• Agency Adoption
• Private/Independent Adoption
• Identified Adoption
• Open Adoption
• Closed Adoption
• Interstate Adoption
• Combinations of above

Each kind of adoption plan is available to you.
What are the differences between them?
Which plan will best suit your needs?
Which option would you feel most comfortable with?

As an adoption attorney I represent only birth parents and adoptive parents. I do not represent adoption agencies, nor do I receive compensation for children privately placed in adoptive homes. As such, you can be certain that any advice I give will be impartial and unbiased. When I represent a birth parent they can be certain that I will represent them and advocate for them whole-heartedly.

Should you decide that you want to parent your child, I am happy to help you find resources available in your area that can assist you.

If you choose to proceed with adoption I will assist you in choosing an adoptive plan that's right for you.

No matter what your decision, it should be an informed choice based on sound legal advice and in a voluntary manner. I want you to feel comfortable and confident with your decision.

LEGAL FEES
There is no charge or obligation for a consultation.
Should you decide to make an adoption plan, the adoptive parents will traditionally pay for your legal fees.

CHOOSING ADOPTIVE PARENTS
You may choose to work with an adoption agency which permits you to select the adoptive parents from profiles and photographs they present to you. In most cases, you can choose to meet with the adoptive family and get to know them before you make a decision.

If you want to you can actively participate in the selection of an adoptive family for your child. You can specify the characteristics you are looking for in an adoptive home such as religion, age, whether you desire other children in the home or not, whether to place their child within Illinois or outside of Illinois and so on.

Birth parents may also choose to find their own adoptive family that they already know or has met through relatives or friends.

A birth mother may also locate adoptive parents through advertisements placed by adoptive families.

OPEN ADOPTION
Whether you decide work with an agency or make a private placement, birth parents today can choose between open adoption plans or a traditional closed adoption plan.

Open adoption is when the adoptive parents maintain some communication or contact with the birth parents. How much contact and what kind of contact you have, both during and after the pregnancy, are other aspects of the adoption plan you can decide. In many open adoptions the adoptive parents agree to send a picture of the child and letter to the birth parents once a year. Some adoptive parents and birth parents develop a closer relationship and maintain occasional visits; some birth parents don't have any contact with the adoptive parents or child after the adoption. In Illinois, there are many parents that have open adoption arrangements. It is important to note, however, that the Illinois courts have held that these agreements are not legally enforceable, so any agreement about staying in contact with the child are strictly good faith agreements and are not enforced in Court.

Closed adoption usually refers to an adoption where the birth parent selects the adoptive parents from a number of profiles, learns a limited amount of non-identifying information about the adoptive parents and does not go on to meet them. In a closed adoption the birth mother typically chooses not to have any contact with the adoptive parents during the pregnancy nor after the child is placed.

Closed adoption can also refer to an adoption where the birth parent decides to let the agency select the adoptive parents based on the characteristics they have stated they are looking for in an adoptive family.

Counseling
Whether you choose to go with an agency or private, counseling should always be offered to you. Counseling services can be paid for by the adoptive parents. At a minimum, counseling should be made available to provide support for you during the pregnancy, at the hospital, and afterward. Counseling can help birth parents prepare for feelings of loss and grief, as well as other emotions they will encounter.

Financial Assistance
Illinois law allows adoptive parents to assist birth mothers with expenses reasonably related to the birth of a child. What is considered "reasonable" will depend on the birth parents' circumstances. Traditionally, courts and agencies have permitted assistance with living expenses rent, utilities, food, medical expenses (not covered by insurance), transportation, attorney fees, maternity clothing, and counseling.