- For the Public
- Practice In Wyoming
- Admissions
- Events
- Nonmember Practice Sections
- Member Benefits
- 8am™ LawPay: Trusted payments and financial management for law firms
- 8am™ MyCase: Trusted legal practice management
- A+ Conferencing
- ABA Retirement Funds Program
- ALPS – Malpractice Insurance
- Clio
- CosmoLex
- Decisis
- ELFI
- eHome Counseling Group
- Expedia
- Free Trust Accounting & Billing Software by Smokeball
- Gavel
- Identillect
- Level 3 Communications
- Lexis+ AI®
- Office Depot
- Red Cave Law Firm Consulting
- Solo Practice University
- Staples Business Advantage
- Verizon Wireless
- Lawyer Resources
- Wyoming Courts
- Well-Being Resource Page
- Attorney and Law Firm Risk Management
- Attorney Surrogate Designation
- Client File Retention
- Disciplinary Process
- Ethics Help
- Free Meeting Space with Video Conferencing Capabilities
- Judges’ Bench Books
- Law Office Self-Audit Checklist
- Mentor Outreach Program
- Notary Service
- Pattern Jury Instructions
- Planning Ahead: Succession Planning Guide
- Practice Sections
- SOLACE Program
- Trust Account Information
- Wyoming Lawyer Assistance Program (WyLAP)
- Pro Bono
- Modest Means Program
- Join Lawyer Referral Service
- Board/Committee Expression of Interest Form
- Job Bank
- CLE
- News & Publications
- Store
- About Us
- Members
2026 Virtual GAL Boot Camp
April 27, 2026
Virtual
Host: Sponsored by the Children & Family Law Section
The Children & Family Law Section of the Wyoming State Bar is presenting the virtual Guardian ad Litem Boot Camp. The full day program will include case law updates, practical guidance on GAL investigations and reporting, strategies for domestic violence considerations, navigating technology and AI in parenting communications, judicial perspectives, and current best GAL practices in Wyoming family law.
Programs
General Guidelines and Case Law Updates for Practical Application in Guardian Ad Litem Investigations
April 27, 2026 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
This session will provide an overview of relevant Wyoming case law focusing on how case law developments affect the role and duties of a Guardian ad Litem in civil custody determinations and best-interest analyses. The presentation will discuss how appellate decisions and statutory standards guide civil GAL investigations, recommendations, and child representation, while also reviewing general guidelines for conducting thorough and legally sound investigations.
Investigation & Reporting Tips for Guardians Ad Litem in Civil Cases
April 27, 2026 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
This session will explore the practical role of a Guardian Ad Litem in custody and family law matters, with a focus on conducting effective investigations and developing well-reasoned recommendations for the Court. The discussion will address best practices for commencing investigations, gathering and evaluating information from multiple sources, applying Wyoming’s best interest factors, and presenting findings in a clear and organized report. Participants will also review considerations related to the structure and content of GAL intake forms, service agreements, reports and recommendations, with an emphasis on producing work that is thorough, thoughtful, and helpful to the Court’s decision-making.
Domestic Violence in Guardian Ad Litem Investigations
April 27, 2026 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
This session will examine the role of a Guardian ad Litem when allegations of domestic violence and abuse arise in custody matters. The presentation will focus on practical approaches to identifying and evaluating domestic violence and abuse dynamics during a GAL investigation, including the use of targeted questionnaires and investigative tools designed to identify power and control issues and other safety concerns early in a case. The presenters will discuss best practices for navigating competing allegations, addressing disputed claims of abuse, and following up on concerns identified during the investigation. The session will also explore how these findings can inform parenting plan recommendations, including considerations when developing or evaluating staged parenting schedules in cases involving domestic violence dynamics, while emphasizing child safety, neutrality, and evidence-based recommendations.
Technology Use and Implications when Coparenting
April 27, 2026 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
This session will highlight how technology is shaping coparenting and communication and the challenges it presents in family law cases. The presentation will explore the growing role of technology in modern co-parenting and family law matters, with a focus on the use of artificial intelligence in parenting communications and related legal and practical implications. The presentation will examine how AI tools are being used in communication platforms, the benefits and potential risks associated with AI-assisted messaging, and considerations for attorneys, courts, and Guardians ad Litem when evaluating these communications in custody disputes. The session will also address emerging issues surrounding technology used to monitor or track children, including location-sharing applications and tracking devices, and the legal, privacy, and best-interest considerations that may arise when these tools are used by parents.
Coparenting Counseling: Structure, Strategy and When it Matters Most
April 27, 2026 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
This session will provide a practical overview of coparenting counseling as a tool to reduce conflict, improve communication, and promote child-centered outcomes in family law cases, with a focus on when it is most appropriate, how it is structured and implemented, and the role it serves within the broader custody framework. Attendees will gain insight into identifying cases that benefit from intervention, understanding the function and limitations of coparenting counseling, and incorporating it effectively into future coparenting goals aimed at fostering long-term stability for children.
