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    Steve Molinsek, Albany

Spring Seminar

The Equitable Distribution Course

From Statutory Fundamentals to Recent Decisions

A MatLaw Divorce Economics Institute
7 CLE Credits 
Approval Pending

Streaming in June!

Back by Popular Demand - Updated and Better Than Ever!!!

Whether you’re new to the field and looking for a roadmap, or a seasoned practitioner wanting to review some of the more challenging aspects of equitable distribution, this is the course for you!

Agenda

Program Agenda

I. Marital and Separate Property: Recurrent Classification Issues

  1. Presumptions and Burdens
  2. Tracing and the ‘No Alternative Source’ Rule
  3. Appreciation Analysis
  4. Transmutation Doctrine

 II. Asset Valuation

  1. Duty to Value
  2. Burden of Proof
  3. Valuation Date Issues
  4. Judicial Approaches to Valuation

III.  Distribution Issues

  1. Judicial Mindsets: The Economic Partnership
  2. Factor Analysis – Contribution vs. Need
  3. Distribution Strategies

IV.  Valuation of Closely-Held Businesses and Professional Practices: The Methodologies

  1. Capitalization Theory; Excess Earnings
  2. Marketability Restrictions and Valuation Discounts
  3. Working with Valuation Experts

V.  What You Need to Know About QDRO’s:

  1. The Correct Approach to QDROs
  2. Effective Settlement Agreements
  3. Common Mistakes and Best Practices

 VI. Pretrial Disclosure: Getting the Evidence to Prove Your Case

  1. How to Get the Evidence You Need
  2. Strategic Use of Article 31 Devices
  3. Working with Your Experts

Faculty

Timothy Tippins Esq.

Timothy M. Tippins, Esq. is an adjunct professor at Albany Law School and serves on the faculty of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology and on the Affiliate Postdoctoral Forensic Faculty at St. John’s University. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor of Forensic Psychology at Siena College. He is a private practitioner who has engaged in matrimonial and family law practice since 1975 and devotes his practice exclusively to serving as trial counsel and consultant to other family law practitioners on a nationwide basis, with special emphasis on the presentation and cross-examination of expert mental health testimony. Tippins has served in all major professional leadership positions in the New York family law community, including President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers - New York Chapter, Chair of the NYSBA Family Law Section, and Chair of the NYSBA Task Force on Family Law. Tippins is a regular feature columnist for the New York Law Journal and is the author of the multi-volume treatise New York Matrimonial Law & Practice (West Publishing).

Company Name: MatLaw Systems Corp.
E-mail: tmtippins@matlaw.com

Lauren Deluca Esq.

Lauren K. DeLuca, Esq. is a Partner in LaClair & DeLuca, PLLC, a practice located in Albany, New York which is limited to matrimonial and family law. Since graduating from Albany Law School in 2010, she has been engaged in private practice focused on complex matrimonial and custody litigation and related family law matters. Ms. DeLuca is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Albany County Bar Association. In addition to her practice, Ms. DeLuca is a regular presenter at MatLaw Seminar-Publishing’s Continuing Legal Education Programs, and has guest lectured frequently at Albany Law School, and is co-author of “The Custody Evaluator Meets Hearsay: A Star-Crossed Romance,” published in the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

atlaw.com

Michael J. Raymond, CPA, ABV, CFF

Michael J. Raymond,  is a partner whose practice is dedicated solely to the valuation and litigation support niche. He has more than 21 years of experience in public accounting, both as a financial expert and as an auditor.

Offering significant experience across a broad range of business valuation and litigation support services, he specializes in the areas of business valuation, personal and commercial economic damage calculation, and stock option valuation in litigation matters, including divorce, shareholder/partner disputes, personal injury, and contract litigation. Mike also performs business valuations in the context of mergers, acquisitions, and estate and gift tax matters. He has personally been involved in more than 750 independent businesses, professional practice, stock options, license and advanced degree valuations, and lost earnings analyses.

In addition, Mike has been court-appointed as a neutral expert for the New York State Supreme Court, in New York, Albany and Schenectady counties, as well as for Courts in the United Kingdom. He has testified and been qualified as an expert in New York State Supreme Court in Westchester, Rockland, Richmond, Orange, Franklin, and Onondaga counties. He is Accredited in Business Valuation and Certified in Financial Forensics by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is a frequent lecturer on the topic of business valuation for attorneys and has authored numerous articles on the subject.

Denisa Tova-Liebman, CFP, CDFA, CQS, MBA;

Denisa Tova-Liebman Founder & CEO, TOVA QDRO & RETIREMENT VALUATORS.  Denisa is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Certified QDRO Specialist (CQS™), Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA™), and brings nearly 20 years of experience working with matrimonial attorneys. She has assisted in hundreds of matrimonial matters both in the US and internationally. Her unique financial background allows her to provide expertise in the areas of retirement asset valuation, tracing analysis to determine marital/non-marital components, QDRO preparation, drafting of settlement language that comports to the provisions of the retirement plans, and consulting on settlement options of retirement assets. In addition to ‘standard’ QDROs, she has prepared and consulted on complex DROs for various supplemental/excess non-qualified plans for highly compensated executives. Denisa is also a recognized QDRO / Pension Valuation expert for the UK lawyers and the Courts and her expert report and pension sharing orders have been accepted by the UK Courts. She is frequently appointed by US and UK lawyers to perform analysis and valuation of retirement assets, draft settlement language and provide options for equitable distribution settlements.

Denisa has been qualified and has testified as an expert in New York Supreme Court 9th judicial district. She also consults attorneys in foreign jurisdictions on the valuation of retirement assets. Her pension sharing and QDRO work has been accepted by the UK Courts.

Denisa harnesses her extensive expertise to educate divorce practitioners through a series of monthly educational programs, that have also been provided as continuing legal education for various legal organizations including the Matrimonial Bar Associations, Collaborative Law Associations, and Mediation Associations, as well as private law firms and judges both within the US and internationally. Further solidifying her role as a thought leader in the field, she initiated the "Beyond the Bar" video podcast series, where she engages with legal luminaries, offering deep insights and fostering a personal connection within the professional community. Before establishing her presence in New York, Denisa was a recognized financial expert on television, appearing on prominent platforms such as NBC, ABC affiliates, and Fox News in Colorado, where she adeptly simplified complex financial topics for a wider audience.