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Message From the Editor
Do Not Try to Time Travel Marriages in Ohio | Read More
C.S. Lewis' Enduring and Unpretentious Lessons on Stepparent Child Custody, Part 3: Communication, Preparation and the Best Interests of the Child | Read More
AAML Tech Tips: reMarkable 2 | Watch Video
2026 AAML Annual Meeting Registration Now Open | Register Now
The Room You Want Your Associates In: The AAML Institute for Family Law Associates | Register Today
Annual Fellowship Survey: Help Shape the Future of AAML | Provide Your Feedback
Foundation Update: Your Donations at Work | Read More
Showcase Your Expertise: Contribute to the AAML Newsletter | Submit Your Article
Elite Training for Family Law Support Staff Registration Now Open | Register Now
Join Us for the July AAML Webinar on UFLAA Essentials: Purpose, Strategy and Practical Use | Register Now
| | By: Rob McAngus, AAML Newsletter Editor | |
As we move into a season filled with milestones (Father’s Day, a World Cup headed to our backyard and the approaching 250th anniversary of our country) it’s hard not to think about the ways that families mark time. Public events give us shared moments on the calendar, but in our cases, the milestones are often more personal: the first Father’s Day under a new order, the first school event with two households in the audience, the first summer travel schedule that actually works. Those are the quiet turning points, or even potential “red flags,” that rarely make headlines but shape our clients’ lives for years to come.
In this issue, you’ll find the last article in the stepparent custody series along with a great article on the Ohio De Facto Commencement for Same-Sex Couples. My hope is that you will find not only doctrinal insight but also practical tools you can bring back to your own “team”: your partners, associates, staff and the professionals you collaborate with in and out of the courtroom. Just as no championship is won by a single star player, none of us does this work alone.
Finally, this remains your newsletter, and it is at its best when it reflects your experience, creativity and candor. If you have a practice pointer that helped a Father’s Day exchange go smoother than expected, a “World Cup‑level” case that forced your office to rethink its playbook or a reflection on where you hope family law will be by America’s 250th birthday, I would love to hear from you. Please reach out with article ideas, short columns or even just a seed of a topic; we can help you shape it. I look forward to featuring your voices in upcoming issues and to seeing many of you at our next AAML gathering.
Rob McAngus
| Do Not Try to Time Travel Marriages in Ohio | If you’ve ever wished a court could hop in a DeLorean like Marty McFly in “Back to the Future” and retroactively declare a couple “married,” the Ohio Supreme Court just took the keys away. This article details a closely watched parentage dispute, In re L.E.S., E.S., and N.S., in which the Ohio Supreme Court reversed an appellate ruling that had ordered a trial court to ask whether two women “would have been married” when their children were conceived via artificial insemination — if only Ohio had permitted same sex marriage at the time. | C.S. Lewis' Enduring and Unpretentious Lessons on Stepparent Child Custody, Part 3: Communication, Preparation and the Best Interests of the Child | This series examines the deeply personal circumstances surrounding author C.S. Lewis’ unexpected role as stepfather to the Gresham boys and the emotional and practical challenges he faced after their mother’s death. The final installment examines how Lewis’ actions, decisions and steady focus on the children’s well-being offer practical guidance for stepparents navigating similarly difficult circumstances. (In case you missed it, you can read Part 1 and Part 2.) | AAML Tech Tips: reMarkable 2 | By: The AAML Law Practice Management and Technology Committee | |
In this Tech Tip from the AAML Law Practice Management and Technology Committee, Andrew Soshnick sits down with David Morgan to explain how the reMarkable 2 tablet provides a seamless, cloud-based electronic notetaking experience, making it easy to convert handwritten notes into text files, as well as annotate and sign documents and more.
If you are unable to view the above video, please click here.
| | 2026 AAML Annual Meeting Registration Now Open | | |
Registration is now open for the 2026 AAML Annual Meeting, happening Nov. 4-7, 2026, in Chicago. As the premier gathering of AAML Fellows, this conference brings together the brightest minds in family law to reconnect with colleagues, strengthen professional networks and gain valuable intelligence from across the profession.
