Family Law

VA Specific

Top Challenges in Virginia Family Law

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Virginia CLE Approved 6 Total
OnDemand
5 hours 53 minutes
Bretta Lewis
Jennifer Babounakis
Jeanette Irby
Heather Larson Behrmann
With Bretta Z. Lewis from Pender & Coward + 3 others
Recorded October 14, 2025.
Product ID 100775

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Overview

Complex Assets, QDROs, Child and Spousal Support, Military Divorce, and More!

Resolving the wide variety of issues that must be addressed in family law can be challenging. This course will tackle some of the biggest problems in family cases, including tough discovery and evidence issues, complex assets, military divorce matters, and much more. Don't miss this opportunity to take your family law skills to the next level with these helpful tactics for overcoming key challenges - register today!

  • Explore the challenges involved with conducting complex discovery involving social media, email, and text.
  • Discover effective ways to find and untangle complex assets involved in divorce.
  • Review ways to overcome complicated problems that arise with determining child and spousal support.
  • Take the confusion out of the tricky considerations surrounding a military divorce.
  • Discuss efficient methods to confront heated custody and parenting time dilemmas.
  • Learn approaches for dealing with parental alienation and abuse allegations.

Abbreviated Agenda

  1. Complex Assets: Finding, Valuing and Dividing
  2. Military Divorce
  3. Parental Alienation and Abuse Allegations: Key Hurdles for Proving/Disproving
  4. High-Conflict Custody and Parenting Time Concerns
  5. Ethics in Family Law
  6. Overcoming Discovery and Evidence Obstacles in Family Law
  7. QDROs: Solutions to Common Challenges
  8. Child and Spousal Support: Top Issues that MUST be Addressed

Related Topics

Product ID 100775

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
Virginia CLE Approved 6 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE

Agenda

All times are shown in

  1. Complex Assets: Finding, Valuing and Dividing

    1. Commingled Separate and Marital Assets
    2. Real Property Interests
    3. Valuing and Dividing Family Business Assets
    4. Finding Hidden Assets, Income and Debt
    5. Using Forensic Accountants and Business Valuation Experts
    6. Prenuptial Agreements: Proving/Disproving Validity

  2. Military Divorce

    1. Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act Updates
    2. Current Case Law
    3. Jurisdictional Considerations
    4. Custody and Visitation Issues
    5. Child and Spousal Support
    6. Military Pension, Retirement and Benefits
    7. Survivor Benefit Plan for Retired Military Personnel
    8. Military Reservists' Retirement Benefits
    9. Survivorship and Military Disability Benefits
    10. Federal Health Benefit Concerns
    11. Contempt

  3. Parental Alienation and Abuse Allegations: Key Hurdles for Proving/Disproving

    1. Proving Alienation: Mental Health vs. Court Views
    2. Witness Examination: GALs, Parenting Coordinators and More
    3. Key Challenges in Admissibility of Evidence and Testimony
    4. Fighting Against False Allegations

  4. High-Conflict Custody and Parenting Time Concerns

    1. Negotiating/Drafting Pitfalls: Avoiding Provisions that Lead to Disputes
    2. Custody Evaluations Reports - How, What and When to Challenge
    3. UCCJEA and Relocation - Key Challenges
    4. Temporary Orders for Custody - Getting What You Want
    5. Custody Concerns in Same-Sex Couples
    6. When to Modify or Terminate the Parenting Plan

  5. Ethics in Family Law

    1. Managing Client Expectations
    2. Limited Scope Representation
    3. Dealing with Difficult Clients
    4. Researching and Preventing Conflicts of Interest
    5. Communication with Adverse Party

  6. Overcoming Discovery and Evidence Obstacles in Family Law

    1. Smart Phone, Text and Social Media Evidence - Uncovering Critical Information
    2. Balancing the Need for Information and the Cost
    3. Spoliation Pitfalls
    4. Subpoenas for Cell Phone Records and Social Media - Confronting Common Defenses
    5. Authentication and Admission Evidence Challenges

  7. QDROs: Solutions to Common Challenges

    1. Different Plans, Different Methods of Division, Difficult Difficulties
      1. Defined Benefit Plans
      2. Defined Contribution Plans
      3. Government Plans
    2. Settlement Agreement Challenges
      1. Do They Align with QDROs?
      2. Are Tax Consequences Factored In?
    3. Complications That Cause Malpractice Allegations

