2026 Family Law Retreat Agenda
Agenda
Wednesday, March 25
| 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. | NJSBA Registration Desk at the Hotel Lobby |
| 7 – 9 p.m. |
Welcome Reception, Adult Pool Beach Theme- Beach Attire Sponsored by:
|
Thursday, March 26
| 7 – 9 a.m. | Breakfast Salon ABC-Sponsored by Stephanie Hyland, ASA, CFE |
| 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. | NJSBA Registration Desk |
| 8:30 – 11 a.m. |
Morning CLE sessions in Salon D |
| 12 p.m. | GOLF: Tee times will be reserved on Thursday, March 26 beginning at noon at The Links at Divi Aruba and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost is $98 a person. Rental Clubs available. Please contact Tim McGoughran at 732-610-3040 if interested. |
| 6 – 10 p.m. |
An Evening at Papiamento Dress to Impress Sponsored by:
|
Friday, March 27
| 7 – 9 a.m. | Breakfast Salon ABC Sponsored by:  |
| 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. | NJSBA Registration Desk |
| 9 – 11 a.m. | Morning CLE sessions in Salon D Navigating the Gray Divorce |
| 1 – 2 p.m. | Cornhole, South Beach |
| An evening at your Leisure! |
Saturday, March 28
| 7 – 9 a.m. | Breakfast Salon ABC |
| 7 – 8 a.m. | Morning Run/Jog with Ali Freed (Details to Follow) |
| 7 – 11 a.m. | NJSBA Registration Desk |
| 9 – 11 a.m. | Morning CLE sessions in Salon D Cultural Consciousness in Custody Matters: Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Parenting Plans Aruba Squares |
| 7 – 10 p.m. |
Farewell Reception, South Beach Sponsored by:
|
CLE Programming Details
Thursday, March 25, 2026
8:30 -11:00 a.m.
Divorce is the beginning, not the end of the legal ramifications that occur once a family divides. This program explores the different motions and hearings that arise after the final judgment of divorce. In particular, the panel will provide tips and tricks for preparing the following documents: Motion to Modify/Terminate Alimony (cohabitation, retirement, unemployment); Motion to Modify/Terminate Child Support (college, emancipation unemployment); and Motion to Change Custody (increase in time, decrease in time, relocation).
Moderator: Cheryl Connors, Tonneman & Connors, LLC
- NJ CLE: This program has been approved for 3.0 general credits (50-minute hour)
- NY CLE (non-transitional): 3.0 professional practice credits
- PA CLE: 2.5 substantive credits pending
Friday, March 26, 2026
9-11 a.m.
Gray divorce—the dissolution of marriage among individuals aged 50 and older—represents one of the fastest-growing demographic trends in family law. This program addresses the unique legal and financial challenges that arise when couples divorce later in life after decades of marriage. Unlike divorces involving younger couples, gray divorces present distinct considerations requiring specialized knowledge. The panel will explore the complexities of dividing retirement assets accumulated over long marriages, the impact of retirement on alimony in long-term marriages, and critical issues specific to this demographic, including: retirement asset division: QDROs, pension valuations, and tax implications; alimony duration, modification, and retirement considerations; Hhealth insurance, COBRA, and Medicare eligibility; Social Security spousal and survivor benefits; and estate planning coordination with divorce settlements.
Moderator: Alexandra Freed, Ulrichsen Rosen & Freed LLC
Speakers:
Hon. Michael Casale, J.S.C. (Ret.), Greenbaum Rowe Smith & Davis
Hon. Marcella Matos Wilson, J.S.C., Essex, Superior Court of New Jersey
Hon. Jodi L. Rosenberg, J.S.C., Superior Court Judge, Family Division, Essex County
Hon. Jeanette Russell, J.S.C., Monmouth County Courthouse
Nikki Caruso, Esq., Manzi Epstein Lomurro & DeCataldo, LLC
Jeralyn Lawrence, Esq., Past President, New Jersey State Bar Association, Lawrence Law, LLC
Lynn E. Staufenberg, Esq., Zager Fuchs
Danielle Walker, Esq., Javerbaum Wurgaft
Brooke Caringi, CPA, DLA, LLC
Daniel Roche, CPA/ABV, ASA, CBIZ
Jeremy Smith, CPA, STOUT
Jasmina Woodson, CPA, WithumSmith+Brown, PC
- NJ CLE: This program has been approved for 2.4 general credits (50-minute hour)
- NY CLE (non-transitional): 2.0 professional practice credits
- PA CLE: 2.0 substantive credits pending
Saturday, March 27, 2026
9 – 10 a.m.
Custody disputes often involve differences in parenting approaches, family roles, and cultural or religious practices. When these differences are overlooked, courts and practitioners may unintentionally favor familiar norms, which can increase conflict and create outcomes that do not fully serve the child’s best interests. Panelists will share practical guidance on identifying cultural factors in custody cases, presenting them responsibly, and evaluating them fairly. The discussion will also examine the limits of standard parenting plans and introduce a proposed culturally inclusive holiday schedule to better reflect the needs of diverse families.
Topics will include:
- How cultural practices influence custody and parenting disputes
- Recognizing and managing implicit bias in advocacy and decision-making
- Practical approaches for attorneys and judges to consider culture responsibly
- Mediation strategies for cases involving diverse cultural backgrounds and religious practices
- Drafting flexible and inclusive parenting plans, including holiday schedules
Moderator: Megha Thakkar, Thakkar Family Law LLC
Speakers:
Elizabeth Rozin-Golinder, Esq., Rozin Golinder Law, LLC
Kristi L. Terranova, Esq., Einhorn, Barbarito, Frost, Botwinick, Nunn & Musmanno, PC
Hon. Marcia Silva, J.S.C. (Ret.), Silva & Stahl, LLC
Hon. Charles F. Kenny, J.S.C., Superior Court of New Jersey – Hudson
Hon. Juliana E. Blackburn, J.S.C., Essex, NJ Superior Court. Family Division
- NJ CLE: This program has been approved for 1.2 credits (50-minute hour), including 1.2 diversity and inclusion credit.
- NY CLE (non-transitional): 1.0 diversity, inclusion and elimination of bias credits
- PA CLE: 1.0 ethics credit pending
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 – 11 a.m.
Join this Hollywood Squares-style CLE. Teams of lawyers will participate in these games. There will be seven rounds with nine questions in each round, plus tiebreakers. The questions will be centered around family law court procedure, family law case law over the past 10 years, and recent domestic violence legislation.
Co-moderators: Victoria Paone Rosa, The Law Offices of Paone, Zaleski & Murphy
Danielle Walker, Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins, P.C.
- NJ CLE: This program has been approved for 1.2 general credits (50-minute hour)
- NY CLE (non-transitional): 1.0 professional practice credits
- PA CLE: 1.0 substantive credits pending