5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Your Adoption Attorney

Deciding that adoption is the right choice for your family is exciting, sometimes exhausting, and exhilarating — all at the same time. Deciding that adoption is that right choice for your family is just the beginning, as the road to adoption begins.

As you are about to embark on this journey, one of the first steps is finding the right adoption attorney for your family’s needs. Each adoption is unique and it should be treated that way by the attorney you retain. Have questions prepared when meeting with your potential attorney for the first time. This decision is an important first step.

Here are 5 questions to ask before retaining your adoption attorney:

Why did you decide to become an adoption attorney?

This will allow you to understand his/her philosophy about adoption. You want to assure a smooth working relationship. After all, you will be working with this attorney on a decision that will forever change your life.  The answer to this question is it good way to gauge if you will see eye to eye.

What services do you provide?

Some attorneys are available to handle the legal aspects of a potential adoption. Other offices have more expansive capabilities. Our law firm recognizes that adoption is a hybrid of law and social work, and we are available to handle a wide range of adoption-related cases.  

Will you keep me up to date?

Communication is essential to the attorney-client relationship. Setting forth the frequency and manner of communication helps to ensure that relationship.

Do you recommend counseling to birth parents?

Once your prospective attorney answers this question (which will almost certainly be “yes”), ask him/her to elaborate. Unfortunately, birth-parent counseling is sometimes handled in a perfunctory way, without the necessary commitment made to  “options counseling” and third-party private counseling. Again, adoption is a hybrid of law and social work. Offering birth-parent counseling is, in the long run, best for all members of the adoption triad: birth-parents, adopting parents, and the child.

Can I reach you or your office at any time?

When making the final decision about your adoption attorney, this is one of the most important questions that should be brought up. You want to be sure that you are able to reach someone who is knowledgeable of your situation at any time. If any emergent issues were to arise, being able to get an adoption professional on the phone will bring much needed peace of mind.

Thompson Dove Law Group strive to be a source of comfort and consistency during a time that life-changing decisions are being made. We provide complete services tailored to meet your needs. We would be more than happy to answer your questions.

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