Committee on
Children and the Law 2018
Understanding Family Law Judges:
Wellness,
Bias, and Other Perils of the Profession
Robert J. Schack Memorial Program
Friday,
January 26, 2018 | New York Hilton Midtown | NYC
3.5 Total Credits:
1.0 Law Practice Management, 1.5 Diversity, Inclusion, and Implicit Bias, 1.0 Professional Practice (Transitional)
Judges face stresses unlike those that they experienced as lawyers: isolation; the often stilted relationship with non-judges; intense constraints on spontaneity in speaking, writing, and even daily living; the inability to respond to criticism; and threats and even violence. Family Law Judges face additional stresses because of the intense nature of the disputes over which they preside and the dangers of erroneous decisions. Judges need to understand these special stresses in order to manage them effectively, and practitioners need to avoid exasperation from the great power granted to judges presiding over their cases.
Judges and lawyers both face challenges based on identity differences and unconscious phenomena such as implicit bias and racial anxiety. This presentation will draw upon research from the mind sciences to demonstrate how these factors can affect our decision-making and interactions, and pose a risk to objectivity and fairness in the justice system. The presenters will share evidence-based strategies to align behavior with values and promote fairness in the courtroom. We will have pointers on helping judges, helping family lawyers understand judges, and helping these lawyers manage similar stresses in their practices, all with the goal of improving the judicial system by working to do justice while assuring the participants of the integrity and effectiveness of the system.
PROGRAM
9:00 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
New York Hilton Midtown
Beekman | Second Floor
1335 Avenue of the Americas
Between 53rd and 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
COMMITTEE CHAIR
David J. Lansner, Esq., Lansner & Kubitschek, Brooklyn
PROGRAM CHAIR
George E. Reed, Jr., Esq., White Plains
PROGRAM FACULTY
Hon. Gerald Lebovits
Jessica MacFarlane, MPH
George E. Reed, Jr., Esq.
Hon. Gayle P. Roberts
Click here to view the program flyer.
Program Agenda
9:00 a.m. – 9:05 a.m.
Welcome and Opening Remarks
George E. Reed, Jr., Esq.
9:05 a.m. – 9:55 a.m.
Family Law Judges: Managing and Understanding Stresses of the Position
- The Constraint of Judicial Correctness
- The Pressure of Time
- Anger, Disrespect, Result-Based Complaints and other Hallmarks of Unsuccessful Family Law Litigants
- Isolation and its Effects
- Wellness Resources for Judges and Lawyers
Hon. Gerald Lebovits
(1.0 MCLE Credit; 1.0 Professional Practice)
Understanding Bias
9:55 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
Bias from the Perspective of the Bench
- Recognizing the Role of Bias from the Bench and the Courtroom
- Guarding Against Bias in Rendering Decisions
Hon. Gayle P. Roberts
10:20 a.m. – 10: 30 a.m. Coffee Break
10:30 a.m. - 11:20 p.m.
Obstacles to Fairness: Implicit Bias, Racial Anxiety, and Stereotype Threat
- The Role of Implicit Bias, Racial Anxiety and other Unconscious Phenomena in Decision-making, including Reviewing Evidence, Recollecting Testimony, and Sentencing Decisions
- Evidence-Based Strategies to Address these Phenomena to Align Behavior with Values and Promote Fairness in the Courtroom
Jessica MacFarlane, MPH
(1.5 MCLE Credits; 1.5 Diversity, Inclusion and Implicit Bias)
11:20 p.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Different Paths to the Same Goal
- Meaningful Work: Working to Improve the Law and the Administration of Justice
- Improving Communication between Attorneys and Judges
- Streamlining the Judge’s Work by Simplifying and Standardizing Procedure and Clerical Functions
George E. Reed, Jr., Esq.
(0.5 MCLE Credit: 0.5 in Areas of Professional Practice)
11:45 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
Panel Discussion: Understanding Family Law Judges
Hon. Gerald Lebovits
Jessica MacFarlane, MPH
George E. Reed, Jr., Esq.
Hon. Gayle P. Roberts
(0.5 MCLE Credit: 0.5 in Areas of Professional Practice)
12:10 p.m.
Adjournment
Special Note for Attorneys Representing Children and Family Court Assigned Counsel Panel Members: Attorneys for Children and Family Court (and Family Court appeals) Assigned Counsel panel members who are members of the New York State Bar Association are eligible to apply for a fee waiver for this program. If you qualify, you cannot register online. Click here to download the waiver form, attach your completed form to Annual Meeting Registration Form, and fax or mail back the completed forms to the number/address listed. To inquire about these waivers, please contact Jessica Patterson at (518) 487-5596. All waivers must be received by Friday, January 12, 2018. No waivers can be issued after the cutoff date. Please note that if you are not a member of the New York State Bar Association, the $200 nonmember surcharge cannot be waived.
