IAFL Events

Enjoy your stay in Charleston at the beautiful Hotel Bennett. This property was named #18 Best Hotel in the World by the Conde Nast 2024 Readers Choice Awards. It is also #1 in the Southeast US. 

Our IAFL Hotel Room Block is open for bookings. The link to book will be included in your registration confirmation email. In the meantime, explore all the hotel has to offer!

 The room block rate* is $399/night plus applicable taxes.

*please note: you will receive the booking link to reserve your room upon completing registration for the event. 

Schedule of Events

Many thanks to Cbiz for being our Principal Meeting Sponsor!

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

3:00-4:30 PM - City Carriage Tour - Sponsored by Maddox & Gerock

There is no more charming way to get a welcoming overview of Charleston than via a horse drawn carriage. Only a 15 minute walk or 5 minute ride to the carriages, you will experience this beautiful historic district complete with houses, gardens, mansions, churches, parks and more. Experience the history woven throughout the city and become a local in no time!

6:00 PM - Welcome Reception - Sponsored by Aronson Mayefsky and Sloan

Join us as we kick off our much-anticipated meeting at our beautiful host hotel, Hotel Bennett,  in the vibrant city of Charleston! The Welcome Reception, taking place on the rooftop overlooking the city, promises an evening of warm greetings, delectable hors d’oeuvres, and engaging conversations in the heart of this low country gem.

Thursday, February 6, 2025

8:30AM - 12:00PM - CLE - Sponsored by Boulby Weinberg LLP; AV sponsored by Davis Friedman

8:30 to 8:40 AM - Introduction and Welcome from the Chapter Presidents

Wendy Brooks Crew (Alabama, USA) & Oren Weinberg (Ontario, Canada)

8:40 to 9:10 AM - Welcome to Charleston

 Our Opening Speaker will welcome all fellows with a fascinating tale of the history of this great city.

Katherine Pemberton, Museum Director of the Powder Magazine Museum and Director of Programming for the National Society of Colonial Dames in America in the State of South Carolina

9:10 to 9:20 AM- Mobile Families and Conflicts in Laws

You will be introduced to a highly mobile family.  For each panel, a team of international lawyers will advise and guide our family through a complex maze of international family law problems, which will highlight the complex conflict of laws problems that may exacerbate litigation, and, hopefully, propel settlement.

Peter and Kay are a highly mobile, international couple, that are finding themselves in a lot of legal trouble as they navigate starting a family, marrying, divorcing, and addressing their finances.  We have assembled some of the most sophisticated global legal teams to provide advice to Peter and/or Kay. 

Introduction by Melissa Kucinski & Jonathan Lounsberry, Managing Partners of the "IAFL International Law Firm"

9:20 to 10:20 AM - Valuing an international business

Kay is the part-owner of an international lumber and shipping company.  The company is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, United States, but has its warehouse and shipping facility in Canada. Peter is the owner of an import/export company that has done significant business throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including in Singapore. Its headquarters is in London, and it has a satellite office in Melbourne, Australia.

Both Kay and Peter need to value these international companies, and they agree to hire Mr. Brian Burns to conduct a neutral business valuation of each. 

Speakers: Brian Burns (Richmond, Virginia), Ian Kennedy, AM (Melbourne, Australia), Mélissa Chevalier (Montreal, QC, Canada)

10:20 to 10:50 AM      Break - Sponsored by Chemtob Moss Forman & Beyda

10:50 to 12:00 PM       International Parentage and Surrogacy

Peter and Kay are madly in love, but Kay is having difficulty conceiving a child, something she desperately wants. The couple is not yet married.  Kay is living in Paris, France in a home owned by Peter, but travels frequently to Canada, where she oversees operations for her family’s business.  Peter is spending time between England and France.  He periodically travels to the Asia-Pacific region to engage in business as part of his international import/export company. Kay travels to the United States where she reconnects with her good friend, Rachael, who is willing to be the surrogate that carries Kay’s child. 

