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“The power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, the smallest act of caring… all have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia
I hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday filled with good food, friends and family, and, of course, football and Black Friday shopping. As we close out the calendar year and look ahead to 2026, our Section has been hard at work supporting emerging family lawyers and strengthening services for Florida’s families. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to lead this remarkable Section and for the unending support I’ve received from colleagues, members, friends, and family. Your encouragement and wisdom are deeply appreciated.
A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has given their time and energy this year as we gear up for a strong second half of the Bar cycle. A special thanks to my Executive Committee: Immediate Past Chair Chris Rumbold; Chair-Elect Tenesia Hall; Treasurer Andrea Reid; and Secretary Michelle Klinger-Smith.
We continue to offer timely and valuable CLEs, including our November webinar, which featured case law updates with Reuben Doupé, Cash Eaton and Ronald Kauffman. Tomorrow (Thursday, Dec. 11) we will host an excellent CLE, “Introduction to Business Valuation & How to Work with Forensic Accountants,” with highly credentialed accounting expert David L. Gresen, sharing practical tools for family cases. In January, we will partner with AAML Florida Chapter for the Marital and Family Law Review Course at the Swan & Dolphin in Orlando at the end of the month. Remember: the regular-rate deadline ended, but space is still open! Rooms at the Swan & Dolphin are currently sold out, but overflow hotels are available, and spots may open as the event approaches. For more information, registration, and hotel links click here. A few sponsorship opportunities are also still available.
The second half of the Bar cycle promises to be just as valuable and exciting as the first. The Emerging Family Lawyers Committee and Membership Committee continue partnering to expand engagement and involvement. As a reminder, the Section’s live, mid-year meetings will be held at the Swan & Dolphin Hotel in Orlando on Thursday, January 29. If you are a new/emerging family lawyer, I encourage you to attend the upcoming in-person meeting on January 29. Stay tuned for the room location and timing of the mid-year meetings as they will be circulated in the coming weeks. Just a reminder - if you’d like to get more involved with the Section, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or to our Emerging Family Lawyers Committee chairs at emerginglawyers@familylawfla.org. Also, our live CLE in Sandestin, ‘Solving the Money Maze: Financial Insights for Family Law Attorneys’ is on March 27 – stay tuned for more details.
Our Out-of-State Retreat is March 4-8 at the stunning Landing Tahoe Resort & Spa in Lake Tahoe. Our booking link should be live soon, so check familylawfla.org/event for the latest information.
My sincere thanks to each of our many event and retreat sponsors, and to our Annual Sponsors. Your support propels our work forward, and we are truly grateful for your partnership!
Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season, a happy New Year, and a meaningful close to 2025. May you end the year feeling grateful, grounded, and inspired.
Aimee Gross, B.C.S.
Section Chair, 2025-2026
| SAVE THE DATE: Out-of-State Retreat in Lake Tahoe, March 4-8, 2026 | Take care of business while taking in breathtaking beauty! Our Out-of-State Retreat takes place March 4-8, 2026 at The Landing Tahoe Resort & Spa in stunning Lake Tahoe.
Sponsorships are available now, and registrations and room reservations will be open very soon. Stay tuned and mark your calendars for this can't miss Section event! | REMINDER - CLE WEBINAR: " Introduction to Business Valuation & How to Work with Forensic Accountants," Thurs., Dec.. 11, 12PM - 1:30PM EST | | |
David L. Gresen, CPA/ABV/CFF, CFE of KLG Business Valuators & Forensic Accountants, LLC., will present on the topic of business valuations. This webinar will provide you with the basics to understand business valuations and how they are prepared, what to look out for when reviewing a business valuation report, and tips (from a forensic account) on how to communicate and work with them to achieve a positive outcome for your clients.
