LKSZ Partner Jill Zuccardy is the opening speaker for the three-day training program presented by the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Department, on "Introduction to Family Court Practice."  Jill will be speaking on "Initial Intervention by the Government in a Child Protective Case," outling the methods by which the NYC Administration for Children's Services first gets involved in a case of suspected child abuse or neglect, and what actions ACS takes, including investigations and removals of children, and the filing of abuse and neglect petitions in the Family Court.  The course is designed to present a full introduction to the various types of proceedings involving children in the Family Court. 

Jill Zuccardy co-facilitated the training "Jurisdictional Disputes in Custody Cases" on October 6, with attorney Anna Marie Diamanti. The training, sponsored by Legal Services for New York, focused on the Hague Convention and the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act and received rave reviews.

"Excellent presentation; useful case summary"

"Very good training!"

"Excellent presenters!!"

"One of the most helpful trainings I have attended in quite some time. I learned a lot."

"Excellent overall. I have no complaints and can only praise the presenters and their presentations"

On Wednesday, October 7, 2009, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit will hear argument on four very important civil rights cases involving child welfare.  All of them involve the overriding claim by ACS that it should have unfettered discretion to remove children and prosecute parents and never be held accountable in federal court. Carolyn Kubitschek will argue for all four plaintiffs and their children. Other issues include:

• Whether a parent can seek redress in the federal court for wrongful removals by ACS of children from their families
• Whether ACS caseworkers and attorneys have absolute immunity, even if they prosecute of innocent parents for neglect and abuse
• The rights of Kinship Foster Parents and Children
• ACS reliance on Dr. Deborah Esernio-Jenssen of Long Island Jewish Hospital in accusing parents of Shaken Baby Syndrome.

The argument will be at the new federal courthouse at 500 Pearl Street, New York, New York (Worth Street between Centre Street and the Bowery), 9th Floor Ceremonial Courtroom, 10:00 am.

LKSZ partners Carolyn Kubitschek and David Lansner were named Super Lawyers in Family Law by the 2009 Edition of Super Lawyers.  It was the third consecutive honor for Carolyn and the first for David.