2023 Family Law Institute featuring For Better or For Worse® - Day 1

Gregg R Woodnick Related Seminars and Products

Woodnick Law PLLC

Gregg R. Woodnick is the managing attorney at Woodnick Law, PLLC. Gregg is a former adjunct law professor who also lectured for graduate school programs including Creighton University, Midwestern University, Yale, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University.

Gregg serves as a faculty member, guest lecturer and trainer at forums on child abuse and neglect litigation throughout Arizona. He was previously appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court’s Task Force on the Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure.

Gregg has served as Cooperating Counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) twice, including as lead counsel in the first same-sex adoption in Arizona and currently, as local counsel for the ACLU’s efforts to advance Arizona policy involving Arizona’s Child Abuse/Central Registry.

He is the current Chair of the State Bar of Arizona’s Client Protection Fund and is a member of the National Child Abuse Defense and Resource Center (NCADRC). Gregg served as an expert in litigation in the United Kingdom and consulted for administrative and state courts in Arizona, Florida, and Georgia.

Gregg is a graduate of the University of Arizona and the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and was named “Mentor of the Year” by the Arizona Children’s Law Center and was recognized by Defenders of Children.

Hon. Suzanne M Nicholls Related Seminars and Products

Maricopa County Superior Court

Honorable Suzanne Nicholls was appointed to the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County in April 2020. She has served on the Family Court Bench since that time. Before her appointment to the bench, Hon. Nicholls served as a Deputy Public Advocate representing parents and families in dependency actions for many years. She was awarded the Arizona Public Defender Association's Outstanding Performance Award in July 2017 for her work in developing and drafting the law regarding Court Authorized Removals in dependency actions. Prior to that, Hon. Nicholls worked at the Arizona Attorney General's Office in the Child and Family Protection Division representing the Department of Child Safety, after having served many years in the Criminal Appeals Division. Her diversity of legal practice also included several years at two different private civil litigation firms spanning many areas including insurance defense, civil litigation, estate planning, and intergovernmental law. Hon. Nicholls has participated in various young attorney developmental programs through Arizona State University's Moot Court and Mock Trial programs and is a member of the Thurgood Marshall Inn of Court, Arizona Women's Lawyers Association and other associations.

Jennifer G Gadow Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Stillman Smith Gadow

Jennifer Gadow is a partner at FROMM SMITH & GADOW, P.C. where her practice focuses exclusively on complex family law litigation and mediation. Ms. Gadow has been a Certified Specialist in Family Law since 2002. She has been a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) since 2014. She has been named the Volunteer Guardian Ad Litem of the Year and served as a volunteer settlement officer for the Superior Court of Arizona for nearly fifteen years. She currently serves as a Parenting Coordinator.

Admitted to the State Bar of Arizona in 1995, Ms. Gadow received her B.A. in English from the University of California at Berkeley in 1991 and her law degree from the University of Denver in 1994. She has been a program chair and frequent presenter at seminars educating both new and seasoned family law attorneys throughout Arizona. Her expertise has been utilized to update family law legislation and she currently serves on several committees within the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and is on the Arizona Family Law Executive Counsel.

Ms. Gadow has a passion for family law and has worked in that field exclusively since becoming an attorney. She is the mother of two teen children and she enjoys traveling, hiking tall mountains and trail running.

Tory Meier Related Seminars and Products

Jason Sweetman Related Seminars and Products

Dana Baerger Related Seminars and Products

J.D., Ph.D.

Dr David Weinstock Related Seminars and Products

J.D., Ph.D.

Forensic Counseling and Evaluations PLLC

Dr. Weinstock received his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona and his J.D. from the Boston University School of Law. He is a licensed psychologist in Arizona and a licensed and retired attorney in New York and Massachusetts. His focus is on family law, specifically family evaluations and family and individual counseling. He has conducted family law evaluations for over two decades, both privately and at the Pima County Conciliation Court. He has also provided treatment to adolescents, including experience working with the gifted population.
Dr. Weinstock has experience working within the criminal justice system, which includes training at the Arizona State Hospital, conducting competency evaluations and risk assessments. Dr. Weinstock has experience with sexual offender and sex addiction evaluations and treatment. Dr. Weinstock is a co-creator of IFTAZ.com (Intensive Family Transformation). He is a board member of notMYkid. He is an advisory member for Child Health & Resiliency Mastery (CHARM) and Defenders of Children . He is currently an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Creighton University School of Medicine and part-time faculty in the Graduate Psychology Department at Northern Arizona University (NAU). He participated with the Maricopa County Superior Court’s Behavioral Health Committee. He is a former board member for the Arizona’s Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AzAFCC), the Arizona Psychological Foundation (AzPF), Arizona’s Domestic Relations Committee and the Arizona Psychological Association (AzPA). He is also a former co- chair of the Arizona Psychological Association’s forensic committee and Communications Representative for the Arizona Psychological Association (AzPA).

