Agenda / Content Covered

1. THE ESSENTIALS OF ADOPTION LAW
   9:00 — 9:45, Meg Sterchi
   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
2. PRIVATE PLACEMENT ADOPTIONS
   9:45 — 10:30, Joel Kirsh
   1. Options for Unplanned Pregnancy
   2. Overview of Private Placement Adoption
   3. Reasons for Adoption
   4. Meeting an Expectant Parent
   5. Adoptive Family Information
   6. Issues Related to Birth Fathers
   7. Notice and Putative Father Registry
   8. Pre-Birth Arrangements
   9. Consent Procedures
   10. Post Consent Steps
3. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN ASSISTING WITH AN ADOPTION
   10:45 — 11:45, Joel Kirsh
   1. Competence
   2. Code of Ethics
   3. Representation
   4. Proper Disclosures
   5. Living Expenses
   6. Adoption Related Crimes
4. PRACTICAL GUIDE THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS
   12:45 — 1:45, Meg Sterchi
   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. Open Adoption and Determining the Degree of Contact
   11. Unique Considerations When Adopting Special Needs Children
5. PROCEDURES FOR TERMINATING PARENTAL RIGHTS
   1:45 — 2:30, Christine Douglas
   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
6. RESOLVING INTERSTATE ADOPTION ISSUES
   2:45 — 3:30, Debra Guston
   1. What is the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)?
   2. Dealing with Conflicts Between State Laws
   3. Navigating Multistate Adoption Procedures
7. WHAT TO DO IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG
   3:30 — 4:30, Christine Douglas
   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

Accreditation Details:

Christine Douglas is the founding member of Keating Douglas, LLP. She practices solely in the area of family law and is a certified family law specialist, as certified by the Family Law Certification Board. Her practice includes adoptions, custody disputes, domestic partnership agreements, divorces, grandparent visitation, guardianships, parenting time enforcement, paternity cases, and premarital agreements. She has extensive mediation and trial experience and completed the American Bar Association's Family Law Trial Advocacy program. Ms. Douglas has been practicing for more than 20 years managing complex family law matters. Additionally, she is a trained collaborative law attorney, parenting coordinator, and guardian ad litem; and prefers seeking holistic resolutions in family law matters. She received her B.A. degree from Purdue University and earned her J.D. degree from Valparaiso University School of Law.

Debra E Guston is a partner in Guston & Guston L.L.P., in Glen Rock, New Jersey. Ms. Guston represents a broad spectrum of clients in family court matters, adoptions, assisted reproduction, surrogacy/donor law, estate planning and administration, non-profit formation/governance, and special need and other trusts. Ms. Guston has been recognized by the New Jersey State Bar Association for her legislative work on behalf of the Bar, most notably lobbying for the passage of New Jersey's Gestational Carrier Act. She has served the legal community as a member of the NJ State Bar's Family Law Section's Family Law Executive Committee since 2007 and has served as its Adoption and Reproductive Rights Sub-Committee Chair. She is a Past Chair of the NJ State Bar's LGBT Rights Section and a current Trustee. Ms. Guston is a Past President of the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, the leading international, credentialed organization of family formation attorneys. Ms. Guston also serves in two New Jersey Supreme Court appointed positions. She is a member of the Family Practice Committee and Advisory Committee on Access and Fairness. Ms. Guston received her B.A. degree, cum laude, from Mount Holyoke College, her M.A. degree from Emerson College and her J.D. degree from Cardozo School of Law.

Joel D Kirsh is a partner in the Indianapolis law firm of Kirsh & Kirsh P.C. Mr. Kirsh's practice is limited exclusively to adoption law. He has been practicing adoption law, along with his brother Steve, for more than 30 years and loves the emotional satisfaction of helping everyone involved in the adoption process. In addition to newborn adoptions, he assists with step-parent, grandparent, adult, and other relative adoptions, as well as formalization of international adoptions. Mr. Kirsh also assists with assisted reproductive technology law, including gestational carrier arrangements and other surrogacy related matters. He earned his B.S. and J.D. degrees from Indiana University.