Speakers: Colin Rogerson (London, England), Bruce Hale (Boston, Massachusetts), Shirley Eve Levitan (Toronto, Canada)

10:00 AM – Guest Event: Walking Food Tour

Experience Charleston’s rich culinary heritage firsthand on the Savor the Flavors Walking Tour—where “food is history you can taste!”! Led by a local expert, this immersive two-and-a-half-hour tour will take you through the heart of Charleston’s vibrant food scene. Along the way, savor iconic Lowcountry dishes and discover the stories behind them. By the end, you’ll not only be full but also well-versed in the history and flavors that make Charleston’s cuisine truly unforgettable.

1:00 – 4:00 PM – USS Yorktown Team Scavenger Hunt Competition

Get your competitive spirit soaring aboard the historic USS Yorktown, a World War II aircraft carrier! Divided into teams, you’ll embark on a custom-designed scavenger hunt through the famous ‘Fighting Lady,’ uncovering fascinating stories and hidden secrets of this legendary vessel. Explore unique locations such as the ship’s chapel, torpedo workshop, crew’s berthing, medical spaces, engine room, and many more intriguing spots. This immersive adventure is not just about fun—it’s a chance to delve deep into history while building teamwork and camaraderie. And to make things even more exciting and competitive, the winning team will walk away with a prize that’s truly worth fighting for!

6:30 – 9:00pm -First Timer’s Dinner

Is this your first IAFL meeting as a Fellow? Join us for dinner with IAFL leadership and become familiar with all things IAFL. We will be dining at a charming restaurant close to the hotel.

*If this is your first meeting and you would like to attend, please email courtney.hamm@iafl.com and you will be registered at no cost to you. 

Dine Arounds

We will be planning several Dine Arounds for you to mingle with old and new friends alike.  Information will be forthcoming based upon expressions of interest.

Friday, February 7, 2025    

8:30AM - 12:00PM - CLE - Sponsored by Apicella Law Group; AV sponsored by Verner Brumley Mueller Parker

8:30 to 10:00 AM - The International Movement of Children

Kay’s child, Marlene, is born through Rachael.  Kay and Marlene will spend approximately four months each year in France, Canada, and the United States with the child, although she may periodically visit Peter while he is on job assignment elsewhere. During one visit with Peter in Singapore, where he was negotiating a new contract for his company, Peter proposes that they temporarily relocate to Singapore for one year.  Kay agrees to the temporary relocation, but, concerned about packing the family’s households with a now 2-year-old toddler, Kay travels to the United States and leaves Marlene with Rachael, who is also the child’s godmother.  Rachael has a close connection to Marlene and is very concerned about the family’s plans to relocate to Singapore. Rachael refuses to return Marlene to Peter and Kay when it comes time for the move.  Peter and Kay file a lawsuit in New York, where Rachael is living, seeking Marlene’s return.

Speakers: Richard Min (New York, New York), Isabelle Rein-Lescasteryres (Paris, France), Alexandra Carr (Toronto, Canada)

10:00 to 10:30 AM - Break - Sponsored by Siegel Colin & Kauffman

10:30 to 12:00 PM - The role of fault in dividing international assets, the transfer of assets between countries and other considerations            

Fast forward. Peter and Kay manage to resume care and custody of Marlene from Rachael. Rachael is in jail in the United States for having kidnapped Marlene. Peter and Kay have reconciled and remained in Singapore beyond the one year originally contemplated. They marry in a small private ceremony at home in Singapore. Marlene is now age 5, It’s finally time for Peter and Kay to enroll Marlene in school, and Kay would like the child to attend an elite private boarding school in Canada. Peter and Kay get into a fight. Kay moves out with Marlene and goes to her family home in Canada.  She rekindles a relationship with Jason, an old boyfriend from university, who now plays for the National Hockey League (NHL). Jason lives most of the year in New York and is spending substantial time with Kay in Peter and Kay’s two-bedroom apartment on the Upper East Side, which Peter and Kay had utilized as a pied a terre. When Peter finds out, he decides to divorce Kay.

The couple has the following key assets:

For Kay: Bank and Brokerage accounts in Canada, the United States, Singapore, and France; retirement assets in New York; a share in the family business in Canada, which is held in a trust; a small condo in Paris; an inheritance right in the real estate where she resides while in Canada; among other things.

For Peter: Bank and Brokerage accounts in England, France, Singapore, and Australia; retirement assets in England; his import/export company that is headquartered in London; a house in Paris, France; an apartment in New York, among other things.

