Adoption attorneys can be either lawyers who limit their practices exclusively to adoption matters or lawyers who assist with adoption.  There is no specialty certification in adoption, although there are specialized courses that lawyers can take to learn about specific adoption law.  The level of expertise required of an adoption attorney depends upon the type of adoption.  The adoption attorney will be filing papers and appearing during the proceedings.  Many general practice attorney also perform this type of service.

An adoption attorney may be found by:

• Speaking with licensed adoption agencies;
• Contacting the American Association of Adoption Attorneys;
• Calling the Bar Association;
• Yellow Pages listings;
• Speaking with local members of support groups such as Open Door Society or Families with Children from China;
• Searching online.

For Adoption Attorneys, visit the USLegal Lawyer Directory.