Social Media’s Effect on Post Adoption Communication

Both technology and communication after an adoption have changed quite a bit over the past 20 years. As birth mothers and adoptive parents become more “connected”, the way they communicate becomes less formal. They normally have plenty of time to get a comfort level with each other during the adoption process. Methods of Communication: Introduce […]

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15 questions adoptive parents should anticipate

All adopted children have questions about their origins, and sooner or later they’ll want answers. Working as board certified adoption attorneys for more than 25 years, we’ve become very active with adoptees and their desire for information about their birth parents. Here are a few observations that will help you, as adoptive parents, anticipate your […]

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Stepparent Adoption

Adopting a child is one of the most exhilarating moments you can ever experience. The wonderful feeling is magnified when you adopt a stepchild because the adoption is formalizing a relationship that already exists. By officially adopting your stepchild, you become the legal guardian of your spouse’s child thereby removing all logistical questions as to […]

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Adoptions may be impacted by drastic drop in U.S. fertility rate

Fertility (the ability to conceive children) in the United States has reached a record low, driven primarily by falling birthrates among teens and women in their early 20’s, according to a recent report published by the National Center for Health Statistics. The current rate for 2013, 1.86 births per woman, puts the U.S. slightly below […]

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What about a lawyer for the birth mother?

One of the differences between hiring Shorstein & Kelly as a law firm and hiring an adoption agency is that Shorstein & Kelly only represents adoptive parents. Adoption agencies say that they represent everyone who participates in the adoption plan. As attorneys, it is not ethical for us to represent both the prospective adoptive parents […]

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Creating a compelling profile

For many adoptive parents, the most daunting part of the process doesn’t even involve the child directly. It’s the profile – the detailed document you create about yourself so birth mothers can select you as parents. Since this document affects your chance of being chosen, it’s a good idea to put good effort into its […]

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Overview of an adoption plan

Gone are the days when a woman felt disgraced by finding herself pregnant and unmarried. Also gone are the days when married couples felt inadequate because of their inability to conceive a child. Today, pregnant women and married couples embrace the adoption process as the best alternative to their seemingly desperate situations. In fact, they […]

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Adoption Agency vs. Adoption Attorney – a birth mother perspective

When a birth mother first requests information about developing an adoption plan, she often asks about the differences between working with an adoption attorney or an adoption agency. After talking with hundreds of birth mothers who have experienced working with both an adoption attorney and an adoption agency, we have compiled a list of four […]

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Adult Adoptions: A Growing Trend in Florida

Earlier in 2012, when the media learned that a 40-year-old South Florida polo tycoon adopted his 42-year-old girlfriend as his daughter, the awareness of adult adoption skyrocketed.  It was reported that the tycoon used the adoption process to protect his fortune from the family of a man he killed in a DUI crash.  Once his […]

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Birth Mothers! Do you wonder what your grown child will think?

This article was written by an Adoptee who was placed for adoption by Shorstein and Kelly in 1993.  At that time most adoptions were semi-closed, meaning that if birth parents received post placement communication, it was minimal.  After recently meeting with her, she agreed to share these reflections. I was Adopted 18 Years Ago at […]

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What is a Board Certified Adoption Attorney in the state of Florida?

Adoption Experts! The certification of adoption attorneys allows the public to differentiate lawyers proficient in the area of adoption law from attorneys who do not understand the unique complexities of the adoption statute. Board Certified Adoption Attorneys in Florida are considered experts in the field of Florida adoption law.  Both Michael Shorstein and Brian Kelly, […]

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What is the difference between Open and Closed Adoptions?

Open Adoptions Defined: An open adoption is one in which the birth mother and the adoptive parents know each other and agree to continuing contact, in some manner, following placement of the child. Benefits of choosing an open adoption with Shorstein & Kelly (the “Firm”): Exchange of information between the birth mother and the adoptive […]

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Adoptive Parents: Separate Expectations From Reality

Building Families through Adoption! Generally, most prospective adoptive parents (“PAPs”) are obsessed with the immediate desire to become parents.  After trying for many years to have a biological child, these PAPs are turning to adoption as their final option. By the time they reach an adoption professional, they have waited too long, spent too money, […]

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Teen Pregnancy – Letter to the Editor

Adoption is a good option for many teens. The Florida Times Union editorial on teen pregnancy did a good job presenting the challenges of teen pregnancy, but it was not comprehensive in covering the solutions to those challenges, namely the ability to choose adoption once a teen pregnancy has occurred. As local board-certified adoption attorneys […]

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