doptions take place in many different circumstances, and create a permanent legal bond between parent and child. We use our experience and expertise to give adoptive parent or parents peace of mind that the adoption of their child is permanent and secure.

We assist clients in the adoption of children through the following circumstances:

• Some parents adopt a child through an adoption agency and need an attorney to help them with the court process.

• Others adopt children from other countries, and we help them with registration of that adoption in New York or, where necessary, re-adoption in New York so that the child will have a United States adoption certificate and birth certificate.

• Sometimes there is a private adoption by agreement between birth and adoptive parents.

• Step-parents adopt their stepchildren either with the consent of a birth parent, or through a court process.

• Same-sex couples need to do second-parent adoptions by the non-genetic parent, even though married same-sex parents can both be listed on the child’s birth certificate(a birth certificate is only a report of a child’s birth, and does not give legal parentage). New York state currently recognizes a married same-sex spouse – and, in some limited circumstances, an unmarried second parent – as the parent of the child. However, many states and countries still do not recognize a second parent as a legal parent, so it is still essential for married same-sex parents to do a second-parent adoption or obtain a Judgment of Parentage (see ART section).

• Adult adoptions are possible with the consent of the adoptive parents and adult adoptive child.

“Providing peace of mind during the adoption process”

The adoption process can be daunting and paperwork-intensive. We guide clients through each step, to the conclusion of the process, when we appear with them in court to finalize the adoption.