Moss & Barnett's Family Law Team is Pleased to be a Gold Sponsor of AAML-MN's 2025 Divorce Camp: "Trial-Ready, Settlement-Focused: Avoid Trial by Preparing for It"
Moss & Barnett's family law team is pleased to be a Gold Sponsor of AAML-MN's 2025 Divorce Camp: "Trial-Ready, Settlement-Focused: Avoid Trial by Preparing for It," to be held September 25-28, 2025, at Madden's On Gull Lake, in Brainerd, Minnesota.
No matter how hard we work to help families get cases settled, we also know that there is a chance that any case could end up in trial. One of the many paradoxes we face in family law is that, often, the more prepared we are to try a case, the better prepared we are to settle it. Being grounded in the facts and narrative of the case can help us find solutions for settlement we might not see otherwise. This grounding also enables us to negotiate with greater confidence along the way.
Trial experts talk about the importance of persuasion, or “getting someone else to adopt your idea as their own.” To do this effectively, we need to create a conceptual framework, a narrative about the family and the problems they face, which then helps decision makers and experts hear and understand the story from our perspective. This weekend we will focus on how to conceptualize our cases, and how to tell a compelling story through written word and testimony.
Case conceptualization and developing effective narratives are skills for everyone - especially experts! We will explore the roles experts play in family law matters, including the different types (neutral v. non-neutral), the rules that govern them, and how best to use experts in cases. Social and financial experts will provide specific teaching on writing effective reports and providing effective testimony, and we will hear from judges about what they find helpful (and unhelpful). The weekend culminates with a chance to see trial skills in action – including attorneys and experts on display. Finally, a soup-to-nuts view of this aspect of our work.
Learning Objectives: Attendees will be able to…
- Develop a cohesive, yet flexible, framework for case conceptualization that allows for incorporation of new information as it becomes available.
- Distill and effectively present relevant evidence, organize case narrative for persuasive impact.
- Develop strategies for persuasive and effective professional writing.
- Differentiate between expert roles and develop strategies for effective and ethical engagement.
- Articulate hallmarks of effective trial skills for counsel and experts.