Adoption

Experienced Advocacy in Adopting a Child

Private, International, Stepparent, and Grandparent Adoptions

The most enjoyable part of our practice is facilitating adoptions of children into a loving family environment. Based in the Tampa Bay area, the Brandon Family Law Center, LLC, has aided hundreds of parents in Florida and nationwide in clearing the way to adopt a child. Our office also helps birth mothers find loving, caring families for their children. We perform extensive background checks and careful screening of all adoptive parents, taking steps to ensure a birth mother is comfortable with a family.

Our attorney, Mary L. Greenwood, offers 20 years of experience in family law and adoption practice. We handle all types of adoption, attending to the needs and rights of birth mothers as well as the adopting couple or single parent. Contact our Brandon, Florida office today for more information or to arrange a consultation: 813-653-1744.

Private and International Adoption - Going the Extra Mile

Brandon Family Law Center, LLC, not only lays the legal groundwork, but takes a comprehensive, "social worker" approach to adoption. Most of our domestic private adoptions are open or semi-open. We introduce the birth mother to the adopting family and provide all parties with access to a network of counselors for help with the unique relationships and feelings created through the adoption process.

On behalf of our clients, attorney Mary L. Greenwood and paralegal Alyce K. Morotti:

• Conduct background checks
• Help monitor the mother's medical condition (including random drug screens if needed)
• Assist pregnant women in obtaining WIC, Medicaid, and state and federal services for proper obstetric care

Bringing Families Together Through Foreign Adoption

In international adoption, we help clients locate reputable international adoption agencies that will assist them to clear consular obstacles with foreign governments, arrange for travel to the country if necessary, and collect available medical records and family history, when possible. When our clients return to Florida with their new family addition, we will help them complete all necessary legal work for recognition of their foreign adoption and/or name change for their new child.

Interstate Adoptions

Our office also helps clients in interstate adoptions, bringing birth mothers and adoptive couples together to find caring, loving homes for children. Our office has a number of resources to assist birth mothers with living expenses, skills training, medical assistance, and counseling. Since we are interested in finding homes for children where they can flourish, we refuse to act simply as a "placement" agency; rather, we take steps to ensure that the health and well-being of mother and baby are protected.

Note: Brandon Family Law Center, LLC, does not conduct home studies, but we work with reputable agencies and licensed professionals who can conduct a thorough home study of the adoptive parents, as well as provide necessary social services to birth parents.

Stepparent and Grandparent Adoption

We assist in the formal adoption of stepchildren and grandchildren, obtaining consent from the natural parent or initiating termination of rights in cases of abandonment. Ms. Greenwood is also experienced in 751 Relative Parental Custody actions, such as placement with grandparents or other family members, which often will end up as a family adoption.

Contact an adoption lawyer with the experience and compassion to handle all aspects of the adoption process and assure the smoothest transition possible. Reach us at 813-653-1744.