Stephen Roy Smith Related Seminars and Products

Fromm Smith & Gadow PC

Stephen R. Smith is a partner in the Phoenix law firm of Stillman Smith Gadow where his practice is limited to complex family law litigation, mediation, and appellate matters. Mr. Smith has been a Certified Specialist in Family Law since 2000. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and is a past President of the Arizona Chapter. Mr. Smith is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® and Super Lawyers® in the field of family law. Mr. Smith received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Arizona State University in 1991 and his law degree from Whittier College School of Law in 1994 where he was a member of the Whittier Law Review. He has been a member of the Family Law Advisory Commission to the Arizona State Bar Board of Legal Specialization since 2008 and was Chairman of the Commission from 2012-2016. Mr. Smith is a Judge Pro Tem of the Maricopa County Superior Court and is a frequent presenter at conferences and seminars on all aspects of family law.

Hon. Bruce R Cohen Related Seminars and Products

Judge

Maricopa County Superior Court

BRUCE R. COHEN was appointed as a Superior Court Judge to the Maricopa County Superior Court, Arizona in May, 2005. He retired from the Bench on January 1, 2025. During his tenure, he served on a family court assignment for ten years, four of which as Associate Presiding Family Court Judge (2007-2011) and four of which were as Presiding Judge (2019-2023). He also served on a criminal calendar assignment from 2011-2015, two years of which he was the managing judge of the Post-Conviction Relief Unit, three years assigned to the Juvenile Court (2015-2018) and one year on a Civil Court calendar from 2018-2019. His final two years on the bench were on a criminal court assignment, during which Judge Cohen was invited by the Department of Justice to participate in a three-day national judiciary symposium in Washington, D.C. on criminal justice reform. In the mid to late 1970s, before entering the legal profession, Judge Cohen worked in the concert industry. He produced shows with many top acts, including Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles, Bob Seger, Journey, Yes, Janis Ian, Melissa Manchester, Billy Joel, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Yvonne Elliman, Black Sabbath (with Ozzy), The Beach Boys, Herbie Mann, Stanley Clarke, Kenny Loggins, Dicky Betts of the Allman Brothers, Harry Chapin, Elvis Costello, George Carlin, Cheech and Chong, Bob Hope, and the Rolling Stones (featuring Linda Ronstadt). He helped produce a benefit concert held at the University of Arizona Football Stadium in 1977 headlined by Fleetwood Mac and the Marshall Tucker Band, which was attended by 67,000 people and which raised over $400,000 for the American Heart Association, from whom he was given their 1977 Outstanding Service Award. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a B.A. in Psychology in 1978, Judge Cohen attended law school and earned his J.D. at Arizona State University (now known as “Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law”). While in law school, he appeared on two game shows—“High Rollers” (1979), hosted by Alex Trebek and “Match Game” (1980), hosted by Gene Rayburn. After having graduated from law school, Judge Cohen remained actively engaged with the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. In 2001 and again in 2021 and 2022, he served as an adjunct family law professor and has been a guest speaker on many other occasions. He and his wife sponsored an annual scholarship project for a number of years through 2012 for first year law students on the issue of professionalism. In the summer of 2010, he helped develop a mentor program for 1L law students to be paired with judicial officers. Prior to his appointment to the Bench, Judge Cohen was in private practice for 24 years. He was a certified specialist in Family Law and served on the Family Law Board of Legal Specialization for the State Bar of Arizona, as well as the Family Law Executive Council for the State Bar of Arizona. He was a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and was named annually to the Martindale Hubbell Preeminent Lawyers in America. In 1990, he was named Volunteer Lawyer of the Year by the Maricopa County Bar Association. He is also past president of the Arizona Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (1992) and served as a member of the AzAFCC Board through January, 2011. Judge Cohen chaired 2010-11 AzAFCC Summit Project, which focused on developing communication skills for parents in custody litigation. Judge Cohen co-authored and advocated legislation in the 1990s, which was enacted in Arizona: (a) parent information programs for parents addressing custody issues; (b) streamlining processes for adoption of special needs children. After four years of effort, he helped secure the passage of legislation in Arizona in 2021 that allowed sexual assault survivors who became impregnated to seek termination of parental rights of their assailants. In 2013, Judge Cohen worked in collaboration with others to return to Arizona the “Anytown” program, which brings together high-school aged children for a weeklong camp focused on stamping out bias, prejudice and bigotry and celebrating diversity. He served as a co-director for the 2014 and 2016 camps. Judge Cohen has served on numerous committees, boards and task forces, including: Arizona Supreme Court Child Support Guidelines Committee for four quadrennial reviews, commencing in 1996, (Chairperson for the 2008-2010 Review and again as a member for the 2020-21 review); Arizona Supreme Court Family Law Rules Review Committee and on the Admission on Motion Task Force; Arizona Supreme Court’s Standing Committee on the Impact of Domestic Violence and the Courts (2019-2023), the Family Court Improvement Committee, Commission on Access to Justice; Judicial Executive Council member for the Maricopa County Superior Court (2014-15 and 2019-2023); Chairperson of the Arizona State Bar Professionalism Advisory Council; Arizona Supreme Court committee on development of spousal maintenance guidelines (2022-23); and Maricopa County Superior Court Peer Support Program (founding member). In May, 2023, he was an invited to be part of the AFCC International Symposium of Family Law Judges, attended by judges from across the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore and Israel. Commencing in 2019, Judge Cohen has worked in concert with the National Conference for State Courts to develop the Families In Transition Program (“FIT”). With funding from the State Justice Initiative, FIT is a computer-based interactive program designed for early intervention in cases where there is risk of the family becoming engaged in high-conflict parenting. The program has been independently studied by Arizona State University and was found to be highly effective in reducing parental conflict in custody cases. It is now used in Arizona and soon shall be available for courts throughout the United States. He also served as the national co-chair for the Family Law Workgroup of the National Judicial Task Force on Mental Health and the Courts. This group developed an “Understanding Series” regarding mental health issues in family court proceedings and is published on the website of the National Conference of State Courts. During his 18 years on the Bench, he received a number of awards, including: Arizona Family Support Council’s 2010 Judicial Officer of the Year; 2011 AzAFCC Outstanding Service Award, 2011 “Improving Public Trust and Confidence in the Arizona Court System” award from the Arizona Supreme Court; 2013 Maricopa County Superior Court Pendleton Gaines Collegiality Award; nominee for the US Justice Department 2014 National Crime Victims’ Service Award; “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the State Bar of Arizona- Family Law Section in 2016; and the Phoenix Chapter of the American Board of Trial Attorneys 2019 “Judge of the Year.” For his work on judicial education, he was a co-recipient of the 2021 Excellence in Judicial Education Award from the Arizona Judicial College, was awarded the nationally prestigious 2022 “Irwin Cantor Innovative Program Award” from the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and the “2022 Promoting Judicial Branch Excellence Award” from the Arizona Supreme Court. He was recently the recipient of the 2023 “Justice Michael D. Ryan Award for Judicial Excellence” from the Public Lawyers Section of the State Bar of Arizona and the 2023 “Making a Difference Award” from the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the State Bar of Ariz

