Episode 153: Busting The "Just Adopt" Myth – Lila Bradley

Lila Newberry Bradley is a partner in the law firm of Claiborne|Fox|Bradley|Goldman, which focuses its practice on family building through adoption and assisted reproduction. Lila is a Fellow in American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and the Georgia Council of Adoption Lawyers. Lila attended the University of Georgia for both undergraduate and law school. Lila is the former director of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation’s Children’s Law Programs where she worked with volunteer lawyers to provide pro bono legal representation for children who were in foster care or were the subject of high-conflict custody disputes. Lila continues to have a special interest in the legal issues surrounding children in foster care, and she provides training to foster parents on how the law and the court process can ensure that children’s rights and interests are protected. Listen to Lila as she discusses with Ellen and Jenn: • Starting her legal career in corporate transactions. • Stepping away from work to focus on raising her family. • A chance meeting leading her to work in child welfare law and foster care. • 10 years working with foster care cases, including those that moved to adoption. • Why the question “Why don’t you just adopt?” is so problematic. • A little history. How the Baby Boom impacted adoption and the “Baby Scoop” era. • The cost of adoption, ranging from $10,000 to over $75,000. • The multi-step, and frequently lengthy, adoption process. • Varying state adoption laws. • The risk and likelihood of a change of mind. • How the genetic father’s involvement can affect the potential of adoption. • Open versus closed adoption and the historical shift. Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903. Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ Learn more about our surrogacy agencies: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ Learn more about Lila’s law firm: www.gababylaw.com