SCHEDULE
12:00 PM – 12:05 PM
Opening Remarks and Introductions
Jamie Epstein, Esq., Fort Lauderdale
12:05 PM – 1:20 PM
Presentation on Business Valuations: How They Are Prepared, How to Review Them and How Best to Work with Your Forensic Accountant
David L. Gresen, CPA/ABV/CFF, CFE
1:20 PM – 1:30 PM
Questions & Answers and Closing Remarks
Jamie Epstein and David Gresen
| | | | CLE Webinar - "'Introduction to Business Valuations & How to Work with Forensic Accountants," with Jamie Epstein, Esq. and David L. Gresen, CPA/ABV/CFF, CFE. 12PM - 1:30PM EST. | | | | | Mid-Year Meetings and Marital and Family Law Review Course. Registrations are still available. | | | | | Out of State Retreat. The Landing Tahoe Resort & Spa, Lake Tahoe. Save the dates now, more info coming soon! | | | | | LIVE CLE: ‘Solving the Money Maze: Financial Insights for Family Law Attorneys’ in Sandestin, FL. Save the date, more info coming soon! | | | |
Florida Appeals was founded by longtime Family Law Section Executive Committee member Shannon McLin in 2019 after practicing at the firm she founded in 1997, The Carlyle Appellate Law Firm. The firm provides comprehensive, high-quality appellate and litigation-support services to trial lawyers and their clients throughout Florida. In addition to trial support services, Florida Appeals' appellate lawyers represent clients in appeals to all six of Florida’s district courts of appeal, the Supreme Court of Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit Court, and the Supreme Court of the United States. Thank you so much for your inspiring dedication, Shannon, and your longstanding support of the Family Law Section!
| | Spotlight: Appellate Committee | |
Chaired by Jennifer Patti, Esq.
It has been a busy year for the Family Law Section Appellate Committee. Although we are one of the smaller Committees, we are an integral part of the Section. The membership has grown each year with members interested in the appellate process and how the process impacts the court system. The Committee is a diverse group with members at various levels of appellate experience or even a desire to learn more about the appellate process. The combined experience ensures that opinions are reflective of the Section and its goals, inclusive, and impactful. It is not the role of the Committee to choose “one side” over another, but to represent the interests of Florida’s families and children.
The Appellate Committee does more than review case law. We provide assistance to other Section Committees to ensure ideas, proposed legislation, forms, and other projects are supported by current case law and Statute. We have also received several requests this year for Amicus Briefs regarding issues related to paternity, fees, statutory interpretation of amended Florida Statute 744.301(1), and time-sharing. This year, the Committee filed an Amicus Brief in the Florida Supreme Court case Brito v. Salas SC2024-1184 and Rivera v. Salas SC2024-1190 which addresses “the statutory relinquishment of parental rights under Florida’s assistive reproductive technology statute, sections 742.11-742.17, Florida Statutes”. The Committee encourages Section members to contact the Committee if there is a current or potential appeal that has an impact on Florida’s families and children by contacting appeals@familylawfla.org.
For the past three years, the Committee has presented an Appellate CLE with the 2025 CLE having the highest attendance. While the Committee would like to take credit, it was the appearance of Judge Adam Tannenbaum of the First DCA and Robert Scavone of the Summarily podcast that highlighted the event along with Board Certified Specialists Matthew Thatcher, Christie Mitchell, Shannon McLin and the moderators Jennifer Patti and Erin Newell to discuss Statutory Interpretation on Equitable Distribution, Alimony, and Fees. Next year’s CLE will be a collaboration with the Technology Committee to address “AI, Esquire” and how to combat the issue in the trial court and appellate court.
Our next meeting will be in January 2026 in person during the Marital and Family Law Review Course and everyone is welcome to join us.
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Case Law Update
By Reuben Doupé, B.C.S.
Caron v. Caron, 50 Fla. L. Weekly D2492b (Fla. 4th DCA Nov. 19, 2025):
Due process matters -- even and especially with temporary injunctions. I know . . . that shouldn’t be a controversial statement; yet it appears to be.
The Caron case comes to us in a post-judgment posture. The parties were divorced by final judgment, incorporating a marital settlement agreement, in December 2024. In the MSA, the parties agreed that the marital home would be listed for sale and the contents would be mutually divided, with an agreement by the parties that they would mediate any dispute over the division of the contents. Why is it always the furniture that causes problems…
By February 2025, the parties seemingly reached an impasse about the contents and the former husband filed a verified motion seeking an ex parte temporary injunction to prohibit the former wife from removing or disposing of any property (i.e. the contents) from the home. The former wife was allegedly advertising an “estate sale” of the contents to start the very next day. It is unclear from the opinion if the verified motion met the requirements of Rule 12.605. The court entered an order granting the ex parte injunction the same day.
