Adoption is an emotional process for all the parties involved. Are you prepared to assist and guide your clients through this highly emotional time in their lives? Whether you represent the birth parents or the adoptive parents, our experienced practitioners will update you on the latest adoption laws, help you understand various procedures and requirements and give you the background you need to handle adoption cases without unnecessary delays, ethical problems or surprises. Order today!

1. The Essentials of Adoption Law
2. Offering the Different Adoption Options
3. Procedures for Terminating Parental Rights
4. Resolving Interstate Adoption Issues
5. Overcoming Obstacles to International Adoptions
6. Following Ethical Guidelines in Adoption Law
7. Practical Guide Through the Adoption Process
8. What to Do if Something Goes Wrong

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

1. THE ESSENTIALS OF ADOPTION LAW
   9:00 - 9:45, Alisha Ankers
1. Understanding the Definitions: Who May be Adopted
2. Who May Adopt: Criteria and Qualifications
3. Obtaining Adoption Assistance
4. Helping Calculate Adoption Tax Credits
5. Adhering to Federal Laws Affecting Adoptions
1. Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997
2. Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
3. Indian Child Welfare Act
4. Howard Metzenbaum Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994
2. OFFERING THE DIFFERENT ADOPTION OPTIONS
   9:45 - 10:30, William P. Harrie
1. What are Private Placement Adoptions?
2. How Agency Adoptions Work
3. Venue: Why it's so Important
4. The Crucial Element of Consent
5. Exploring Other Adoption Alternatives
1. When and How to Use Independent Options
2. Circumstances When it's Appropriate to Adopt an Adult
3. Guidelines for Adopting Relatives
6. Understanding Step Parent Adoptions
7. Examining and Ensuring Foster Parent Rights
3. PROCEDURES FOR TERMINATING PARENTAL RIGHTS
   10:45 - 11:30, William P. Harrie
1. General Requirements That Need to be Considered
2. Obtaining Confirmed Consent and Surrender of Birth Parents
3. Properly Dealing With Notice Requirements
4. Observing Guidelines Governing Involuntary Termination
5. Where Complaints May be Filed
6. Issues Handled by State Common Pleas Courts
7. When Default Proceedings May Move Forward
4. RESOLVING INTERSTATE ADOPTION ISSUES
   11:30 - 12:00, William P. Harrie
1. What is the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)?
2. Dealing With Conflicts Between State Laws
3. Navigating Multistate Adoption Procedures
5. OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIONS
   1:00 - 1:45, Linda T. Jaeger
1. Making Clients Aware of Risks and Realities
2. Locating a Child to be Adopted: A How-to Guide
3. Dealing With U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
4. Adhering to State Laws Regarding Intercountry Adoptions
5. Recognizing Legal Requirements of the Foreign Country Involved
6. Crucial Steps Involving Birth Certificates and Citizenship
7. Taking All the Right Steps for Finalization
8. Practical Tips for Families Considering International Adoption
6. FOLLOWING ETHICAL GUIDELINES IN ADOPTION LAW
   1:45 - 2:45, Alisha Ankers
1. Identifying Conflicts of Interest
2. Confidentiality in Adoption Cases
3. Guidelines for Setting Fair Attorney Fees
4. Observing the Rules of Professional Conduct
7. PRACTICAL GUIDE THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS
   3:00 - 3:45, Linda T. Jaeger
1. Preparation of Pre- and Post-Placement Reports
2. The Interrelated Roles of Social Worker and Attorney
3. Determining Fees and Expenses
4. How to Conduct a Thorough Background Check
5. The Adoption Home Study: A Look Into the Reality
6. Working With Birth Parents: What You Need to Do
7. State and Local Services Available to All Parties Involved
8. Medical Care and Insurance Coverage for Birth Mother and Child
9. Responsibilities of the Guardian Ad Litem
10. Unique Considerations When Adopting Special Needs Children
8. WHAT TO DO IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG
   3:45 - 4:30, William P. Harrie
1. Rights of the Biological Parents vs. Adoptive Parents: Who Takes Precedence?
2. Proving a Parent is Unfit in Contested Adoptions
3. Tackling Third-Party Challenges
4. Procedures for Dissolution of Adoption
5. Withdrawal of Consent? What to do Next
6. Correctly Handling an Appeal of the Adoption Decree

ALISHA ANKERS is a sole practitioner in Fargo, North Dakota, where her main areas of practice are family law, custody investigator and guardian ad litem. She previously worked in juvenile court and in family law matters. Ms. Ankers is a member of the Cass County Bar, the Clay County Bar, the State Bar Association of North Dakota and the Minnesota State Bar Association. She has been secretary/treasurer of the State Bar Association of North Dakota Family Law Section since 2005. Ms. Ankers earned her B.A. degree from Hamline University and her J.D. degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law.

WILLIAM P. HARRIE is a shareholder in the Fargo law firm of Nilles Law Firm, where he has practiced in the area of civil litigation for the past 25 years, specializing in civil litigation, insurance law and adoptions. He has represented a number of child-placing agencies and is the only North Dakota attorney who is a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, which is a national association of attorneys experienced in the field of adoption law. Mr. Harrie earned his B.S. and J.D. degrees from the University of North Dakota, and was Order of the Coif, Order of the Barristers and on the Board of Editors of the Law Review. He is licensed in both North Dakota and Minnesota and is a member of the Cass County and the Minnesota State bar associations, and the State Bar Association of North Dakota. Mr. Harrie also has served as an arbitrator in a number of disputes and is a frequent lecturer at insurance law, adoption law and civil litigation seminars.

LINDA T. JAEGER is the regional supervisor of the Foster Adoption Program for the Southeast Human Service Center, the regional office for the North Dakota Department of Human Services. She works in the areas of foster care, adoption services and refugee resettlement. Ms. Jaeger serves on the Board of Directors for Birthright (a pregnancy crisis center); as the nominations chair for the North Dakota Conference of Social Welfare; served as president of the Conference of Social Welfare in 1991; as a trainer for the Infant Adoption Training Initiative (a federal grant to promote adoption awareness); and as an adjunct professor in the social work department at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. She earned her Master of Social Work Degree from the University of Minnesota and received the Best Paper in Social Work Award at that time. Ms. Jaeger has earned several awards which include: the Adoption Advocate Award at the North Dakota Adoption Celebration, the Sr. Donna Jean Chaput Award at North Dakota Conference of Social Welfare (integrating social work values and a sense of spirituality into best practice), the President's Award at the North Dakota Conference of Social Welfare in 2002, and the Outstanding Social Worker in the Private Sector Award in March 1998 from NASW.

Please refer to Continuing Education Credit FAQ for general information about seeking credit for your participation in one of our continuing education programs.

Additionally, our team of credit specialists are here to answer your specific credit-related questions weekdays 7am - 5pm Central:

Phone: 866-240-1890

Email: credit@nbi-sems.com