Exact times may change
8:30-8:43 a.m. | Square peg, round hole: A GAL pep talk
Originally presented at our 2025 MOSOLO Small Firm Conference
Learn what Judge Crane means when she describes cases with kids involved as the square peg, round hole dilemma and why GALs are so important.
Learning objectives:
Speaker: Hon. Sue Crane, 13th Judicial Circuit Court, Fulton
8:43-8:48 a.m. | Break
8:48-9:37 a.m. | Standards and best practices
Originally presented at our 2025 Annual Family Law Conference
Guardians ad litem play a vital role for minor children in many different cases. This session will discuss the current role of guardians ad litem and potential developing roles of a guardian ad litem. This session will also cover new legislation affecting guardians ad litem and tips for practitioners to assist guardians ad litem in their roles.
Learning objectives:
Speakers: Austin E. Williamson, Rooney McBride & Smith, PLLC, Springfield; Brittnee L. Hill, Douglas, Haun & Heidemann, Bolivar
9:37-10:27 a.m. | Developmental considerations for children during divorce (0-12)
Originally presented at our 2025 Annual Family Law Conference
What do GALs need to understand about the young clients whose best interests they represent?
Children across the human developmental spectrum respond differently to change and loss. As divorce is one of the most impactful adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), it is imperative that family law attorneys understand how children at different ages and stages take in information, process it and respond to it.
Rebecca Growe, LCSW and Erika Ottolini, LPC will walk attorneys through presentations on the impact of divorce on young children (Part 1: 0-12 yo) and on adolescents (Part 2: 12-18 yo). This presentation will focus on how best to mitigate the risk of divorce on children's resilience, well-being and future relationships.
Learning objectives:
Speakers: Erika Ottolini, Artemis Counseling Services LLC, St. Louis; Rebecca Growe, Growe Counseling LLC, St. Louis
10:27-10:37 a.m. | Break
10:37-11:29 a.m. | Developmental considerations for children during divorce (12-18)
Originally presented at our 2025 Annual Family Law Conference
What do GALs need to understand about the young clients whose best interests they represent?
Children across the human developmental spectrum respond differently to change and loss. As divorce is one of the most impactful adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), it is imperative that family law attorneys understand how children at different ages and stages take in information, process it and respond to it.
Rebecca Growe, LCSW and Erika Ottolini, LPC will walk attorneys through presentations on the impact of divorce on young children (Part 1: 0-12 yo) and on adolescents (Part 2: 12-18 yo). This presentation will focus on how best to mitigate the risk of divorce on children's resilience, well-being and future relationships.
Learning objectives:
Speakers: Erika Ottolini, Artemis Counseling Services LLC, St. Louis; Rebecca Growe, Growe Counseling LLC, St. Louis
11:29 a.m.-12:29 p.m. | Lunch
12:29-1:19 p.m. | Technical aspects of GAL work
Speakers: Robert N. Hamilton, Reinker Hamilton Fenley LLC, St. Louis; Christina C. Lutton, Reinker Hamilton Fenley LLC, St. Louis
1:19-2:09 p.m. | Pathways to permanency: Finding the best choice for each family
Originally presented at our 2025 Annual Family Law Conference
The journey to finding the best permanency option for children has many factors to consider. Will reunification provide a safe environment for the child? Is the family connected to the necessary resources to remain successful after the case is closed? How will the family adjust to being together after spending months apart? Has the Family Support Team done everything they can to help this family succeed once the case is closed? What happens when reunification is not deemed to be a safe and appropriate possibility? During this presentation, attendees will learn about family reunification, common needs to help a family remain successful after the case is closed, and what alternatives to reunification may look like once it is deemed necessary to pursue alternative permanency options.
Learning objectives:
Speakers: Alana Hickman, Missouri CASA Association, Columbia; Laura Farmer, CASA of Southwest Missouri, Springfield
2:09-2:19 p.m. | Break
2:19-3:20 p.m. | The role of GALs in child abuse / neglect cases
Originally presented at our 2025 MOSOLO Small Firm Conference
This session will cover the role of GALs in Juvenile CA/N Cases from first appointment to permanency.
Learning objectives:
Speaker: J.C. Weyand, 22nd Judicial Circuit - City of St. Louis Family Court, St. Louis
3:20-4:11 p.m. | Judicial panel: Resist/refuse dynamics
Originally presented at our 2025 Annual Family Law Conference
Speakers: Comm. Gretchen L. Yancey, 13th Judicial Circuit Court, Columbia; Comm. Lisa M. Dube, 16th Judicial Circuit, Jackson County, Kansas City; Comm. Kyle L. Kanable, 31st Circuit Court, Family Court Division 1, Springfield; Hon. Jeffrey P. Medler, St. Louis County Circuit Judge, St. Louis; Hon. David A. Roither, 22nd Judicial Circuit, St. Louis
Moderator: Simone A. Haberstock, The Law Offices of Simone A. Haberstock, LLC, Richmond Heights
4:11 p.m. | Adjourn
Opinions and positions stated by presenters of MoBarCLE programs are those of the presenters and not necessarily those of The Missouri Bar. This program is intended as information for lawyers in Missouri, in conjunction with other research they deem necessary, in the exercise of their independent judgment.
