Jean M Biesecker, JD, MSW

Education

• T.C. WILLIAMS SCHOOL OF LAW, Richmond, Virginia Juris Doctor (1984)
• VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, Richmond, Virginia Master of Social Work (1983) Honors: Helen Pincus Memorial Scholarship
• WEST CHESTER STATE COLLEGE, West Chester, Pennsylvania Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Cum Laude (1976)

Bar Admissions

• Supreme Court of Colorado, 2000
• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1984
• US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1989

Mediation Training

• PARENT COORDINATION TRAINING, COOPERATIVE PARENTING INSTITUTE, 18.0 hours (May 20-22, 2005)
• FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSFORMATIVE MEDIATION, INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION, 12.5 hours plus 6.0 hours pre-conference skills training (November 6 - 8, 2004)
• PARENTING COORDINATION: HELPING HIGH CONFLICT PARENTS RESOLVE DISPUTES, 12 hours (March 30-31, 2004)
• PARENTS EQUALLY ALLIED TO CO-PARENT EFFECTIVELY (PEACE), 12 hours (March and October 2003)
• MICROFOCUS ON TRANSFORMATIVE PROCESS AND PRACTICE, AN ADVANCED LEVEL WORKSHOP, 15 hours (April 10-12, 2002)
• DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS TRAINING FOR PERMANENT RESTRAINING ORDER FOR SHUTTLE CONFERENCE FACILITATORS, 20 hours (August 16-18, 2001)
• DEPENDENCY AND NEGLECT ADVANCED MEDIATION, 13.5 HOURS (May 11-12, 2000)
• ADVANCED MEDIATION WORKSHOP, Mediating Conflicts Involving Senior Citizens, 5 hours (June 4, 1999)
• UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE TWO-DAY OUTSIDE MEDIATOR TRAINING WORKSHOP, Resolve Employment Disputes Reach Equitable Solutions Swiftly (REDRESS), (March 9-10, 1999)
• ADVANCED MEDIATION ROLEPLAY TRAINING, 6 hours (November 1997)
• DIVORCE MEDIATION TRAINING WORKSHIOP, 40 hours approved by The Academy of Family Mediators (June 1997)

Employment

Over 20 years of family law litigation experience including divorce, custody, support, adoption, domestic violence, child advocacy and dependency. Since 1997, incorporated mediation as a key component of services offered to families in divorce and custody matters, serving as a mediator or consulting attorney for a party engaged in the mediation process.

• JEAN M. BIESECKER, J.D., MSW, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private family law litigation and mediation, December 2001 to date.
• LAW OFFICES OF MICHAEL E. FINGERMAN, ESQ., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Part-time associate in family law litigation practice, January 2003 to January 2004.
• LITVAK, LITVAK, MEHRTENS & EPSTEIN, Denver, Colorado Associate in family law litigation firm, July 2000 to September 2001
• JEAN M. BIESECKER, J.D., MSW, Englewood, Colorado Private family law litigation and mediation practice, December 1999 to July 2000
• JEAN M. BIESECKER, J.D., MSW, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania Private family law litigation and mediation practice, April 1997 to December 1999
• ASTOR WEISS KAPLAN & ROSENBLUM, LLP, Bala Cynwyd and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Family Law Department of multi-service law firm Associate, 1990 to 1994 Partner, 1994 to April 1997
• DESSEN MOSES & SHEINOFF, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Associate in Family Law Department of multi-service law firm, 1989 to 1990
• SMITH & LEIBEL, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Associate in family law litigation practice, 1985 to 1989

Other Employment

• TEMPLE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Adjunct Faculty, Fall 1999; Fall 2006 Assistant instructor, custody mediation clinical program conducted through Philadelphia Family Court.
• REDRESS US Postal Service/EEO Mediator, Colorado, 1999 to September 2001; Pennsylvania, Spring 2002 to date.
• PENNSYLVANIA CHILD WELFARE COMPETENCY-BASED TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Trainer, Caseworker in the Courtroom, Spring 2003 to date.
• PENNSYLVANIA COUNCIL OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Trainer, Caseworker in the Courtroom, Spring 1998 to Fall 1999; Fall 2001 to date.
• FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, TRIAL DIVISION - CIVIL, ARIBTRATION CENTER, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Arbitrator, January 2003 to date.
• OFFICE OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION, Denver, Colorado Parent Coordinator, Denver District Court, Fall 2000 to September 2001
• Facilitated resolution of post-decree parenting disputes in high conflict families.
• DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROFESSIONALS, Denver, Colorado Co-instructor/Parent Education Class mandated for parents/caretakers in all greater Denver area domestic relations court filings involving children, Fall 2000 to September 2001.

