The Times They Are A-Changin'

• Author: Michael A. Mosberg
• Pages: 3-3

WINTER 2021 3

from the chair

By

Michael A. Mosberg

“e Times ey Are A-Changin’”

MICHAEL A. MOSBERG (mosberg@amsllp.com) is

Chair of the ABA Family Law Se ction and a partner with

Aronson Mayefsk y & Sloan, LLP in New York City.

In the inimitable words of B ob Dylan, “The Times They

Are A-Changin’.” COVID-19 continues to impac t us

personally and pr ofessionally, Joseph Biden has been

elected pres ident and Kamala Harris will become the

rst woman and r st woman of color to serve as

vice-presi dent, and the Family Law Section had it s rst-ever

virtual meeting .

Our incredible st aff, composed of Section Direc tor Cindy

Swan, Program Specialis t Danielle Pruger, and Program

Associate Ca sey Purcell, worked tirelessly to make the meeti ng

a resounding and reco rd-breaking success. Th eir energy and

patience know no boun ds. Without them, the meetin g could

not have been pulled of f. As a result, we had more registran ts

than any other Fall Meeting in Se ction history!

During the Fall Meeting we had t he opportunity to mix

and mingle with one anoth er while cooking, making

cocktails, and b eing entertained. Another d ynamic and

diverse class of Fell ows was welcomed to the Section, ou r

substantive commi ttees met throughout the week to r eview

current issues in famil y law, and over forty speakers en-

hanced our knowled ge on a range of cutting-edge to pics in

both family law and assis ted reproductive technolog y. So as a

Section, we have mu ch to be proud of even as we continue to

navigate very dif cult times. It remains my sincere hop e that

we will be together for an in -person meeting at the La

Quinta Waldorf in Palm Sp rings, California (June 16–19,

2021). The resort proper ty is self-contained with tre mendous

outdoor space, c asita style rooms entirely acce ssible from the

outdoors, an d 41 pools. A gro up of Section leaders are

already working toget her with Section staff to plan fo r a safe

and socially distan t meeting. If that proves not to be possib le,

a strong foundation ha s been set for, and we will continue

with, a virtual me eting. Please stay tuned.

This issue of Family Advocate focuses on healt h and

wellness with ar ticles discussing mental health,  nancial

health, and work /life balance. It is certainly no se cret that the

career path we have chos en, while rewarding, is often ver y

demanding and stre ss-inducing. Identifyi ng ways to process

and cope is critical. Dr. Bill Het tler, of the National Wellness

Institute, den ed six components to wellness: phys ical,

intellectual, occu pational, social, emotional, and spiritu al.

The ABA Family Law Sec tion’s Health and Wellness Commit-

tee is dedicated to b ringing awareness to mental and

physical issue s that affect the quality of life of family law

attorneys in par ticular. As we ring in this New Year, please

make sure to check out the Comm ittee’s landing page

(https://ww w.americanbar.org/groups/family_law/commit-

tees/heal th), where you will nd a host of tips and tricks on

topics ranging from die t and mental tness to easy of ce

meditation and pho ne and social media detox. Most imp or-

tantly, remember to take time o ut for yourself. Pursue areas

of interest or pas sion, whether through exercise, th e arts, or

giving back to the communit y.

I would be remiss if I did not a ddress the recent passing of

Maurice Kutner, a past Sec tion chair (1997–1999) and one of

my mentors within the S ection. He was a true lion of the Bar.

My rst interac tion with Kutner (as he always introduced

himself) was in a Sp onsorship meeting, where on e of the par-

ticipants kept talking ab out what couldn’t be done. When

this person was ni shed, Kutner, in his own inimitable way,

told her it was going to get d one, exactly how it was going

to get done, and he was n’t interested in “no.” While working

with him on CLE programs , I came to learn what a perfec-

tionist he was. He c ared deeply not only about teaching an d

educating younge r lawyers but entertaining th e crowd. He

would always come off an d ask, “How’d I do?” and in all my

years involved in CLE he was t he only attorney who without

fail insisted on seei ng his reviews. Over time, we also had

opportunitie s to work together professionally. Being told by

Kutner that “you were his guy” wa s the most supreme of

compliments, an d his loyalty was without bounds. I n many

ways the relationship I deve loped with him as a mentor,

condante, and friend i s reective of what I wish for ever y

member of this Sec tion. Engage in what the Section ha s to

offer and I promis e you will not be disappointed. Please do

not hesitate to reach o ut to me personally at mosberg@

amsllp.com, and I will help g et you involved at whatever level

you are comfortabl e in whatever area(s) you have interest.

While we are not out of the wo ods yet with COVID-19,

with positive news on t he vaccine front there seems to be

some light at the end of th e tunnel. Continue to be kind to

each other, support on e another, stay well, and stay safe. fa

Published in Family Advocate, Volume 43, Number 3, Winter 2021. © 2021 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof

may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.