Linda Ravdin, (Lawyer)
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I practice family law exclusively, including divorce and dissolution of domestic partnerships, custody, support, and disposition of property, as well as premarital agreements, postmarital agreements and domestic partnership agreements. I also serve as a mediator and facilitator in family law matters.
Collaborative Services
I have always felt that I could best serve my clients by keeping them out of court whenever possible. When a couple is able to resolve issues arising out of a family breakup through a settlement, they have greater control over the result. By working together, they can find creative solutions, often ones that a judge has no power to impose on them, that meet the needs of their own family. The Collaborative Process brings to bear all the best ideas for how to help couples reach that goal. I am an active member of a collaborative group in each of the three jurisdictions where I am licensed and I intend to continue encouraging family law clients to take advantage of this innovative approach to reaching a civilized, dignified and private resolution of their matters.
Licenses
Virginia State Bar - June 1974
District of Columbia Bar - November 1974
Maryland Bar - January 1984 ,J.D.
Professional Activities
CURRENT:
D.C. Superior Court, Family Court, Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. Facilitator, 2002 - present
PRIOR:
Author, Premarital Agreements: Drafting and Negotiation (ABA 2011)
Uniform Law Commission, Committee on Premarital and Marital Agreements, ABA co-Advisor, 2010
American Bar Association, Family Law Section. Governing Council, 2009
Co-Author (with Marcia C. Fidis), Premarital and Domestic Partnership Agreements (MICPEL 2009)
American Bar Association, Family Law Section. Chair, 2003 -- 2008
D.C. Superior Court, Family Court, Volunteer, Self-Help Center, 2004 - 2007
American Bar Association, Family Law Section. Member, Publications Development Board, 2003
Author, TM 849, Marital Agreements (Tax Mgmt Inc. 2003)
Co-Author (with Honorable Diane M. Brenneman), Domestic Relations Manual for the District of Columbia (LexisNexis Matthew Bender 2002, supplemented annually)
Member, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
Member, D.C. Bar (Family Law Section)
Member, Virginia State Bar (Family Law Section)
Member, Maryland State Bar Association (Family Law Section)
Collaborative Practice Training
| Year | Course Title | Instructor | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic/ Introductory Collaborative Law or Interdisciplinary Collaborative Team Training. | |||
| 2004 | Palliser Conflict Resolution, Inc.: Collaborative Practice, Interest-Based Negotiation and Mediation Trainers, 13 hour training course October 29 - 30, 2004, Falls Church, VA | Janis M. Pritchard and David J. Carter | 13 |
| 30-Hr Interest-Based Negotiation & Mediation Skills | |||
| 2007 | Alternative Resolutions and Joyce A. Mitchell & Associates, P.C.: Forty Hour Basic Mediation Training, October 1 - 7, 2007, Silver Spring, MD | Ellen F. Kandell and Joyce A. Mitchell | 40 |
| Additional 15 hours Intermediate/ Advanced interest-based negotiation, communication skills, collaborative, or basic professional coach training | |||
| 2009 | Collaborative Divorce Association, Inc.: Collaborative Models - Which Model is Right for Your Case?, March 13, 2009, Gaithersburg, MD | Pauline Tesler and Peggy Thompson | 8 |
| 2008 | Collaborative Advocacy: How is this Different and Why is the Distinction So Important?, 1-day training, June 6, 2008, Ellicott City, MD | Suzanne L. Brunsting and Gabriella Salvatore | 8 |
| Annual 4 hours collaborative continuing education (basic, intermediate, or advanced) | |||
| 2021 | Transform Them | CPNV: Jonathan Foust, MA, CSA | 1.5 |
| 2020 | The New Normal | CPNV: Steve Goldman & Patrice Garver | 1.5 |
| 2019 | UCLA Coming to Virginia Soon? | Teresa Cole and Karen Keyes | 1.5 |
| 2019 | Let's Talk About Money | Eric Wexler CFP, CDFA, Deborah May CPA, CFP, CDFA and Steve Weisbaum JD | 1.5 |
| 2019 | CPNV: The Space Between | Adele D'Ari and Paul Smollar | 1.5 |
| 2019 | CPNV: Difficult Moments in Collaborative Cases | Lynn Fletcher and Jennifer Bradley | 1.5 |
| 2019 | CPNV: A Collaborative Case Study | Jennifer Bradley, Lynn Fletcher, and Lisa Herrick | 1.5 |
| 2019 | CDRP: Divorce Through the Developmental Lens | Lisa Herrick and Kate Scharff | 1 |
| 2018 | CPNV: Working Creatively with Conflict | Debbie Beach, Patrice Garver and Debbie Nackman | 1.5 |
| 2018 | CPNV: Tools to Understand your Divorcing Client's Money Personality | Erika W. Schleifman, CFP, CDFA | 1.5 |
| 2018 | CPNV: Divorce Through the Developmental Lens | Lisa Herrick and Kate Scharff | 1.5 |
