Adoption Attorney

Adoption attorneys can be either lawyers who limit their practices exclusively to adoption matters or lawyers who assist with adoption as a part of their overall scope of practice. Although there are specialized courses that lawyers can take to learn about specific adoption law, there is no specialty certification in adoption. The level of expertise you will need from your adoption attorney depends upon the type of adoption you are pursuing.

There are several steps that are common to most types of adoption:

Educate yourself and your family members.
Decide what type of adoption you want pursue.
Investigate ways to handle adoption expenses.
Select an adoption agency/facilitator and/or attorney.
Complete an agency application form.
Begin the homestudy process.
Attend pre-adoption and parenting classes.
Be matched with or locate a child.
Prepare for your child's arrival.
File a petition to adopt.
Finalize the adoption.
Post-adoption services and education.

Adoption Attorney? Adoption is a wonderful option for expanding your family, but the laws governing the process can be quite complex. Working with an expert in adoption law will help ensure that your adoption proceeds smoothly. An adoption attorney will:

Provide an unbiased explanation of adoption methods and resources and help you develop a legally secure plan tailored to your needs;
Explain your rights and the adoption laws in your state or refer you to adoption attorneys who practice in other states or internationally
Assess the risks involved, including 1) determining what costs are legally permissible and 2) ensuring that the birth parents' rights are legally terminated before placement is finalized
Review and negotiate adoption agency contracts to ensure that your interests are served
Clarify your options for post-placement arrangements, if any, with birth parent(s) and draft or review an agreement to ensure your best interests and those of the child are served