Wednesday, January 7, 2026, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. ET
| MCLE Credit: | 7.0 (Ethics: 1.0) |
| Live-Interactive Credit: | 7.0 (all formats) |
| Court-Appointed Counsel for Parents and Guardians Qualifying Credit: | 7.0 |
| GAL for Children CE Credit: | 7.0 (GAL Information) |
Thanks to generous support from the Court Improvement Program at the Supreme Court of Virginia, registration for this qualifying course is only $99. The allotment of complimentary registration for the first 100 registrants has now been filled.
Please note: This seminar is not eligible for the Virginia CLE government, new lawyer, pro bono, law student, legal aid, or paralegal discounts.
This program is supported by the Court Improvement Program, Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia, through federal grant funds of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
To be appointed as counsel for parents and guardians in child dependency cases in Virginia, members of the bar must meet the standards set forth by the Judicial Council of Virginia. This seven-hour course meets the training requirement under these standards. Unless you receive a waiver of initial qualification requirements set forth in the standards, all attorneys who wish to qualify for appointment as counsel for parents and guardians in child dependency cases in Virginia must take this course.
Topics to be covered include:
Registration Deadlines:
| Webcast: | 10 minutes prior to seminar. If you register for a webcast the day of the seminar, your e-mail receipt will include a link to launch the seminar and download the materials. |
| Live on Site: | Online registration ends at 11:59 p.m. the day preceding the seminar Walk-in registration is permitted on a space-available basis |
Cancellation Policy: Cancellation/transfer requests will be honored until 5:00 p.m. the day preceding the seminar. You will, however, be charged $40 if you cancel or transfer your registration to a different seminar after the link to the materials has been e-mailed by Virginia CLE®.
Full refunds or transfers are available up to two days after a webcast in the unlikely event that you experience technical difficulties.
Dietary Restrictions: If you have dietary restrictions and are attending the seminar in person, please email tfitzgerald@vacle.org.
Inclement Weather Policy and Updates.
MCLE Credit Caveat: The MCLE Board measures credits by the time you spend in attendance. If you enter a seminar late or leave it early, or both, you must reflect those adjustments accurately in the credits you report on your credit reporting form. A code will be given at the end of the seminar, which must be written on your MCLE form.
Can’t Attend?
E-mail distance_ed@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program is made available as an online or USB seminar.
E-mail publications@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program’s seminar materials are made available for sale.
| 8:00 | Registration |
| 8:30 | Qualification Process for Court-Appointed Counsel for Parents and Guardians in Child Dependency Cases Gabbie Cooper |
| 8:45 | The Role of Court-Appointed Counsel for Parents and Guardians and Review of the Standards to Govern the Performance of Counsel Appointed to Represent Parents and Guardians in Child Dependency Cases Hon. H. Lee Chitwood, Hon. Melissa S. Cardoce |
| 9:45 | Break |
| 9:55 | Child Dependency Case Processing: Basics for Court-Appointed Counsel for Parents and Guardians Beth M. Coyne, Esq., Corrynn J. Peters, Esq. |
| 10:55 | Break |
| 11:05 | Effective Advocacy for Parents and Guardians in Child Dependency Cases: Part 1 J. Renee Berard, Esq., W. Andrew Harding, Esq., Sara R. Yohn, Esq. |
| 12:05 | Lunch (provided on site) |
| 12:35 | Effective Advocacy for Parents and Guardians in Child Dependency Cases: Part 2 J. Renee Berard, Esq., W. Andrew Harding, Esq., Sara R. Yohn, Esq. |
| 1:20 | Clients in Context: Gaining Perspective on Parent and Guardian Representation Tammy L. Sossei, Esq., Decca Knight |
| 2:20 | Break |
| 2:30 | Ethics for Court-Appointed Counsel for Parents and Guardians Krista Mathis, Esq. |
| 3:30 | Judicial Expectations of Court-Appointed Counsel for Parents and Guardians: What Does Effective Advocacy Look Like from the Bench? Hon. A. Ellen White, Hon. Vanessa L. Jones, Hon. Lori B. Galbraith, Hon. Frank W. Rogers |
| 4:30 | Adjourn |
Hon. Melissa S. Cardoce, Judge, Fairfax Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court / Fairfax
Hon. H. Lee Chitwood, Judge, Pulaski Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court / Pulaski
Hon. Lori B. Galbraith, Judge, Chesapeake Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court / Chesapeake
Hon. Vanessa L. Jones, Judge, Chesterfield Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court / Chesterfield
Hon. Frank W. Rogers, III, Judge, Roanoke City Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court / Roanoke City
Hon. A. Ellen White, Retired Judge, Campbell Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court – Moderator / Campbell
Renee Berard, Esq., Renee Berard Law, PC / Leesburg
Gabbie Cooper, Court Improvement Program, Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia / Richmond
Beth M. Coyne, Esq., Court Improvement Program, Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia / Richmond
W. Andrew Harding, Esq., W. Andrew Harding, PLC / Harrisonburg
Decca Knight, LPC, LPSC, EMDR Certified Therapist, PC / Roanoke
Krista M. Mathis, Esq., Assistant Ethics Counsel, Virginia State Bar / Richmond
Corrynn J. Peters, Esq., Peters Law, PLLC / Lynchburg
Tammy L. Sossei, Esq., Sossei Law, PC / Richmond
Sara R. Yohn, Esq., Clancy & Walter, PLLC / Hampton
Sandra L. Karison, Esq., Court Improvement Program, Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia / Richmond
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