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The goal of The Institute for Best Interest Legal Advocacy (BILA) is to provide Hawaii attorneys and mental health professionals with access to local, national and international experts in legal advocacy and mental health interventions. Attorneys will have the latest information on cutting edge, best interests centered legal advocacy to insure attorneys have the training and information that will allow them to provide meaningful, persuasive and relevant information, rather than resorting to personal attacks and high conflict litigation strategies.

The Institute Offers

  • Seminars & Training Sessions
  • Parent Coordination Training
  • Learn the Effects of Parental Conflict on Children
  • Office & Training Space

Call (808) 528-5437 to Reserve Space

BILA Resources for Attorneys & Mental Health Professionals

BILA Seminars and Training Sessions for Hawaii Professionals

Many of BILA’s trainings will be multi-disciplinary, directed at attorneys and mental health professionals. The goal is to build interdisciplinary connections and trust between professionals working with separating and divorcing parents.

Parent Coordination Training Intensive

Intensive 3 day Parenting Coordination training for attorneys and mental health professionals who would like to become Parenting Coordinators or current Parenting Coordinators who are interested in updating and refining their Parenting Coordination skills.  A concurrent training for attorneys and Judges will be held to insure that attorneys and Judges understand the most effective way to utilize Parenting Coordinators, including appointment orders, defining the scope of the Parenting Coordinator role and what cases are and are not appropriate for the involvement of a Parenting Coordinator.  Dates to be announced.

The Effect of Parental Conflict on Children

We will learn how different personality types and parental behaviors effect children and how to effectively advocate for court orders and parenting plans that protect children from on going litigation and parental conflict.  Mental health professionals will learn therapeutic strategies  Training by Nancy Olesen Phd.

BILA Office and Training Space

The BILA office, Dillingham Transportation Center, Suite 235 is a casual, comfortable, neutral meeting space available for trainings, mediations, supervised visitations (trained supervisors available), two way video observations, trainings and conferences.

Why Best Interest Legal Advocacy?

Parental conflict is bad for children.  As attorneys we cannot always avoid litigation, but we can do everything we can to avoid creating unnecessary conflict that will negatively and often permanently impact our clients’ children.  We can zealously advocate for our clients within the context of the best interests of the child!  This advocacy includes working cooperatively with mental health professionals and third party neutrals, such as GALs, Custody Evaluators and Parenting Coordinators.

Courts seek best interest outcomes.

Judges  are looking to Family Law attorneys to provide effective child centered, sustainable custody solutions and parenting plans.

Current Supreme Court cases indicate how seriously our Judges are about focusing on the best interests of the child.  Typical legal strategies and old litigation paradigms are not effective and they are often unhelpful to families and their children, with long term negative consequences that extend long into the future for our clients, far beyond their interaction with us and the Family Court.

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