Top 6 Questions to Ask an Adoption Attorney in California

Fortunately, a good adoption attorney can help make the process a little easier on everyone involved. These lawyers will guide you through the process, educate you on what you can expect with each stage of the process, and answer all of the questions you will most certainly have when you wish to adopt.

If you decide to visit more than one adoption lawyer, it’s good to have the same list of questions to ask each of them. This way, it’s easier to decide which lawyer to choose in the end. And if you’re wondering what types of questions to ask them, below are a handful of them you can start with.

1. What Are the Lawyer’s Qualifications?

A good adoption attorney should have the experience and knowledge to know all about the adoption process, whether you choose a domestic adoption or an international one. Ask about their experience, how many adoptions they’ve handled, and what percentage of their business is devoted exclusively to adoptions.

Adoption laws can be complex, so you’ll want an attorney who devotes a minimum of 50% of their practice to adoption. If you find a lawyer who devotes all of their time to adoptions, that’s even better. Just make sure that they know what they are doing in this area of the law.

2. What Types of Services Does the Adoption Attorney Provide?

When it comes to what services the lawyer provides, it can vary from one lawyer to the next. Some law firms handle only the legal part of the process, meaning the paperwork and documentation. On the other hand, other firms help with every aspect of the adoption process, such as helping you find biological parents who may be interested in giving up the child for adoption.

The adoption process involves numerous steps, and not all attorneys handle every one of them. This is definitely something that you’ll want to learn about before you make your final decision and choose a lawyer.

3. Ask About the Practical Side of How Their Office Works

What this means is simple. When you’re working with an adoption lawyer, you’ll have a lot of questions, and these questions can come at any time during the adoption process. Ask the lawyer who will be working on your case, how they prefer to communicate with their clients, and who can take your call if they are out of the office.

Some lawyers rely on paralegals and support staff who answer most of the clients’ questions, while others prefer to do these things themselves. One is not necessarily better than the other, but you deserve to know exactly what will happen every time you contact your attorney.

4. What Types of Adoption Does the Attorney Handle?

There are many different types of adoption, including both confidential and open adoptions. Again, one is not necessarily better than the other, but if you do have a preference, you’ll want to know how the adoption attorney can proceed with that particular type of adoption.

Ask your attorney if they have experience with many different types of adoptions, and while you’re at it, ask about their experience with contested adoptions, which occasionally happen. Some lawyers work mostly with birth mothers or handle mostly step-parent or relative adoptions. These are things you need to know, particularly if you have a certain type of adoption in mind.

5. What Is the Attorney’s Overall Adoption Philosophy?

Many adoption lawyers have a reason for going into this field of law, and hearing their story may help you decide if this is the lawyer to choose. This is usually a very personalized area of the law, and it can help you choose the right lawyer if you know why they chose this field.

Ask whether they prefer open or confidential adoptions, and why. They may not want to answer your questions, but they should at least give you some basic reasons for why they chose this field of law over all of the others. This is a sure-fire way to determine if their philosophy lines up with your goals for the adoption.

6. How Much Does It Cost to Adopt?

This is usually one of the first concerns people who wish to adopt have and something that you deserve to learn upfront. Ask your adoption attorney about the average costs for each type of adoption, how the adoption attorney will bill you for their services, and whether they charge a flat rate or an hourly rate.

They may require a retainer fee in advance, but regardless of how they charge, you need to know this up front so that you can budget for this very important task. Many adoption lawyers have similar fees for each type of adoption, but since many people are not aware of how much adoptions cost, you’ll have to go over this with them in detail so that you know for sure.