3The adoption process can be complicated and sometimes stressful. To ensure that the process runs smoothly, you must find a qualified, experienced adoption attorney. Finding a qualified adoption attorney doesn’t have to be difficult.
- Ask for recommendations. In addition to asking friends, family and coworkers if they know an adoption attorney they can recommend, contact local adoption agencies and your local bar association for adoption attorney referrals.Ask plenty of questions to determine how long the attorney has worked with adoptive parents, approximately how many adoptions he completes each year, and what course of action is taken should an adoption bid fail. Make sure you also ask for a copy of the attorney’s contract, so you can carefully read it at home.Evaluate potential adoption attorneys to see with whom you will be comfortable working. Consider such factors as whether the attorney easily answers questions, returns phone calls in a timely manner and whether you feel comfortable talking with him.Find out the adoption attorney’s fees and fee structure to determine whether you can afford to hire him.Make sure the adoption attorney you are considering is available to you at all hours of the day, not just typical business hours. The adoption process is not confined to 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Identify the type of adoptions the attorney generally handles and how much of his time is generally spent handling adoptions. Be sure to also ask how many adoption cases the attorney has handled to date.Request that the adoption attorney provide you with references. Contact each of the references and ask plenty of questions to find out if the clients felt the experience was a positive one, if they have any suggestions to make the relationship work smoothly and whether they would hire the attorney again.Hire an adoption attorney. Once you’ve thoroughly interviewed adoption attorneys and found one with whom you are comfortable, hire her.
