Lauren Bates has been named a Member of the Academy of California Adoption-ART Lawyers (ACAL).
ACAL is an invitational society of family formation law attorneys whose membership is limited to those licensed California attorneys with extensive legal expertise adoption and assisted reproduction, whose practices meet the highest standards of ethics and professional competence. To be admitted, an applicant must have completed at least one hundred adoption matters, which can be any combination of stepparent, adult, international, independent, dependency, and agency adoptions, and terminations of parental rights.
ACAL Adoption Lawyers May Provide:
Legal representation in adoption matters: independent, agency, international, stepparent, interstate, adult, relative, co-parent and/or foster-adoption finalizations.
Legal advice about home studies, CDSS-Adoptions, social workers, adoption service providers, confidentiality, termination of parental rights, special needs adoption subsidies, legally permissible living expenses, and other legal and court services.
Screening for legal risks in adoption situations.
Trust account administration and oversight.
Preparation and filing of the court documents for finalization of the adoption or readoption, and attending the court hearing as may be required by law.
Representation in adoption litigation.
Preparation and submission of legally required paperwork for permissin to travel pursuant to the Interstate Compact for Placement of Children (ICPC) statutes, both federal and state.
Thorough explanations of the various adoption processes and options.
Referrals to legally authorized adoption professionals and resources.
Following a lawful match, ACAL lawyers may also:
Draft and negotiate a plan for transfer of custody at time of placement or at hospital discharge.
Draft and negotiate a Post-Adoption Contact Agreement.
Lawfully coordinate with agency, medical, and hospital personnel/providers.
Lauren Bates is a California-based attorney who exclusively practices in the area of adoption law. She is honored to be a member of this prestigious organization.
