Obermayer Attorneys Present at 2026 PBA Family Law Winter Meeting
Obermayer attorneys Julie Colton, Melissa Blanco, and Caitlin Foley presented at this year’s PBA Family Law Section Winter Meeting, which was held at The Logan Philadelphia Hotel on January 16-18, 2026.
Julie Colton spoke at the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) Program, titled “Navigating the Crossroads: Where Family and Dependency Courts Meet.” The session focused on the roles of the dependency court and the family court, including how they may overlap in custody matters during the investigation of a criminal charge or abuse complaint against a parent, and provided practical information on third-party caregiver resources, navigating cases involving CYS, DHS, or OCY, and the 2026 requirements for criminal and child abuse history clearance forms.
Appellate attorney Melissa Blanco co-presented at a panel titled “Avoid Feeling ‘Rocky’ in Your Appellate Case,” a session focused on mastering the Pennsylvania appeals process. The session featured direct insights from Superior Court judges on perfecting written briefs, navigating interlocutory appeals, and delivering “knockout” oral arguments. Through mock exercises and case updates, participants learned how to avoid common practitioner pitfalls and meet judicial expectations to strengthen their appellate cases.
Caitlin Foley co-presented a panel, titled “It’s Always Legal in Philadelphia: A Case Law Update,” analyzing the latest appellate decisions and their impact on the future of family law, and provided practical strategies and sharp insights into how recent rulings are reshaping child custody battles and support disputes across Pennsylvania.
Learn more here.
