Rights, Dependency, Delinquency and Adoption a means of expanding and strengthening their legal knowledge on these substantive areas of the law. Masters and Judges from the two branches of Family Court will regularly attend our monthly meetings and engage with the practitioners. Our two annual social events also provide a time to network and meet with members of the family law bar and bench.

Section members also receive informational mailings to help better serve their clients, including updates on case law and legislation, as well as law practice management strategies designed to improve efficiency and save money. The section's committees give members an opportunity to focus on substantive legal issues such as adoption, custody and custody mediation, divorce and divorce mediation, domestic violence, elder law, dependency, delinquency, support/alimony and surrogacy.

Michael E. Bertin
Chair

Monthly Section Meetings

Below is a list of all Family Law Section meeting dates as well as the executive committee meeting dates. Please note that January and July meetings will be held the second Monday of those months. Also, please be advised that anyone is welcome to attend the executive committee meetings, even if you are not on the executive committee.

Section Meetings - all reserved in the 11th Floor Conference Center at Noon:

  • January 7 (Family Court, 34 S. 11th St., training room)
  • February 4
  • March 4
  • April 1
  • May 6
  • June 3
  • July 1
  • August 5
  • September 9
  • October 7
  • November 4
  • December 3

Executive Committee Meetings - all reserved in the 11th Floor Committee Room South at Noon:

  • January 17
  • February 21
  • March 21
  • April 18
  • May 16
  • June 20
  • July 18
  • August 15
  • September 19
  • October 17
  • November 21
  • December 20

Minutes & Caselaw Update

Resources & Forms

 Here you will find links to printable documents relating to various areas of Family Law. These forms and instructions were prepared under the sponsorship of the Family Law Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Family Law Section Mentoring Program

The Family Law Section is developing a Mentoring program in which an attorney less experienced in the area of Family Law can consult with an experienced Family Law attorney for guidance and support.

This program is part of our continuing dedication to improve attorney professionalism and competence.

The Section recognizes that practitioners are understandably reluctant to display any lack of knowledge or experience in this area of the law in front of clients, opposing attorneys, and/or, if they are law firm associates, senior attorneys in their firms. Experienced family law attorneys have much wisdom to impart and can help the less experienced practitioners avoid practice problems.

If you are interested in participating as a Mentor, click here. If you are interested in participating as a Mentee, click here.

If you have any questions, please contact the Chair: Joni J. Berner.

CLE discounts available!

Section members are now eligible to receive discounts for CLE programs presented by their sections under a new agreement between the Philadelphia Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Institute.

The new discount program only applies to programs proposed and presented by the sections and the various committees of those sections. It does not apply to stand-alone Bar Association committees. The discount program became effective on May 1.