Family Lawyer's General Reading List
By: Gunnar J. Gitlin
The Gitlin Law Firm, P.C., Woodstock, Illinois
© 2010
www.gitlinlawfirm.com
I. Reading List: Below, I will provide primer of basic resources that a family lawyers should read:
1. Taxation:
A. Frumkes on Divorce Taxation: 8th Edition. James Publishing. Updated Annually. $99.00. This handbook is excellent. It is written in an easy to read style but is quite detailed and addresses the more difficult divorce tax issues. For more information and to order Frumkes on Divorce Taxation. http://www.jamespublishing.com/books/dtax.htm I agree with the reviews on this web page.
2. QDROs:
Qualified Domestic Relations Order Handbook, 3rd Edition by Gary Schulman, published by 2008, Aspen Publishers, Inc. ( Last Updated: 5/4/2009) This book goes into sufficient detail to obtain a very good handle on all of the issues when negotiating and drafting qualified domestic relations orders. Any family law firm should have the Shulman book.
3. Negotiations 101: Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, Fisher, Ury and Patton, Penguin. This book sets forth the principled approach to negotiations - of which I am a proponent.
A good classic book to also read is The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and especially the chapter on negotiation as a counter-point to Getting to Yes.
4. Business Valuation Books
A. Valuing a Business: The Analysis and Appraisal of Closely Held Companies, Fifth Edition (2008), Pratt, Reilly, Schweihs, Irwin Publishing Co.
B. Alternatively, Valuing of Small Businesses and Professional Practices, 1998.
C. My IICLE Chapter regarding business valuation and divorce. Please contact me if you wish to receive an up to date version of this chapter.
5. Reading Financial Statements and Tax Returns:
A. Business Tax Return Handbook, 3rd Edition. Jack Zuckerman and William F. Wolf. $89.95 ABA FLS members. Also read the 1040 Handbook.
B. Financial Statements: Financial Statements: A Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding and Creating Financial Statements, Thomas R. Ittelson. 1998. $10.87.
C. Understanding and Using Financial Data, An Ernst & Young Guide for Attorneys
6. The MMPI and Custody 101:
A. Psychological Experts in Divorce 4E. Psychological Experts in Divorce, Fourth Edition . Aspen Law & Business. Marc J. Ackerman and Andrew W. Kane. 2005 (updated 2008). Aspen Publishers. $195.
B. MMPI-2 Books: Read either.
(1) The MMPI, MMPI-2, and MMPI-A In Court: A Practical Guide for Expert Witnesses and Attorneys (May 2006, 3rd Edition). By Kenneth S. Pope, James N. Butcher and Joyce Seelen. American Psychological Association.
(2) The “Bible” and the book that I use most is: MMPI-II, Assessing Personality and Psychopathology, 4th Edition, Aug. 2004. John R. Graham. Oxford Univ. Press. Phone 800/451-7556, Fax 919/617-1303. I have read each edition since the first edition.
C.
An inexpensive book that I recommend uses a somewhat reverse approach. A resource
family lawyers should have is DSM-IV-TR (4th
Edition). It is dry. When I know a client or the opposing party is taking psychiatric
drugs, I first look up the drugs and then determine what was the likely diagnosis.
A good book for doing so is the PDR Drug Guide for Mental Health Professionals.
Also, read High
Conflict People in Legal Disputes, by Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq.
7. Trial Practice 101:
A. Cross-Examination:
(1) Read, Cross-Examination: Science and Techniques. Pozner & Dodd. 2nd Ed., 2004, Lexis Law Publishing.
http://bookstore.lexis.com/bookstore/catalog?action=product&pk=6893
$192.
(2) The first book I read was Wellman's The Art of Cross Examination. Although the book was written around the turn of the century, it is wonderful. The book is as true today as it was 95 years ago. It is a fun read.
(3) Irving Younger's “The Ten Commandments of Cross-Examination” Audio-tape series. While this tape series was made in 1975 it is a classic. If you have never heard this audio-tape, buy it.
B. Evidence: If there is a pocket NITA Evidence Guide for your state, order it.
(1) The version based upon the Federal Rules of Evidence with Objections, Eight Edition, 2008. Also see "A Practical Guide to Federal Evidence" 9th Edition, 2009.
States with their specific version of this small handbook are: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, Wisconsin. The Illinois version is NITA's Illinois Evidence with Objections, Revised Fourth, by James P. Carey. For lawyers from Chicago, I can provide you with the version I have extensively customized and expanded upon which contains a guide of Illinois evidence with objections for family law cases. This book is highly portable and is in a 4x6 format. To order books from NITA generally see: http://www.nita.org/bookorder.asp
The Gitlin Law Firm, P.C.
Practice Limited to Family Law
663 East Calhoun Street
Woodstock, IL 60098
815/338-9401
Updated: April 12, 2010