Sue Crane is an Associate Circuit Judge in Callaway County and is the Family Court Administrative Judge for the 13th Circuit. Sue is the co-chair of the Children's Division's (PMAC) and has served on various boards and committees. When not abroad she loves being home on the ranch.
Austin is a Member of Rooney McBride & Smith, LLC, and has been a licensed attorney since 2005. Austin is admitted to practice law in Missouri and Arkansas, and he has worked closely with families and children in the area of Family Law in both states.
Brittnee is a family law attorney in Bolivar, Missouri. Brittnee currently serves as a Guardian ad Litem for Dallas, Greene, Hickory, Polk, and Webster counties in dissolution, paternity, adoption, guardianship, and protection order cases.
Erika Ottolini, LPC, specializes in adolescents and their families at Artemis Counseling Services, LLC, where she heads a team of dedicated therapists and child specialists helping families through transitions like divorce. Areas of specialty: comprehensive family services, supportive parent/coparent work, family law cases, collaborative divorce coaching and child specialist work
Rebecca is extensively trained in the providing trauma-informed treatment and is an expert in pediatric anxiety and disruptive behavior disorders. She serves as a Child Specialist for Collaborative Divorce matters, a Board Member for the St. Louis Collaborative Family Law Association, and as an expert witness for Family Law matters.
Robert Hamilton practices primarily in the area of family law. He received a communications degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and received his law degree from St. Louis University School of Law. He is regularly appointed as a GAL to represent children, and as a Commissioner to sell real estate.
Alana has worked with CASA since February of 2020, first with a local CASA program and now with the Missouri CASA Association as the Community Outreach and Education Coordinator. She graduated with her MSW from Missouri State University and as a macro-level social worker is passionate strengthening organizations and communities.
Laura has served as the Executive Director of CASA of SWMO since 2017. She is a LCSW certified in TBRI. Laura has worked to improve the child welfare system since earning her MSW from Mizzou. Her passion is ensuring every child in foster care has the opportunity to be successful.
J.C. Weyand is the Asst. Court Administrator & Chief Juvenile Officer for the 22nd Judicial Circuit of Missouri – City of St. Louis, overseeing the Family Court / Juvenile Division and a staff of approximately 250 court employees. He has been a featured presenter at MOSOLO since 2019.
Commissioner Gretchen Yancey was appointed in Family Court Commissioner in the 13th Judicial Circuit in 2024 and primarily presides over dissolutions, motions to modify, and paternity cases. She had over twenty years of experience in family law litigation, mediation, and guardian ad litem work in mid-Missouri prior to her appointment.
Commissioner Lisa M. Dubé was appointed by the judges of the 16th Judicial Circuit as Family Court Commissioner in September 2020. Commissioner Dubé presides over a contested domestic docket, which includes dissolution of marriage actions, paternity actions, modifications, private and State filed contempt actions, and family access motions.
Commissioner Kanable was appointed by the 31st Circuit Court, en Banc, as Family Court Division 1, on March 27, 2023. Prior to taking the bench, Commissioner Kanable was the sole owner and member of The Law Office of Kyle Kanable, LLC., where he practiced family law for thirteen years.
Hon. Jeffrey P. Medler was appointed Associate Circuit Court Judge in October, 2020 by Governor Michael Parson. He was retained by St. Louis County voters in 2022
He received his B.A. in Economics and Philosophy from Boston College in 1991 and his law degree from St. Louis University School of Law in 1994.
Before his appointment to the bench, Judge Medler was the founding partner of his law firm, Medler & Roither, LLC, then Medler, Karsten & Bridges LLC. His firm handled many different areas of the law including domestic, criminal, civil litigation and estate planning. He was frequently appointed by the Court to be a Guardian ad Litem representing children in domestic/family law matters.
He was awarded the Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year in 2004 by the St. Louis County Bar Association.
Judge Medler lives in St. Louis County with his family.
Judge David Roither is an Associate Circuit Judge in the 22nd Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri. Judge Roither has been a member of the Missouri Bar since 1999 and was in a litigation practice with his former partner the Honorable Jeffrey Medler from December, 2000, through January, 2018.
Simone Haberstock has been a family law attorney for 30 years and a mediator for 20 years. She acquired a Masters of Law in Dispute Resolution from University of Missouri School of Law in 2013 where she did IRB approved research on a mediation-arbitration process. Since graduating, she has founded a non-profit mediation service, Confluence Missouri, Inc.; served on the Mediation and Parenting Coordination Oversight Committee in St. Louis County Circuit Court; and worked on a number of court-connected ADR and problem-solving court projects across the state. She recently completed an interview research project of Missouri litigants who used mandatory mediation and has assisted in the production of two videos for the public on ADR processes. She has mediated over 400 cases including family, small business, employment, landlord-tenant, and small claims matters. Ms. Haberstock has spoken and presented on a variety mediation and ADR topics, including the decision- making process, at both national and statewide conferences. She also served on the Board of Governors for the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis for 10 years and is the immediate past-president of the Missouri Chapter of Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.
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Thu, Jan 22, 2026 - 8:30 AM to 10:52 AM CST
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