Professional Organizations

• BAR ASSOCIATIONS - Pennsylvania (late 1980's to date), Montgomery (1990 to 1999) and Philadelphia (late 1980's through 2001) Counties and their respective Family Law Section
• Philadelphia County: Custody and Divorce Mediation Committees (1997 to 2000) Co-Chairperson Divorce Mediation Committee (1998 to 2000
• Program Coordinator, Advanced Mediation Training (September 1999)
• Program Coordinator, Family Law Section's Tea Law and Cookie Series, Court-Connected Custody Mediation Programs in Four County area and New Jersey (November 1999)
• Task Force, Court-Connected Custody Mediation Program (January 1998 to December 1999)
• Co-Coordinator, Philadelphia Bar Association's Public Service Announcements for Custody and Divorce Mediation Services, including development of credentials for Bar Association's Mediator Referral List (January 1998 to December 1999)
• Co-Author, Recommendations for Model Court- Connected Divorce and Custody Mediation Program in Pennsylvania for submission to Pennsylvania State Supreme Court's Domestic Relations Rules Committee (1997)
• Colorado and Denver and respective Family Law Sections (2000 to 2002)
• ASSOCIATION FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION (February 2000 to date)
• FAMILY MEDIATION ASSOCIATION OF THE DELAWARE VALLEY (1998 to 2000; 2002 to 2004) Public Speakers Bureau, Chair (Fall 1998 to 2000) Public Service Announcements, Chair (Fall 1998 to 2000)
• COLORADO COUNCIL OF MEDIATORS (February 2000 to 2002)
• METRO DENVER INTERDISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE (February 2000 to 2002)
• CHILD AND THE LAW STUDY GROUP (1995 TO 2000)

Professional Activities

• MEDIATOR, CHESTER COUNTY AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY COURTCONNECTED CUSTODY MEDIATION PROGRAM, West Chester and Pennsylvania (May 2002 to date)
• VOLUNTEER MEDIATOR/PHILADELPHIA COUNTY COURT-CONNECTED CUSTODY MEDIATION PROGRAM, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (March 2002 to December 2004)
• VOLUNTEER MEDIATOR/DOMESTIC RELATIONS AND SMALL CLAIMS MATTERS, Jefferson County Mediation Services, Golden, Colorado (March 2000 to September 2001)
• FACILITATOR, OTAR/TARC Leadership Program, Phase IV, Atlanta, Georgia (December 2000)
• PRESENTER, Training Program for Custody Mediators in Court-connected Custody Mediation Program, Court of Common Pleas, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (October 1999)
• PANELIST, ABA Summit on Unified Family Courts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (May 1998)
• PANELIST, Mediation Roundtable, ADR Committee of the Allegheny County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (April 1998)
• COURT-CONNECTED CUSTODY MEDIATOR, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1998 to 2000)
• COURT-APPOINTED CHILD ADVOCATE, Court of Common Pleas, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (1990 to 2000)
• KIDDS CAPP, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania (1995 to 2000)
• MODERATOR, Center for Legal Education, Custody and Divorce Mediation (June 1996)
• MASTER PRO TEM, Domestic Relations Division, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania (November 1995 to February 1996)
• PRESENTER for practicum, Evidence in Family Law Practice, Montgomery County Bar Family Law Committee (September 1994)
• PANELIST, Pennsylvania Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (June 1993)
• JUVENILE COURT APPOINTMENTS, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania (1984 to 1990)
• CHILD ADVOCATE, Support Center for Child Advocates, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1984 to 1990)

Community Activities

• LUTHERAN SETTLEMENT MISSION SOCIETY, Board of Directors (1997 to 2000; 2002 to date) President, Board of Directors (2005 to date) Audit and By-Laws Committee (2004, 2005) Facilities Committee (1998 to 2000; 2002 to 2004, Chairperson) Community Organizing Committee (1997 to 2000) Planning Committee (1997 to 1998)
• GREATER PHILADELPHIA FEDERATION OF SETTLEMENTS, Board of Directors (1997 to 2000)
• THE VICTIM SERVICES CENTER, Board of Directors (1995) Fundraising Committee, Chairperson (1995)
• RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH, Board of Directors (1987 to 1990) Executive Committee (1988 to 1990), Secretary (1989 to 1990) Fundraising Committee, Chair (1988)
• YOUTH AID PANEL, 39TH District, Philadelphia, (1988 to 1990) ?? Chairperson (1989 to 1990)
• KEYNOTE SPEAKER for Merna B. Marshall Chapter of B'nai Brith Women, Baby M: Legal Issues and Implications (Summer 1987)

Publications

• Protecting the Rights of Children in Disputed Custody Cases: Mental Health and Legal Considerations, Marian Bussy, MSW, Ph.D., and Jean Biesecker, J.D. MSW, Protecting Children a publication of the American Humane Association, Vol. 16, No. 2 (2000)
• Technical Consultant to Author, Neil Hurowitz, Esquire, Divorce: Your Fault, My Fault, No Fault (4th Edition, 1999)
• Mediation - A Prescription for Change, Philadelphia Bar Association Family Law Section Newsletter (May 1999)