Adoption Attorney

An adoption attorney is a lawyer who specializes in helping parents adopt a child. Although parents are not legally required to hire an adoption lawyer, many parents will want legal help.

Common services provided by an adoption lawyer include the following.

• Helping parents choose an adoption agency.
• Identifying the type of adoption the parent’s want to use (which can include an open or closed adoption).
• Helping parents determine whether an international adoption is an option.
• Connecting a couple with a birth mother who wants to participate in an independent adoption.
• Helping finalize the adoption.
• Making sure all the adoption papers have been filed correctly.
• Making sure that are court dates are set and attended.
• Helping file papers to finalize the adoption.
• Monitoring and approving the expenses of the adoption.
• Reviewing state restrictions for birth mother payments.

The services provided may vary by state, by type of adoption, or by the amount of work you want done by the adoption lawyer. For example, you may wish to do most of the legal work and simply have the adoption lawyer review the final adoption agreement.

Talk to a lawyer if you have questions about the services they are willing to provide. Lawyer services may also differ so. It is important to discuss the types of services the adoption attorney provides, whether they will actively assist you in finding a child to adopt, and their general philosophy about adoption.

Before hiring a lawyer review the costs

Adoption lawyers can provide representation and assistance to help you understand the procedures of your state. Before hiring an adoption lawyer you will want to ask about the cost of hiring the lawyer, whether they charge a fixed fee or an hourly rate, information about their experience, knowledge, competence, and how many adoptions they have completed.