  8. Child and Spousal Support: Top Issues that MUST be Addressed

    1. UIFSA and Jurisdictional Issues
    2. New Tax Laws Affecting Support
    3. Imputed Income
    4. Analysis of the Current Child Support Model
    5. Arguing Spousal Support
    6. Enforcement Options
    7. Modification and Termination Procedures and Tactics
    8. Case Law Update

Who Should Attend

This advanced level online program will benefit:

  • Attorneys
  • Guardians Ad Litem and Other Child Representatives
  • Social Workers
  • Counselors
  • Paralegals

Speakers

Bretta Z Lewis
Bretta Z.
Lewis
Pender & Coward
Jennifer Babounakis
Jennifer
Babounakis
Roop Xanttopoulos Babounakis PLLC
Hon. Jeanette A Irby
Hon. Jeanette A.
Irby
Juridical Solutions PLC
Heather Larson Behrmann
Heather
Larson Behrmann
Pedersen Law PLLC
Speaker bio
Bretta Z Lewis

Bretta Z. Lewis

Pender & Coward
Bretta Lewis

is a shareholder with the Virginia Beach law firm of Pender & Coward, where she specializes in complex family law and equitable distribution matters. She has been certified as a guardian ad litem for children since 2005 and frequently represents children in cases of abuse, neglect, and high conflict custody cases. Ms. Lewis is an adjunct law professor at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary, a faculty member of the Harry L. Carrico Professionalism course required of all new Virginia lawyers, and serves on the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board as an immediate past member. She has served as a faculty member for Virginia CLE, Virginia State Bar, Virginia Employment Law Association, Virginia Beach Juvenile Court, Virginia Beach Bar Association, Norfolk Portsmouth Bar Association, National Business Institute, Inns of Court, and the Tidewater Paralegal Association. Ms. Lewis is a frequent lecturer on topics relating to family law, general litigation, mediation and legal ethics. She holds a B.A. degree in history from the University of Virginia, a master's degree in English from George Mason University and a J.D. degree from William & Mary.

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Speaker bio
Jennifer Babounakis

Jennifer Babounakis

Roop Xanttopoulos Babounakis PLLC
Jennifer Babounakis

is a principal with Roop Xanttopoulos Babounakis PLLC in Tysons, Virginia. She began her family law career to blend her experience in family counseling, corporate law and litigation. Ms. Babounakis relies on her corporate law experience when managing complex equitable distribution issues, such as property valuation, financial tracing and division. She likewise uses her understanding in mental health to aide in managing the social issues that are frequently involved in family law cases. Ms. Babounakis earned her B.S. degree from Arizona State University; her master's degree in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University; and her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from New York Law School. As an evening law student, Ms. Babounakis served as chief aide to Professor Nadine Strossen, the then president of the American Civil Liberties Union; and as an associate editor to the New York Law School Law Review. After law school, Ms. Babounakis practiced law for five years at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen and Hamilton, LLP in Washington D.C.

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Speaker bio
Hon. Jeanette A Irby

Hon. Jeanette A. Irby

Juridical Solutions PLC
Jeanette Irby

is a retired Circuit Court Judge for the 20th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. She is currently managing director of Juridical Solutions PLC, where she mediates family law disputes which are most suited to alternative dispute resolution. Judge Irby is experienced in all areas of civil litigation, including complex business disputes, divorce (equitable distribution, spousal support and custody), and personal injury claims. Before going on the bench, she practiced law with her primary focus on domestic relations. Judge Irby earned her B.S. degree from Central Michigan University and her J.D. degree from Thomas W. Cooley Law School.

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Speaker bio
Heather Larson Behrmann

Heather Larson Behrmann

Pedersen Law PLLC
Heather Larson Behrmann

is the owner of Pedersen Law, PLLC in Williamsburg, Virginia as well as Behrmann Law in Roan Mountain, Tennessee. She is licensed to practice in Virginia and Tennessee. The focus of Ms. Pedersen's law practice is matters related to family law, which includes divorce, custody, parenting time, support, estate planning, adoption, and issues related to military divorce situations. Currently, she is counsel for a client with a case pending before the Supreme Court of the United State, Yourko v. Yourko. Aside from managing several attorneys and support staff, Ms. Pedersen has a very active practice, but also believes in staying abreast of local and statewide legal matters. She is a member of the Williamsburg Bar Association, Virginia Mountain Valley Lawyers Association, Family Law Section of the Virginia State Bar, and Tennessee Bar Association. A believer in continued education, Ms. Pedersen has served as an adjunct professor at William & Mary School of Law and is pursuing a PhD degree in criminal justice. She earned her undergraduate degree from Old Dominion University and her J.D. degree from Regent University.

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