Serving as an Expert Witness - Guidance from a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst: 2026 Conference

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Includes a Live Web Event on 10/28/2026 at 2:00 PM (EDT)

Only available as part of a package

Strong financial analysis is only effective in the courtroom when an expert can explain it clearly and withstand scrutiny. This course prepares financial professionals working in divorce matters to develop defensible expert reports and present their findings with confidence, clarity, and objectivity.

Led by Kristen Shearin, JD, BCA, CDFA®, the course examines expert qualification and admissibility standards, engagement agreements, conflict checks, and expert disclosure requirements. Participants will learn how to organize reports, distinguish facts from professional opinions, explain methodology, and address incomplete or conflicting financial information.

The course also covers preparation for testimony, effective direct examination, and strategies for responding to cross-examination. Throughout, participants will explore how to maintain independence when working with counsel, communicate complex financial concepts in plain language, and protect their credibility under pressure. Participants will leave with practical approaches for producing reliable work and helping courts understand the financial issues before them.

Kristen Shearin

JD, CDFA® | Director of Education

IDFA

Kristen Shearin is a family law attorney, mediator, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, and Director of the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts®. During more than 16 years practicing family law, she litigated hundreds of divorce and custody matters and served as lead counsel in complex financial cases involving business interests, retirement assets, executive compensation, and high-net-worth estates.

Today, Kristen leads the Institute's education initiatives and is passionate about helping divorce professionals become trusted financial experts in family court. Known for her practical teaching style and real-world courtroom perspective, she focuses on giving participants the confidence to explain complex financial issues in a way judges understand and trust.

Kristen is married to an airline pilot, has two children in college, and a yellow lab that she loves to take everywhere.

Background

Certifications and Training

- Attorney at Law, licensed in NC
- Certified Divorce Financial Analyst
- Certified Family Financial Mediator
- Collaborative Law Practitioner

Honors and Awards

- Top 40 Under 40, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys
- Commitment to Justice Award, Safe Alliance
- 50 Most Influential Women in Mecklenburg County (Charlotte, NC), Mecklenburg Times
- Outstanding Firm Pro Bono Service Award, Council for Children’s Rights

Professional Associations and Memberships

- North Carolina State Bar
- Mecklenburg County Bar Association
- Institute of Certified Divorce Financial Analysts
- North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission

Pro Bono Activities

- North Carolina Judicial Legislative Committee-Equitable Distribution Committee
- North Carolina Judicial Legislative Committee-Domestic Violence Committee, Co-Chair, 2019-2021
- Charlotte Triage Partnership-Human Trafficking Volunteer Attorney
- Council for Children’s Rights, Volunteer Attorney
- Safe Alliance, Legal Representation Project, Volunteer Attorney