The conference is just a meeting in which the judge is brought up to speed on the case and will likely schedule the next hearing. What happens now is the case will go forward with your ex paying out of pocket for representation while you have no legal fees. If it's a simple case, you will have the upper hand because the ex's share is getting eaten away by the fees. The ex will have incentive to settle because each day that goes by is more out of the ex's pocket.

Dana