Join us in the Windy City, where you can expect:
- A gathering of hundreds of prestigious family lawyers
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Thought-provoking CLE opportunities
- Connections with AAML Fellows from across the nation
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Networking and social activities outside of the office
- A world-class destination: the heart of downtown Chicago
Accept your Annual Meeting mission and join the Family Law Operative, the premier CLE Program developed by the 2026 CLE Committee. Through advanced-topic briefings, strategic discussions and interactive learning experiences, you'll gain the insights and tools needed to stay ahead of an ever-evolving legal landscape. Consider this one mission you won't want to miss.
| | The Room You Want Your Associates In: The AAML Institute for Family Law Associates | | |
The AAML Institute for Family Law Associates is more than a CLE program. It's an opportunity for associates to learn from some of the most respected family law practitioners in the country, build relationships with future colleagues and gain insights that can shape their careers.
With dedicated Introductory and Advanced courses, associates can choose the curriculum that best fits their experience level and learn the skills, strategies and insights that top family law practitioners use every day.
All attendees must be sponsored by an AAML Fellow and must provide their sponsoring Fellow’s information during registration.
| | Annual Fellowship Survey: Help Shape the Future of AAML | |
We’re inviting you to share your perspective on what’s working well, where we can improve and what you need most as a Fellow. Your feedback will help guide AAML's priorities and ensure that your Fellowship continues to support your family law practice and professional growth in meaningful ways.
Thank you for your valuable input and time. If you haven't already, please complete the survey by Tuesday, June 30.
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We are excited to share a profile of a current grant recipient so you can read how your 2025 billable hour donations to the AAML Foundation are helping children and families struggling with the breakup of their families.
If you have not already done so, please consider supporting the Foundation’s grants program by making your 2026 billable hour donation today.
| Showcase Your Expertise: Contribute to the AAML Newsletter | |
Share your knowledge, elevate your profile and position yourself as a recognized expert in family law. The AAML Newsletter offers a valuable opportunity to highlight best practices, offer fresh insights and showcase the forward-thinking work happening at your firm.
Use our new article submission form to share your thought leadership. AAML Fellowship is not required to be featured in the AAML Newsletter. Please contact the AAML editorial team at editorial@aaml.org with any questions.
| | Elite Training for Family Law Support Staff Registration Now Open | |
Enrollment for AAML's 2026 Elite Training for Family Law Support Staff is now open through early August. Back by popular demand, the training includes six live, virtual sessions on NEW topics taught by AAML Fellows. This event sold out in weeks last year.
Who should attend? Support staff (such as paralegals, legal assistants and office staff) in family law offices of AAML Fellows should attend. They will build confidence and sharpen skills, while you stay focused on billable work.
The training will be comprised of six brand new sessions:
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Aug. 20 | Intake with Intension: Creating a Strong Start for High Level Family Law Cases
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Sept. 3 | Elevating ADR: How Family Law Support Staff Drive Successful Outcomes
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Sept. 17 | The Power of Preparation: How Staff Elevate Trial Outcomes
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Oct. 8 | Cultural Sensitivity and Trauma-Informed Communication: Essential Skills for Family Law Support Professionals
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Oct. 15 | Client Confidentiality in a Digital Age: Cybersecurity Strategies for Family Law Teams
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Oct. 29 | Discovery Process Deep Dive: Tools, Tactics and Organization
All sessions will be held virtually on Zoom. Sessions will run from 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT. Visit the Elite Training for Family Law Support Staff webpage for further details on each session and speakers.
Fellows must be logged into their AAML account to register their team members. Office staff members should not try to create their own profiles for purposes of registering for this program.
| | Join Us for the July AAML Webinar | | UFLAA Essentials: Purpose, Strategy and Practical Use | | |
Join us Wednesday, July 15, at 10:30 a.m. CT for a concise, practical overview of the Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act (UFLAA), including why it was created and the problems it was designed to solve in modern family law practice. Attendees will learn the value arbitration offers clients — particularly in complex or high-conflict cases — and how to strategically incorporate it at different stages of litigation, with drafting tips tailored to each phase. The webinar concludes with a step-by-step look at how to arbitrate under the UFLAA, from agreement through enforcement, to equip practitioners with immediately actionable tools.
Complimentary for Fellows. This program is not eligible for CLE.
| | What's Happening in Your Chapter? | | | | |
