On September 4, 2014, Nathan Olson attended a Continuing Legal Education Seminar “Hot Topics in Juvenile Law: Ethics, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Adoption, and Changing Timelines for Abuse and Neglect Cases.” The seminar was organized by the Fairfax Bar Association and included a distinguished panel featuring the Honorable Thomas P. Sotelo, Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court; Beth A. Bittel, Esquire; Karen S. Law, Esquire; Christopher Sigler, Esquire; and Kathryn Untiedt, Esquire. Laurie E. Forbes, Esquire served as moderator for the seminar.
The seminar included lively discussions on ethical traps in adoption and abuse and neglect cases. Karen Law provided several helpful tips in avoiding these traps and Judge Sotelo provided perspectives from the bench to help attorneys handle these types of cases. The second half of the seminar focused on Legal Ethics Opinions 1870 and 1729 which related to guardians ad litem communicating with represented parties and acting as witnesses in court. The seminar provided a wealth of information for any attorney who serves as a guardian ad litem or who regularly practices in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts.