Hidden Forms of Domestic Violence

OVERVIEW:

The 2026 Family Law Symposium will examine the following hidden forms of domestic violence as they arise in family law cases: economic violence between partners, technology-facilitated abuse, and the role of traumatic brain injury in divorce and separation cases. A judicial panel will also discuss what judges see in the courtroom and how practitioners can address hidden domestic violence in their cases. The Symposium will conclude with a networking reception.

The symposium will be presented online and in person, and registration must be completed no later than Monday, October 26th.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE:

10:00am-10:15am | Check In

10:15am-10:45am | Welcome & Featured Speaker: The Economic Impact of Domestic Violence

• Abi Adams, Professor, Department of Economics, Northwestern University
• Professor Adams will open the symposium by examining the economic dimensions of domestic violence and how financial control, coercion and instability impacts survivors in family law matters.

10:45am-11:45am | Panel 1: Financial Abuse

• Panelists will discuss how financial abuse may appear in intimate partner relationships and family law cases, including patterns of control, barriers to independence and issues practitioners should consider when representing clients.

11:45am-12:15pm | Lunch provided & sponsored by Soberlink

12:15pm-1:45pm | Panel 2: Technology-Facilitate Abuse

• This panel will explore how technology can be used to monitor, harass, control and/or intimidate a partner, and how family law practitioners can recognize and respond to these issues in their cases.

1:45pm-2:00pm | Break

2:00pm-3:00pm | Panel 3: Traumatic Brain Injury

• This panel will examine traumatic brain injury in the context of domestic violence, including how it affects survivors, client communication, evidence and court proceedings.

3:00pm-4:00pm | Panel 4: Judicial Perspectives on Hidden Domestic Violence

• Judges will discuss what they see in the courtroom and how practitioners can more effectively identify, present and address hidden forms of domestic violence in family law cases.

4:00pm-5:00pm | Networking Reception sponsored by OurFamiliyWizard

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Up to 5 Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits. DePaul University College of Law is an accredited CLE Provider.

CLE credit is extended to Illinois attorneys only. Attorneys who need CLE from other states are welcome to apply to their jurisdictions on their own. Extension of CLE credit is subject to each states approval.

In-person attendance will be taken October 28th and on-line attendance will be taken through an online login system. Attendees who do not attend the full conference will receive credit only for the parts they attend.

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Consent For Video Recording and Transcription:

This event will be recorded and may be later made publicly available via the Internet. Participation in the event constitutes consent to be recorded, including without limitation by audio, video, and still images. Participants understand that such recordings may be distributed by means of a variety of media, formats, and contexts, and that this may occur during the event and thereafter. Participants waive all claims for any compensation and for any damages or other remedies in connection with such recordings and the use thereof.

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Please contact Katie Liss at kliss3@depaul.edu regarding sponsorship opportunities for this event and with any inquiries about this event or to apply for a needs-based scholarship.

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Thank you to DePaul University College of Law’s Center for Public Interest Law for serving as a cosponsor of this symposium and to Soberlink and OurFamilyWizard for sponsoring our Symposium!