Tag: interstate adoptions

Apr 19

Just a little change…

One of the ways I give back to the Probate and Family Courts is by volunteering as “Lawyer of the Day” in the courts where I frequently practice. There are many reasons why I do this. As always, it is because I appreciate how hard the staff works assisting attorneys and litigants in a resources …

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Apr 10

What is Implicit Bias and Why is it Important?

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court implemented a rule requiring newly admitted lawyers to complete the “Practicing with Professionalism” course, which I did a few weeks ago. This eight hour course touches on several topics, but one topic I found particularly useful was that of multicultural competency in lawyering. We began this segment of the course …

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Feb 28

“The times they are a-changing”

Ever since Donald Trump was elected President, I noticed an increase in activism. A day has not gone by in which I am not engaged in conversation about a Trump Policy. I realize that I was not concerned about the position I took or the position of the person I was talking with, but rather …

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Dec 05

LAW STUDENT TO LAWYER

Three years of law school is now a concluded chapter. Now I am a recent graduate and new associate, but the experience of being a new associate has revived the same anxious, excited, and uneasy feelings from the first year of law school. As the newest associate in the office, I am not only new …

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Jul 21

Taking Back Your Divorce: Crafting a Parenting Plan That Works for Your Family

Divorce can be a difficult time filled with many transitions and uncertainties. The anxiousness which naturally accompanies this process can be exacerbated when children are involved. The big question often is: how are my spouse and I going to share time with our children when we are no longer living in the same house? How …

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Nov 11

Overcoming Interstate Adoption Issues

A. What is the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children? The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (“ICPC”) is a federal law which establishes uniform legal and administrative procedures governing the interstate placement of children. The ICPC is premised on the belief that children requiring out-of-state placement will receive the same protections and …

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Nov 11

Following Ethical Guidelines in Adoption Law

Identifying Conflicts of Interests The goal in any adoption is to ensure that each participant’s rights are protected, that each fully understands the implications of the process and the placement to be a permanent one. A placement can unravel quickly if ethical guidelines are given short shrift. This can lead to the voiding the surrender …

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Nov 11

Offering the Different Adoption Options

A. Private Placement Adoptions There are several ways to adopt a child in Massachusetts: through a private agency, a public agency, the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (“DCF”), if adopting a child through foster care or without either in limited circumstances where the child is a relative. Private placement adoptions are adoptions which are …

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Nov 11

Adoptions: This Was Not the Outcome Expected

Outcomes in adoption matters are just like life, regardless of the care, preventative measures and good intentions, the outcome may not be what was expected. This article shall address some of the issues which may either cause the adoption to unravel, or disrupt, and how to best address them. Rights of Biological Parents and Adoptive …

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