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:
This course originally appeared as a part of our February 2019 Bridge the Gap event.
For over 20 years, Carl Soranno has focused his legal practice on counseling and representing a wide range of clients with complex litigation matters. Carl has litigated nearly a thousand large and small actions, including disputes related to commercial transactions, contracts-debtor/creditor, commercial lending/workouts, foreclosure, bankruptcy, trademark infringement, consumer fraud, employment, shareholder claims, restrictive covenant claims and tort-related actions. He also has a wealth of family law experience gained throughout his career.
Carl is the Chair of the firm's Family Law practice. He represents high-net-worth individuals in contested and uncontested divorce actions, which include issues related to complex property division, valuation of closely held businesses and executive compensation packages, alimony support, and tax-related matters. His practice includes the successful litigation or dispute resolution of cases concerning custody, parenting time, relocation, and domestic violence cases. Whether the matter is large or small, Carl brings substantial experience to his clients' matrimonial matters.
Carl's skill set also includes the representation of physicians in connection with their matrimonial matters. As a result of Brach Eichler's leadership position within the health care industry, Mr. Soranno has had the opportunity to represent a number of physicians involved in matrimonial disputes and divorce. These matters are unique; wherein they present complex or difficult issues of privacy, celebrity status, licensing, limitation on public disclosure and an impact a divorce may have on a physician's medical practice, surgical center interests, and/or the valuation and distribution of those interests. Mr. Soranno can also advise clients in connection with protecting those business interests through careful planning prior to the marriage in the event of a divorce later.
Carl is also an effective negotiator, with experience in all forums of alternative dispute resolution including actions before the National Association of Securities Dealers, American Arbitration Association, and other associations, including the collaborative divorce process. In addition to handling trial and appellate-level cases on both the state and federal level, Carl has resolved numerous disputes through arbitration, mediation, early settlement and blue-ribbon panels, and has negotiated many settlement agreements, marital separation agreements, prenuptial, post-nuptial agreements and all matters of agreements involving commercial and business-related issues, including licensing agreements. As part of his family practice, Carl advises clients regarding pension and retirement plans, stock options and grants, trusts, limited partnerships, closely held corporations, valuation of business, and professional licenses.
Kelley is an Associate of the Family Law and Litigation Practice Groups. Prior to joining Brach Eichler, Kelley served as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Peter J. Tober, J.S.C. in the New Jersey Superior Court, Family Division, from March 2014 to August 2015.
Mia Stollen focuses on family law including matters involving divorce, custody, spousal support, child support, and equitable distribution. Mia also handles individual and corporate litigation matters.
Prior to joining Brach Eichler, Mia worked as a Law Clerk for the Hon. Donald A. Kessler, J.S.C. in the New Jersey Superior Court, Family Division.
An excellent presentation! Thank you very much!
One of the most useful and straight forward presentations yet!
very informative and interesting; thank you!
Really good interplay between all presenters. Good use of examples. Well done.
Very good panel with practical experience around BATNAs in specific situations. Written materials a bit soft.
Great panel. Informative and interesting.
Excellent energetic program with lots of useful practical information in negotiating family law issues.
Good program
Really good one
Excellent presentation
All the speakers were great, I liked the panel setup.
Good job
Great teamwork
Not an area I ever plan to practice in, but there were some fascinating pictures of human psychology. What a piece of work is man!
Great class. Best so far
Great course. The speakers were very clear and gave many realistic and useful examples.
great program!
easy to listen to, excellent interchange among the attorneys
All of your instructors are very knowledgeable. I have learned alot.
Helpful course.
Excellent. Instructors were very pleasant and interesting!
Really appreciated their understanding of parties' emotions.
excellent presentation and Topic
Informative
I like that the presenters ranged from senior partner to associate.
As a lawyer who doesn’t practice in this space presentation was very informative and kept my attention. The negotiating strategies are also value add in other disciplines.
Presenters were well-versed.
Terrific
Nice introduction to negotiation tactics for family law.
Good team work. With matrimonial cases, it takes a village.