Message from the Chair

• Publication year: 2018
• Author: Stephen D. Hamilton

Message from the Chair

Stephen D. Hamilton

Although I am the forty-first chair of the Family Law Executive Committee, I can also lay claim to being the first—I am the first chair whose term will be entirely under the auspices of the California Lawyers Association. While I will be unable to affix the "California State Bar" to my title, as all my predecessors have, I proudly attach the California Lawyers Association preface to my title. I do so with pride because the incredible strides our nascent organization has made in the very short time which has passed since the sections were required to separate from the Bar.

CLA has restored the Annual Meeting to what it was always intended to be—an intensive and wide-ranging program of continuing education. The wide spectrum of topics covered at the Annual Meeting is a direct result of the breadth of the subject matters addressed by the fifteen different sections of CLA. CLA has also been actively updating its web site, communications and social media presence in order to increase the content available to section members. CLA has also provided the sections with a structure, and the freedom, to accomplish more than we could when the Sections were part of the Bar. The prospect of FLEXCOM operating an entire year under CLA guidance during my term as Chair is energizing.

I am even more excited by the programs and events to be carried out by FLEXCOM in the upcoming year, which include:

• The first-ever FLEXCOM service project, which is being capably led by our Secretary Leena Hingnikar.
• An increased local presence and involvement through a series of mixers being organized by our inaugural Treasurer (and immediate past-Chair) Avi Levy.
• The development of a FLEXCOM podcast by our Vice-Chair Stephen Montagna to quickly and concisely address emerging and interesting issues in family law.
• Continuing our significant role in reviewing and responding to legislation affecting the practice of family under the leadership of our Legislation Chair Justin O'Connell.
• The development of a series of educational videos to assist self-represented parties in making their way through a family law proceeding, which I am overseeing.

However, so that we do not lose complete touch with our roots, FLEXCOM will be hosting a past-chair dinner in March 2019. Our current membership is extremely excited to reconnect with the former Chairs and gain the insight only they can provide.

FLEXCOM will continue to be at the forefront of family law education through...