Since the election, I have been receiving numerous inquiries from LGBTQ+ parents regarding adoptions of their children. It does not seem right that parents have to legally adopt their own children, but unfortunately, there are a lot of understandable fears of the unknown in the coming administration ..read more

Lauren Bates has been named a Fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (“AAAA”).  ..read more

Whether you’re considering adoption, in the process of adoption, or already navigating life as an adoptive parent, having access to valuable resources is so important. Books, in particular, can offer insight, guidance, and support at every step of the adoption journey ..read more

Adopting a child is a joyous and fulfilling journey that comes with its own set of challenges. To alleviate some of the financial burdens associated with adoption, the United States government offers the Adoption Tax Credit. In this blog post, we will delve into the details of this tax credit, exploring its purpose, eligibility criteria, and how it can provide some financial relief to adoptive parents ..read more

Adult adoption is a legal process where one adult adopts another adult. Unlike the more common form of adoption involving children, adult adoption typically occurs when there is a desire to establish a legal parent-child relationship between consenting adults. The reasons for adult adoption can vary, and some common scenarios include ..read more

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As you may have heard, California recently passed AB120, which includes a ban on adoption facilitators in the state that goes into effect on January 1, 2024. I’ve received quite a few questions on this so I hope to answer some of them here ..read more

This post covers the definition of open adoption, the background and reasoning for open adoption, and the benefits of open adoption ..read more

One of my favorite texts to send a client: “ICPC is approved. You can now travel home!” ICPC stands for the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children. Essentially, it is an agreement amongst all of the states that before a child can cross state lines for the purposes of adoption, both the sending state and the receiving state have to sign off on the placement ..read more

November is National Adoption Awareness Month! NAAM was originally created to increase awareness of the number of children in the foster care system that were awaiting permanent placement with a family. In addition to drawing attention to this very important issue, it has also grown into a month-long recognition of all aspects of adoption ..read more