POINT C DIVORCES AND MEDIATION: Addressing the REAL “Best Interests” of the Child

presented by Lawrence R. Jones, Former Superior Court Judge; Joni Jones RN, PMH-BC, CAMS-II; and Robert Bordett CFP®, CDFA®

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

12:00 Noon – 1:30 PM Eastern (9:00-10:30 AM Pacific)

Non-Member Registration

About the Webinar

In 2023, a five-minute video titled “Point C,” authored by a former family court judge, was released as part of a free public educational outreach project and resource for parents and divorce professionals involved in high-conflict divorces, including mediators, counselors, attorneys, and judges. Since then, Point C has been presented by multiple organizations. This 90-minute webinar will consider the potential application of Point C concepts in contentious divorce proceedings and creative ways in which mediators can move a case forward towards settlement when progress is otherwise at a standstill.

About the Panelists

Lawrence R. Jones is an author of Point C and co-creator of the Point C public educational outreach project. He is a former New Jersey Superior Court judge who served as the President of the New Jersey Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NJCJFCJ), and authored over 60 judicial opinions on novel issues of law. Following his years in the Judiciary, he was honored by the New Jersey Law Journal in June 2017 as a Distinguished Leader of the N.J. Bar. In November 2017, he was appointed by N.J. Governor-elect Phil Murphy to serve on his gubernatorial transition team relative to legal issues and social justice. In his post-Judicial career, Jones has continued to present and lecture extensively on multiple legal subjects including on issues concerning cultural competency. In 2021, he was appointed as the inaugural Chairperson of New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators (NJAPM) Committee on Diversity, Inclusion and Cultural Competency.. He is the co-author of “10 Basic Principles of Cultural Competency (BPCC); A Starting Point for New Mediators. In 2022, he served as Chair and moderator of the “Diversity and Inclusion in Mediation” forum with Rutgers University School of Law and NJAPM. Thereafter, he served as Co-Chairperson of the 2022 National Cultural Competency Forum, presented jointly by organizations in multiple states, with several Universities and organizations as honorary national sponsors. In February, 2023, he served as co-chairperson of NJAPM’s Joint Program with Kean University: “2023 Central Office Administrators Forum: Tools and Techniques to Address Interpersonal and Intercultural Conflict Management in Public Schools; Conflict and Culture Training Series for New Jersey Administrators and Educators .” Following his years on the Bench, Jones was appointed to teach at both Monmouth University and Montclair University. In 2020, he was appointed as a member of the Monmouth University President’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion, and was a member of the President’s Council’s Diversity Innovation Grants (DIG) Committee. He also served as one of the original founders of MADI (Monmouth Artists for Diversity and Inclusion) , a grant-funded collaboration between the political science/sociology and music departments of Monmouth University for development of original music based upon present social themes of diversity, inclusion, and belonging. The work was honored by official proclamation of the New Jersey Governor/Lieutenant Governor and by Official Resolution of the N.J. Legislature (2021);the program was also referenced in Billboard Magazine in 2022. He presently practices mediation and alternative dispute resolution, and has recently relocated with his family to New Mexico, where has been appointed by the New Mexico Supreme Court as Vice-Chair of the New Mexico Statewide Commission on Alternative Dispute Resolution, and where he teaches Constitutional Law at the University of New Mexico.

Joni Jones, RN, PMH-BC, CAMS-II, is the co-creator of Point C , and registered nurse, board certified in psychiatric and mental health nursing, a certified anger management specialist II, a former certified developmental disabilities nurse, and a retired member of the NJ State Board of Nursing. She is also a mediator, restorative practice facilitator, and frequent lecturer on dispute resolution and issues on cultural competency/sensitivity and children with special needs. She served on N.J. Governor Phil Murphy ‘s transition team on health related issues . In 2013, Joni was the recipient of the Elizabeth Kellogg Award for excellence in nursing. Joni is one of the original founders and former vice president of Parents of Autistic Children (POAC). She has presented on autism spectrum disorder at multiple conferences both nationally and on a state level. Some of these venues have included The Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association, and the Autism Society of America. From 2002-2009, Joni worked with multiple major league baseball teams to create the first-ever “Autism Awareness Day” games hosted by the New York Yankees (the Florida Marlins, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the (then) Montreal Expos. In 2002, the National baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown New York honored the Lakewood BlueClaws, minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, for hosting pro baseball’s first-ever Autism Awareness Day and CNN won a 2003 Emmy award for its coverage of the event. She is also a member of the New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators’ Diversity/Inclusion Committee and the co-author of “10 Basic Principles of Cultural Competency (BPCC)”, and was a co-presenter and moderator on autism-related issues at the 2022 National Cultural Competency Forum (NCCF). She has recently relocated to New Mexico and is presently an appointed member of U.S Senator Ben Ray Lujan’s Consortium on Mental Health issues.

Robert Bordett, CFP®, CDFA®, Mediator, is the Founder of Collaborative Practice & Mediation Services, with offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and South Florida. His firm provides financial analysis in divorce, business mediation services, and supports clients in reaching thoughtful, informed resolutions. He is a Certified Financial Planner™, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, and a Registered Mediator and Arbitrator with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution.

Mr. Bordett currently serves as President of the Academy of Professional Family Mediators (APFM) and Co-President of the Association of Divorce Financial Planners (ADFP). He is a founding member of APFM and Treasurer of the Professional Mediation Board of Standards. His previous leadership roles include President of the Family Mediation Association of Georgia, President of the Collaborative Law Institute of Georgia, and Board Member of the Georgia Council for Dispute Resolution.

With a private mediation and collaborative practice dating back to 1995, Mr. Bordett has extensive experience assisting families and businesses in resolving disputes outside the courtroom. He has been a featured speaker at numerous national conferences, including those hosted by the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, AFCC, and the Institute for Certified Divorce Planners. His writing has appeared in the Journal of Financial Planning, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and other professional publications, and he has served as a guest contributor on CNN’s Sunday Morning News.

Time and Place

Tuesday, October 14, 2025
12:00 Noon – 1:30 PM Eastern (9:00-10:30 AM Pacific)

Cost

Free for APFM Members, $50 for Non-Members.

More Information about the Webinar

Only APFM members and paid attendees will receive an email with instructions on how to log into the webinar, to be held using the services of zoom.us. If you are uncertain about the status of your APFM membership, log into the APFM website to check it. Help logging in is available here: https://apfmnet.org/website-help/.

You may wish to download the Zoom client software for your computer, tablet or smartphone prior to the webinar: https://zoom.us/download. The software should work on most computers. APFM cannot provide technical support for software issues.

For more information on APFM’s webinar series, or if you have a suggestion for a future webinar, please contact [email protected].

Confirmed APFM members and paid registrants will be sent information on how to login to the webinar. Additional confirmed participants will be sent login information after registration and prior to the webinar. For webinar access questions, please contact [email protected]. Please note that it may not be possible to provide immediate assistance on the day of the webinar.