From the Bench: Judicial Perspectives on the Role of Guardians Ad Litem
April 27, 2026 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
This popular session returns with a panel of judges offering insight into how courts view and utilize Guardians ad Litem in family law cases. Panelists will discuss what they find most helpful in GAL investigations and reports, common challenges they observe in GAL work, and practical considerations that assist the Court in making well-informed decisions affecting children. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from the bench and engage with judges during a moderated discussion and Q&A.
Speakers
Mary Adams
Mary Adams is a Licensed family therapist who works with couples, families, men, women, teens, and children. Her specialties include trauma, communication/conflict, EMDR, mediation, play therapy, and addictions. Mary often works with separated parents on effective communication, co-parenting skills and dynamics, and conflict management/resolution.
Paige Anderson
Paige J. Anderson is a partner at S|A|S Legal Group LLC in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Her practice focuses primarily on Guardian ad Litem representation, family law, and juvenile matters. Paige’s practitioner goal is to always provide compassionate and comprehensive representation while guiding clients through complex legal matters in a clear and realistic manner. Paige currently serves as the Chair-Elect of the Wyoming State Bar Family Law Section Council, is a member of the Civil Pattern Jury Instruction Committee and sits on the Board of Directors for the Black Dog Animal Rescue Foundation.
Mary Hall
M.J. “Jenny” Hall is an 8th generation Wyomingite that was born and raised in Cheyenne, WY. She graduated from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 2014 with her J.D. and MPA. Jenny immediately began practicing in theareas of domestic relations such as divorce, child custody/visitation, and domestic violence. Jenny is currently a Partner at Lance & Hall LLP where her practice is centered around divorce actions and custody/visitation cases. Jenny has been actively involved in the advancement of domestic relations law in Wyoming. Jenny is the past Chair of the Family Law Section of the Wyoming State Bar and is still an active member of that board. Jenny has served on the Child Support Review Committee for the Department of Family Services and has lobbied in the Wyoming Legislature on behalf of that committee. Jenny helped organize the first ever formal training of civil Guardians ad Litem for private custody/visitation cases in the state of Wyoming.
Nathaniel Hibben
Honorable Nathaniel S. Hibben currently serves as a District Court Judge for the First Judicial District in Laramie County, Wyoming, where he presides over a broad range of matters including civil, criminal, and family law cases. Prior to his appointment to the First Judicial District Court, Judge Hibben served as a Circuit Court Judge in the Eighth Judicial District and as a municipal judge in Torrington, Wyoming. Before joining the bench, he worked in private practice and served as a public defender in Goshen County. Judge Hibben also served as President-Elect of the Wyoming State Bar prior to his appointment to the circuit court bench. He earned his law degree from Liberty University School of Law and began his legal career clerking for Justice Keith Kautz during Justice Kautz’s tenure as a district court judge in Goshen County.
Laura Jackson
Laura Jackson graduated from the University of Wyoming College of Law with honors in 2003. Upon graduation, Ms. Jackson clerked for the First Judicial District Court in Cheyenne, Wyoming including the Honorable James E. Burke, the Honorable Nicholas G. Kalokathis, and the Honorable Edward L. Grant. Ms. Jackson practiced at Long, Reimer, Winegar, Beppler, LLP until 2013 when she opened up her own practice. Ms. Jackson is a partner of Jackson & Ojeda, LLC in Cheyenne, Wyoming who primarily practices family law, elder law, and estate planning. Ms. Jackson has been a Guardian ad Litem and an advocate for children for 15 years.
Elizabeth Lance
Elizabeth Lance is the founding partner of Lance & Hall LLP. Prior to opening her own practice, she worked in both the private and public sectors. Beth presently works as a contract attorney for the Guardian ad Litem Office, the City of Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities, and as a lobbyist for AT&T and WTLA. Beth’s private practice focuses primarily on juvenile law, family law, and appeals. Beth and her husband, Ryan, have two boys, Andrew and Henry. As a family they enjoy attending sporting events and recreating outside together.
Bryan Rogers
Bryan Rogers grew up in southern Texas, but has lived with his wife Julie in southeastern Wyoming for the past 35 years. Bryan ventured into law later in life, leaving behind a regional position with Pilot Flying J Travel Plazas to attend law school at the University of Wyoming. Dealing with caffeine-fueled truckers all those years prepared Bryan well for client relations in the domestic portion of his law practice! When not pressing to meet deadlines, Bryan loves to cook, fish, and sometimes cook fish!
Dawnessa Snyder
Honorable Dawnessa A. Snyder graduated from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 2000, after earning a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Political Economics from the University of Wyoming in 1997. She was appointed District Judge for Carbon County in July 2017. Judge Snyder currently chairs the District Judges Conference and serves on the Wyoming Judicial Council, including its Executive Committee. She also serves on the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee and the WYLAP Foundation Board. Outside the courtroom, Judge Snyder and her husband consider their greatest accomplishment to be raising two remarkable kids who fully embrace all things Wyoming, especially hunting, football, and the beautiful, wild countryside of Carbon County.