President's Blog, November 2020
Posted: 12 Nov 2020 by Marlene Eskind Moses
Dear IAFL Fellows and Non-Fellows,
Nothing can stop the IAFL, even the pandemic! I am thrilled to announce that the activity level among our Chapters and our global organization has exceeded our activity when we could meet in-person. Now in no way would I trade our in-person gatherings for our virtual connections but I am exceedingly proud of how we have been functioning and staying connected with all of the challenges we face each day.
IAFL Surveys
One indicator of how well we are doing is the responsiveness of our Fellows and Non-Fellows.
James Carroll, Amanda Humphreys and others on their newly formed Communication with Fellows Committee created the two very detailed and precise surveys that were distributed to all Fellows and to those Non-Fellows who have shown an interest in IAFL by subscribing to our mailing list. To our delight, we had an overwhelming response. We received 284 responses from Fellows which is 32% of our membership and more than our previous survey of Fellows in 2015 when we had 197 responses which was 28% of the membership at that time. We received 48 responses to the Non-Fellows survey. We have not previously surveyed Non-Fellows and are delighted to receive their input.
As promised, we had four winners of the survey entry contest who will each receive a $300 discount on registration for an IAFL meeting of their choice.
They are:
From the Fellows Survey:
⭐️ Anne-Marie Jackson of Bethesda, Maryland, USA and
From the Non-Fellows Survey:
⭐️ Anita Vimlati of Budapest, Hungary and
⭐️ Judith Jansen of Vancouver, Canada.
Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all of you who participated in the surveys. We are most grateful!
From the results, President Elect Tom Sasser will lead the Executive Committee and a few invited guests through a virtual strategic planning day on December 1, 2020. You will be given the results and will be given feedback from our planning session as well.
IAFL Webinars and Outreach
On November 19, 2020, the IAFL is hosting an open webinar entitled, “How to Successfully Develop an International Family Law Practice with the IAFL.” Competent and experienced Amanda Trigg is the moderator and organizer of the seminar. We have 246 people who have registered of whom approximately 80% are Non-Fellows who are interested in discovering the work of IAFL Fellows. This is by far the largest number of registered webinar participants that we have had.
The USA Chapter of the IAFL is using the same date of November 19 to have their virtual recruitment brunch. All invited guests will be sent quiche in advance so they will actually have brunch while the Executive Committees of the USA Chapter and of the IAFL meet with the prospective new Fellows. The prospective Fellows are also invited to attend the webinar thereafter. Congratulations to President Reneaux Collins and her committee for planning this event which I know will be successful.
In April 2021, IAFL will be hosting another open webinar, also focussing on “Introduction to International Family Law Practice”, but with speakers from the Asia Pacific region and at a time more convenient to that region. Those details will be announced when determined.
On November 23, 2020, the Asia Pacific Chapter has planned a webinar “When Home is Where the Violence Is: The Pandemic Paradox” in conjunction with LAWASIA and the World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights. This is a tremendous effort on their part to jointly sponsor the webinar with two other very important family law organizations. The co-hosts are President Corinne Remedios (Hong Kong) and President Elect Geoff Wilson (Australia). Details have been sent to all IAFL Fellows, Law Asia members and World Congress insiders for registration. The information is also here on our IAFL website.
Do refer to the IAFL website often as current information is placed on the calendar and in the respective sections for your convenience and reference.
Of course, we could not operate as efficiently and effectively without our Executive Director, Donna Goddard and her assistants Ali Massey, Sarah Lenoir and Sarah Broadbent, our Chapter administrators: Ali Massey (European Chapter), Susan Stafford and Jennifer Dooley (USA Chapter) and Daphne da Rosa (Asia Pacific Chapter). We appreciate your loyal support and superior administration.
Happy holiday season to all!
Stay happy and healthy!
Love,
Marlene
