<p>I am a sophomore in college majoring in English Writing and Philosophy. I want to go to law school and concentrate on family law. However, I believe that I want to be an Adoption Attorney. I really have not heard anything about this profession nor the steps to take in order to enter into this career. Do you have any information? Is it a profitable career? Dying? Non-existent? What steps do I need to take right now? Thanks.</p>
<p>relatively few people practice only adoption law, though some people do. A more common thing is to be a more general family lawyer–they can handle things including adoptions, guardianship, child custody and support, abuse/neglect defense, termination of parental rights, divorces, etc. Many general practice attorneys do family law along with other types of law (real estate closings, wills, contracts, criminal defense, etc.)</p>
<p>Some family lawyers are employed by nonprofits or the government; others work by themselves or at firms (usually smaller ones; a few larger firms have family law practices, and my sense is that they usually handle divorces of high-wealth individuals because there’s not many others who could pay the hourly rates). Salaries vary based on where you work and what types of clients you serve–if you work at a nonprofit and have all low-income clients, expect to start out earning well under $50,000 a year (though you might have loan repayment options). On the other end of the spectrum, I’m ure there are family lawyers earning over a million a year, if they work on divorce and custody cases for wealthy clients with a lot of property at stake.</p>
<p>Any law school I’ve heard of will have a family law class, and often seminars like Children and the Law. I think wills and trusts would also be helpful as a related field, because it often deals with what people want to leave to their families after they die or who they want to care for their kids. Most schools have clinics and these often will give you experience in family law matters. Internships are also important–you could try and get one at a nonprofit, a government agency (every state, city, county, etc. is going to have family courts, child welfare systems, etc.), or a firm that does family law. Michigan offers Bergstrom Child Welfare summer fellowships and I think you can get them even if you’re not a UM student.</p>
<p>Capital University has an adoption law center and summer classes on the topic. But regardless of specialty, I generally suggest that people go to a top 14 school if they can get in, and if not, to the best school they can get into where they want to practice.</p>
<p>My cousin is an adoption lawyer he will be happy to answer any questions you have…
One world Adoption,Deerfield Beach ,Florida.
If you want his email I will send it to you. He is very friendly :)</p>
<p>Oh! Please do “stalkermama”!</p>
<p>His email would be lovely. Thank you so much!</p>