Negotiation Skills in Family Practice

Family law cases, particularly divorces, are frequently resolved through a negotiated settlement. Strong negotiating techniques are invaluable to ensuring your client obtains a favorable outcome. Unlike negotiations in other practice areas, matrimonial cases involve unique difficulties, such as charged emotions, or frequent contact between the parties because of a shared home or parenting time schedule. To tackle these difficulties, attorneys must have an understanding of their client's interests as well as the various methods they can employ to obtain those interests. The course will explore and evaluate basic negotiation skills and techniques that form the backbone of conflict resolution as well as the  specific issues family law practitioners or mediators may face.

This program, presented by Carl J. Soranno, Mia Stollen, and Kelley Rutkowski of Brach Eichler, LLC, addresses various methods to prepare the case and the client for negotiation, tools for an effective negotiation, strategies to address and navigate around impasse and conflict, with practical examples from the viewpoint of both the mediator and the attorney representing a client.

Learning Objectives:

1. Distinguish the differences between family law negotiations and other litigation
2. Prepare yourself and your client for the negotiation
3. Discuss strategies during negotiation and apply strategies to a variety of scenarios
4. Handle an impasse or failed negotiation
   

This course originally appeared as a part of our February 2019 Bridge the Gap event.