Speakers: Karon Bales (Toronto, Canada), Gretchen Beall Schumann (New York, NY), Tim Amos, KC (London, England), Kai Yun Wong (Singapore)

3:00 PM – Low Country Boil - Sponsored by Stout

Chug-a-Lug Wagon Sponsored by Buchbauer McGuire

S'mores Under the Stars Sponsored by Webb Soypher McGrath

Games Sponsored by kd Law

Gullah Story Tellers Sponsored by Libra Avocats

Get ready for an unforgettable evening filled with Southern charm and delicious flavors at our Low Country boil! Gather with friends and family as we serve up a traditional feast of shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes, and more – all cooked together in one big pot and seasoned to perfection. Dance the evening away as you learn the Carolina Shag dance from local instructors. This event will be complete with a Sweetgrass basket weaving demonstration, a Gullah Geechee storyteller, s’mores on the beach, and yard games that promise to give you a true taste of a Lowcountry boil. Don’t worry if you have an allergy or preference, we will also have Carolina BBQ available for those who request on the registration form!

Saturday, February 8, 2025

8:15AM - 9:15AM - US and Canadian Chapter Annual Meetings

9:15AM - 9:45AM - Break - Sponsored by GSRM

9:45 to 11:15 AM - CLE - International Discovery

Peter and Kay are in the thick of litigation in France (for child custody), Singapore (for divorce), and Canada (for the division of certain assets).  They realize that for all aspects of their case, they are going to need information from within and without each country. They each independently consult their legal teams about how to obtain the necessary disclosures. 

As a reminder, the parties have the following assets:

For Kay: Bank and Brokerage accounts in Canada, the United States, Singapore, and France; a share in the family business in Canada; a small condo in Paris; her relative having passed, real estate where she resides while in Canada as well as real estate in Alabama where she stays while visiting Rachael; among some other assets. Peter also suspects that Kay owns 40% of a subsidiary of her family’s business that has multiple sites in the Alabama Gulf shores.

 For Peter: Bank and Brokerage accounts in England, France, Singapore, and Australia; his import/export company that is headquartered in London; a house in Paris, France; among some other assets. Peter also owns real estate in London which he inherited from a wealthy aunt. He and Kay stayed in one of the properties from time to time when on vacation and/or passing through London en route to Singapore.

 Both are also very wary of the other hiding additional assets and consult their respective teams on how to obtain as much financial information about the other as possible and the most efficiently.

Speakers: Frances Auchincloss Goldsmith (Paris, France), Jane Keir (London, England), Kenneth Fishman (Toronto, Canada), Jessica Kirk Drennan (Birmingham, Alabama)

12:00 – 1:30 PM – Brunch at Doyle Auction House 

This once in a lifetime event is one we can guarantee will be on everyone's "Don't Miss" list! Meet us at the Doyle auction house for a private brunch event where you can shop, admire, and bask in the beauty of antique gems and jewelry. Come listen to Antiques Road Show Jewelry appraiser, Kevin Zavian who will give a short talk and answer our jewelry questions, then wander back to the hotel along one of the best shopping districts in the country. We promise this is an event to remember! This event has limited capacity of 50 so register today before it's too late.

6:00 PM – Southern Family Supper

Join us for a night of Southern charm and hospitality at A Southern Celebration, where the heart of Charleston comes alive with every bite, sip, and step on the dance floor. 

Just steps off King Street from the Hotel Bennett, The William Aiken House (1810), a National Historic Landmark and former home to the first Governor of South Carolina, will be the location and backdrop for this memorable evening. From special Southern cocktails, a traditional dinner buffet, delectable desserts, to ghost stories and more, you will want to join us as we toast to an incredible meeting in Charleston!

 Cancellation Policy: Full refund of registration fee less an administration fee of $100 if cancellation occurs before December 16, 2024. No refund of registration fees thereafter. Tour and event fees are refundable if cancellation occurs before December 16, 2024, and only if the Academy is not responsible for any charges or fees due to the cancellation. See hotel booking site for hotel cancellation policy.

REGISTER HERE

 Thank you to our Sponsors!

IAFL sponsors for website by TheSolution