The very next day, the former wife filed a motion to dissolve the ex parte order and, in doing so, she disputed the former husband’s allegations and asserted that the injunction was “deficient because it did not contain sufficient factual findings to support the entry of a temporary injunction and did not require the former husband to post a bond.” The former wife requested that either the order be vacated or that the court hold a hearing within 5 days. Five days later, the former wife filed a different motion, this time asking the court to modify the order to allow her to move the items into storage until the parties could mutually divide the items.
The court denied both of the former wife’s motions without any hearing. The former wife appealed.
Pursuant to the Fourth District, the ex parte order was a temporary injunction because it granted injunctive relief. “If the language of an order is injunctive in nature, the order must comply with the requirements for the issuance of an injunction, even if the trial court merely intended to preserve the status quo in the order.” Cone v. Anderson, 944 So. 2d 1073, 1074 (Fla. 1st DCA 2006). It is the effect of the order, not the name of it, that will determine whether or not it is an injunction. Because it is injunctive relief, the elements of an injunction must be met: (1) irreparable harm if not entered; (2) lack of adequate remedy at law; (3) substantial likelihood of success on the merits; and (4) entry of the injunction will serve the public interest. Minty v. Meister Financialgroup, Inc., 97 So.3d 926, 930 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012).
Because it was an injunction, the requirement of a bond found in Rule 12.605 (b) is mandatory and had to be included in the order. Additionally, the trial court failed to follow the same rule with respect to holding an evidentiary hearing on the motion to dissolve within five days of filing, at which hearing the movant bears the burden of presenting sufficient evidence to sustain it.
In conclusion, temporary injunctive relief can only be entered in an order which meets the legal requirements of Rule 12.605. Turns out this rule is more than just a good idea, it’s the law.
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Part VI: '12 Habits of Highly Successful Family Law Attorneys' | | In our sixth article, we learn from Abigail Beebe, a Board Certified Specialist in Marital and Family Law, and managing principal of Beebe Law in West Palm Beach. Ms. Beebe is former Chair of the Family Law Section and has served as CLE Committee Chair, as well as in many other leadership roles. She is a member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Florida Chapter, is Founding Member of The Susan B. Greenberg Family Law American Inn of Court of the Palm Beaches, and has served as Chair of the Unified Family Practice Committee for the Palm Beach County Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the Palm Beach County Bench Bar Conference. She was Florida's Children First (FCF) Pro Bono Attorney of the Year and Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County Pro Bono Attorney of the Year. | |
Build Real Relationships
By Abigail Beebe, Esq., B.C.S.
Family law is ultimately a people-centered practice. Our clients need to be heard, understood and counseled! The lawyers who thrive are not just skilled writers or fierce advocates—they are relationship builders. Strong, respectful connections create trust, credibility, and smoother outcomes across the board.
With our Colleagues
- Be reliable and fair. Your reputation for professionalism will travel faster than any marketing plan.
- Treat opposing counsel with dignity. Today’s adversary may be tomorrow’s ally—or co-counsel.
- Share knowledge generously. A rising tide truly lifts all boats in this field. Helping others rise up only improves the practice for all of us!
With Judges
- Know your courtroom and respect it. Punctuality, preparedness, and courtesy speak louder than arguments.
- Be honest about weaknesses. Credibility is a currency you spend every day; don’t waste it.
- Show you’ve tried to resolve issues first. Judges appreciate lawyers who solve problems, not create them.
- Fall on your sword when appropriate. It gains trust from the court to admit when and if you made a mistake! Just like us, judges are human too.
With Clients
- Listen more than you speak. Clients in crisis need to feel heard before they can hear your advice.
- Set realistic expectations early. Clarity builds trust and prevents disappointment.
- Communicate consistently. Even a quick update can reassure a client who feels their life is in freefall.
- Transparency and firmness delivered politely and respectfully really helps clients feel understood while also building a foundation of trust and honesty from the get-go.
Why It Works
Family law involves high emotion, high stakes, and long-term consequences. Relationships—grounded in respect, trust, and authenticity—help you navigate all of it with grace. When people know you, like you, and trust you, every part of the case becomes more manageable. In addition, these relationships become referral sources as well.
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