News: The Alabama Lawyer Articles
FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Stepparent Adoptions
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By Joshua B. Horn
Stepparent adoptions are the most common form of adoption filed in Alabama. With divorce rates at more than 50 percent, it is common for adults to help raise their spouse’s children. The Alabama adoption code streamlines stepparent adoptions. These stepparent adoptions are governed by Ala. Code § 26-10A-27, and with a little research, they can be handled easily by attorneys who do not specialize in family adoption law.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Representing Foster Parents in Adoptions
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By Samuel J. McLure
Many foster parents lack the tools and knowledge to advocate for the best interests of the child in their care. All foster parents have to go through a Trauma Informed Parenting for Permanency and Safety class (TIPS) where they learn that their role is to provide a temporary safe home for a child while the Department of Human Resources (DHR) works with parents to alleviate the underlying causes of dependency.
So, when a lawyer is consulted by foster parents who feel at odds with the system, what does that lawyer do?
FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Interstate Adoptions
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By Jared N. Lyles
The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children act (the ICPC) was put into place to encourage the cooperation and communication between state authorities that are involved in the interstate placement of children in foster care or for adoption.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Counseling Adoptive Parents
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By Susan M. Brown
As lawyers, we are called to be both advocates and counselors. Clients may come to you for help with legal filings about an adoption. But to advise them wisely, you should be sure they have realistic expectations about this most important decision. Here are a few basic considerations to help your clients make informed decisions.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: A Primer on Alabama Adoptions
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By Jonathan A. Griffith
Many attorneys love the idea of connecting a loving family with a child in need of a forever home, but are intimidated by the adoption process. This article is designed to help those lawyers.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Women Lawyers in the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame
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The Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame (AWHF) was stablished in 1970. It recognizes women native to or identified closely with Alabama who have made significant contributions on a state, national, or international level. Notable inductees include Helen Keller, Julia Tutwiler, Rosa Parks, Harper Lee, and Coretta Scott King. Of the 98 women in the AWHF, five were lawyers. Remarkably, when most became lawyers, women still could not vote or serve on a jury.[1]
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: The Susan B. Livingston Award
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The Susan B. Livingston Leadership Award was established in 2016 by the Women’s Section of the Alabama State Bar to honor women lawyers in Alabama who reflect the values of Susan Bevill Livingston. Livingston practiced for 29 years at Balch & Bingham in Birmingham. She was a tireless advocate of mentoring. She also had a strong commitment to her community and volunteered for many civic opportunities, as well as being an outstanding leader in both her personal and professional life.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: The Pomeroy Markers
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In 2021, six sites in Alabama were chosen by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation to receive commemorative historic Votes for Women markers for the National Votes for Women Trail.
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: The Importance of Ships
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Retaining female attorneys is an important issue. Polls, surveys, reports, and articles have been conducted and written on this subject offering solutions. Businesses with more diverse employees have been shown to be more financially successful and the employees more satisfied and content with their firms.[1]
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FROM THE ALABAMA LAWYER: Practicing Law According to Forrest Gump
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I have found wisdom and wit in the fictional character Forrest Gump, a creation of my friend, author Winston Groom. The movie based on Groom’s novel, Forrest Gump, contains a scene in which Forrest is running mile after mile with a crowd following him, and for no particular reason, he just stops running. It is difficult to stop running in an active law practice, but when I finally did, I began to reflect on my situation.
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