Gabriel Goltz Related Seminars and Products

Program Manager

Arizona Supreme Court

Barry L Brody Related Seminars and Products

Barry L. Brody, PC

Barry L. Brody is a sole practitioner in the Phoenix area. Mr. Brody is a Certified Family Law Specialist, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, including two terms as past-President of the Arizona Chapter. His practice is limited to the areas of complex family law litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. Mr. Brody received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting, with high distinction, from Arizona State University in 1975, his Juris Doctor Degree from Pepperdine University-School of Law in 1977, and was admitted to the Arizona State Bar in 1978. Mr. Brody was a Judge Pro Tempore in the Maricopa County Superior Court Family Court Division, and was a Member of the Judges and Commissioners Family Law Study Committee. He is a Past-Chair of the Executive Council of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Arizona, is a Past President of the Maricopa County Bar Association Family Law Section and is a Member of the Family Law Certification Advisory Commission. Mr. Brody is also a contributing author to Arizona Guide for Family Practice and Editor of The Divorce and Children Handbook. Mr. Brody is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the practice areas of Family Law, including two years as Lawyer of the Year, and Family Law Mediation, Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, Super Lawyers of the Southwest in both Family Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution, AVVO as a “Superb” member, Ten Leaders, Marquis Who's Who in American Law, and he has spoken at numerous seminars. Mr. Brody’s website is located at: www.divorceaz.com

Dana M Levy Related Seminars and Products

Dickinson Wright PLLC

Dana M. Levy has been a shareholder at Dickinson Wright PLLC (fka Mariscal Weeks, P.A.) since 2003. She is a Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of Arizona and a fellow of the Academy of Matrimonial Attorneys. Ms. Levy concentrates her practice on complex dissolution, post-dissolution, paternity, child custody and child support matters. She is a member of the State Bar of Arizona and the Maricopa County Family Law Section. She serves as a pro tem judge and mediator in family law for the Maricopa County Superior Court and as an arbitrator for the State Bar of Arizona Fee Arbitration Program. She has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers in Arizona (since 2013), including named Family Lawyer of the Year in Phoenix for 2023, Southwest Super Lawyers since 2011, including named as one of the top 25 women attorneys in Arizona in 2016, has been honored by Arizona Business Magazine in 2017 and in Arizona Business Leaders Magazine for 2024. Ms. Levy received her B.A. from Brandeis University and her J.D. from the Arizona State University School of Law.