National Association of Estate Planners and Councils

NAEPC Webinar: The Elegant Divorce

Presented by National Association of Estate Planners & Councils

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

3:00pm - 4:00pm ET

Speaker: Lisa M. Cukier, JD

Divorce of couples in the mid-life stage and age range of approximately 45-70 years of age is unlike divorce at any other age range because this demographic is at prime income earning and asset accumulation years, compensation is often a blend of cash and sophisticated alternatives, asset valuation tends to be complex and managing emotions related to empty nesting and the challenges of telling adult children and long-standing in laws about the divorce and managing the consequent family dynamics comes with heightened challenges. The manner in which these divorces are handled is key to a successful outcome by which both spouses, their families, and succeeding generations are protected. These divorces can be handled with elegance if the lawyers involved use a negotiation mindset and take emotionally intelligent steps to prevent upticks in acrimony. An elegant process ensures an outcome by which the entire family can move forward without acrimony, taking sides, nor blame and anger. 

LISA M. CUKIER is a Partner, Co-Chair of the Private Client Group, and Chair of the Fiduciary Litigation Group at Burns & Levinson LLP in Boston. Her practice includes fiduciary representation, service as concierge trustee, trust and estate dispute resolution and litigation, guardianship and conservatorship litigation, grandparents visitation matters, and elder financial exploitation and undue influence matters, family crisis and family dispute resolution, sophisticated high end divorce, divorce impacted by family trusts and family business, blended family planning and litigation, mental health and addiction related legal interventions. Previously, Ms. Cukier was assistant general counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health and Department of Mental Retardation (now DDS). As Special Assistant Attorney General at DMR, she prosecuted disabled person abuse cases for the Disabled Persons Protection Commission. She is a past president of the Massachusetts Family and Probate American Inn of Court and is presently serving on its Board of directors, serves on the program planning committee of the Boston Probate and Estate Planning Forum and serves on the networking committee of the Boston Estate Planning Council. Ms. Cukier has been recognized with the Best Lawyers designation from 2010 – 2022, the SuperLawyers designation from 2005-2022, the Massachusetts Bar Association Community Service Award in 2005, a National Law Journal Trailblazer in 2017, the Women Worth Watching recognition in 2018, Top Women of Law in 2019, and sat on the WBA Women Leaders Initiative for the 2020/21 year. Ms. Cukier is a graduate of Northeastern University and Suffolk University Law School in Boston. Ms. Cukier is a single mother raising her two high school aged children in Weston Massachusetts.  

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The Robert G. Alexander Webinar Series was launched in September 2013 to provide estate planners with accessible, high quality,
multi-disciplinary education.  Programs are COMPLIMENTARY

Webinars are offered within the Tradewing online community, which is separate from the NAEPC website.  Participants must create an account prior to their first registration, and can then easily register for the webinar(s) they would like to attend.

Not able to attend on the live date and time? Register anyway and we'll send you a link so you can view the recording at your own convenience.

Continuing Education Credit

Continuing education credit is available at most webinars for Accredited Estate Planner® designees.  In addition, a general certificate of completion will be available for those who feel the program satisfies their continuing education requirements and are able to self-file.  It is the responsibility of the attendee to determine whether their state, discipline, or designation will allow one to self-file for a distance-learning program.  Please contact webinars@naepc.org prior to attending if you have any questions with regard to the availability of credit. 

Sponsorship

Webinar sponsorship is available, along with other opportunities to support the association.  Email sponsorship@naepc.org to be added to the distribution list for opportunities.