My Adult Adoption Free Consultations

Many attorneys will offer free consultations, but usually it is to just tell you enough about them to make you want to hire them. Then they can start charging you to begin to really learn and plan regarding your case. By comparison, my consultations are designed to completely educate the adopting parent(s) and the adoptee on the laws, procedures and timetable in doing the adoption of an adult. I not only give information but ask you questions, to make sure we are ready for a smooth and fast adoption. The consultation is by Zoom, so you can do it from your home. You can choose to be together or apart as is best for you. It is very detailed so takes 30-40 minutes.

My Adult Adoption $2,250 flat fee

Also, unlike about every other lawyer, I charge a flat fee - not hourly. With an attorney charging hourly, get ready to be charged for every call to/from you, or on your behalf, every letter and email written or read, as well as every moment of legal research/document preparation/filing/court hearing.

By comparison, my $2,250 flat fee includes everything: not only all my legal time in doing your case from beginning through the final court hearing, but also includes the court filing fee, amended birth certificate fees and any out-of-pocket costs I incur. These are things lawyers usually make you pay, and these expenses usually add up to hundreds of dollars. So with me, you know your exact fee before you start.

And what if you want something "extra" like keeping one or both of the adoptee's current legal parents, a name change, a new birth certificate? These are all included in the flat fee. There are no "extras" to charge you for. Adult adoptions are typically done by legal pleadings. To see a page from a sample Petition for Adult Adoption you can do so here.

If you are adopting adult siblings at the same time, I reduce the flat fee of the second adoption to $1,850 as the flat fee. We can finalize them together in one court hearing. (Be aware that a person can only adopt one adult a year by law. An exception is made for siblings, however.)

I encourage you to call around to other family law attorneys, ask about their fees, and ask to see their retainer in advance. I believe you will find they charge about $400 hourly. How can the average person afford that? And I think the average total price you will be quoted will be about $3,500-$4,000 (and not even with any assurances it won't end up costing more). And it likely won't even include their costs and expenses. When you have taken the time to compare, then call me and let's get serious about doing your adult adoption.

You can do everything from home

The legal world is different post-Covid, as well as due to continuing changing technology. Here is what I mean:

1. You don't need to come to my office for your consultation. We do it by Zoom.
2. The courts now accept digital signatures. So, after I prepare the legal documents for you to review and sign, I send them to you by email in a legal signature program similar to Docusign.
3. The Los Angeles adoption court has granted every request I've made when clients want to appear by video, rather than in person. So you can appear from your home or office if you prefer.
4. If we appeared by video, the court will mail me several copies of your final certified and embossed Order of Adoption. I then mail them to you.
5. If the adoptee elected to have an amended birth certificate, that is sent directly to you by Vital Records.

So... you have the option of never coming to my office, or even going to court.