| 2018 | CPNV: Collaborative TEAM protocols: How the TEAM establishes an environment of thinking and reasoning | Christine Hissong and Mary Szpanka | 1.5 |
| 2018 | CDRP: The Non-Compliant Client | Lisa Herrick and Barbara Burr | 1 |
| 2017 | DCACP, Ten Years and Counting: Where Are We in the Evolution of Our Collaborative Community | Lisa Herrick | 1 |
| 2017 | DCACP, What to do? What to say? Factors to consider in the moment | Kate Scharff | 1 |
| 2016 | DCACP, The Collaborative Toolbox | Steven Weisbaum, Debbie May, Liz Lerner and Sue Soler | 1 |
| 2016 | DCACP Keep Calm and Carry On:Wisdom for the work of Bill Eddy about How to Cope with Hostile Communications | Carol Miller and Debra Nackman | 1 |
| 2016 | CPNV, What to Share with Collaborative Clients: Experience and Connection Among the Professionals | Karen Keyes, Hayden Lee, and Jennifer Bradley | 1 |
| 2015 | DCACP, How Can the Collaborative Model Be Adapted in Order to Make it More Responsive to the Clients' Needs | I was the instructor. | 1 |
| 2014 | DCACP, My Daddy Has a Special Friend and My Mommy's Always Sad Affairs and Divorce - From the Child's Point of View | Debra Nackman | 2 |
| 2014 | DCACP, Marriage, Divorce, and the 'Midlife Crisis | Jane Prelinger | 2 |
| 2014 | CDRP, Using the Law in the Collaborative Process | Roundtable | 2.5 |
| 2013 | ”Ethics Guidelines for Collaborative Practice: MD, DC and VA” | Susan Butler, Bebbie May, Paul, Smollar, Anne White, Sue Soler, Robin Taub | 3 |
| 2013 | DCACP, Dealing with | Roundtable | 2 |
| 2012 | Howard County Collaborative Professionals, ”Fees in Collaborative Cases.” | I was instructor | 1 |
| 2012 | CPNV, ”Fees in Collaborative Cases” | I was instructor | 1.5 |
| 2011 | Montgomery/Prince George's County Tax Study Group, ”Premarital Agreements and the Business Owner.” | I was instructor | 1 |
| 2011 | Introduction to Interdiscliplinary Collaborative Family Practice, January 13, 14, and 15, 2011 | Ali Doyle and Mary Stengel | 18 |
| 2011 | DCACP, ”Fees in Collaborative Cases.” | I was instructor | 1.5 |
| 2011 | DC Bar, ”Update on Same-Sex Marriage and Domestic Partnerships: What You Need to Know in DC, MD and VA.” | I was instructor | 3 |
| 2011 | American College of Estates and Trusts Counsel, ”Premarital and Domestic Partnership Agreements.” | I was instructor | 1.5 |
| 2010 | Understanding and Managing High Conflict People, one-day training, June 4, 2010, Columbia, Maryland | William A. Eddy, LCSW, Esq | 7.5 |
| 2010 | D.C. Bar CLE, What You Need to Know about Domestic Partnerships and Same-Sex Marriage. March 23, 2010 | I was instructor | 3 |
| 2010 | AAML, Kentucky Chapter, Annual CLE Conference. ”Premarital Agreements; Representing the Stronger Party; Representing the Weaker Party.” | I was instructor | 1.5 |
| 2009 | MICPEL, Faculty, ”The Unmarried Couple: Rights and Responsibilities without the Marriage Certificate.” Taught segment entitled,”Creating Legal Relationships between Unmarried Couples: Recognition of Out-of-State Marriages and Civil Unions, DC Domestic Partnerships, and Property Contracts.” Columbia, Maryland, May 14, 2009. | I was instructor | 6 |
| 2009 | MICPEL, Faculty and Co-Chair, ”Premarital Agreements.” Columbia, Maryland, September 10, 2009. | I was instructor | 4 |
| 2008 | American Bar Association, Section of Family Law. Faculty, Fall CLE Conference program, ”The Art of the Draft: Premarital Agreements,” Scottsdale, AZ, October 4, 2008 | I was instructor | 3 |
| 2007 | Legal Services of Northern Virginia. Faculty, ”Equitable Distribution of Federal Government Retirement Benefits: What You Need to Know About Military CSRS, FERS, Foreign Service, and CIA,” Arlington, VA, September 26, 2007 | I was instructor | 3 |
| 2007 | American Bar Association, Section of Family Law. Faculty, Spring CLE Conference. ”Alimony and Retirement: A Crossroad.” Monterey, CA, April, 2007 | I was instructor | 1 |
| 2006 | Legal Services of Northern Virginia. Faculty, ”Dividing Retirement Benefits of World Bank and IMF Employees at Divorce.” Fairfax, VA, March 22, 2006 | I was instructor | 3 |
| 2006 | Introduction to Collaborative Family Law, Basic Training, 2-day training course, April 26 - 27, 2006, Washington, D.C. | Suzanne L. Brunsting and Stuart L. Levison | 16 |
| 2006 | District of Columbia Superior Court, Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division. Faculty, Mediator Training, ”Domestic Partner Contracts.” Washington, D.C., June 8, 2006 | I was instructor | 3 |
| 2006 | American Bar Association, Section of Family Law. Faculty, Spring CLE Conference, ”Ethics and Fees in Family Law Matters.” Washington, D.C., May 5, 2006 | I was instructor | 1 |
| 2005 | District of Columbia Superior Court, Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division. Faculty, ”D.C. Domestic Relations Law for Family Court Mediators.” Washington, D.C., June 16, 2005 | I was instructor | 3 |