Several years ago United States citizens adopted about 22,000 children from foreign countries in the space of one year. That number has been decreasing at a very rapid rate and in 2013 there were over 7,000 international adoptions.

There are a number of reasons this has occurred. One involves the participation of the United States in the Hague Treaty involving international adoption. Many of the safeguards that have been put into place to prevent child trafficking have actually made it more difficult to adopt children who are available for adoption and are languishing in orphanages in foreign countries. In fact, many U.S. adoption organizations as well as the American Academy of Adoptions Attorneys had written Secretary of State John Kerry asking him to take whatever steps were needed to improve the processing of these adoptions so as to advance the best interest of these children.

Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana has been instrumental in the drafting of a bi-partisan bill known as CHIFF (Children in Families First) which may help remedy this problem and streamline the processing of international adoptions, while nevertheless making sure that everything is being done as per all international and US law.

Because of the decrease in foreign placements, many families that are looking to form their families through adoption and had been considering international adoption, have now focused on domestic placements. Anyone who is considering adopting would be well served by dealing either with a reputable licensed local adoption agency and/or an experienced adoption attorney such as one of the Fellows of our academy, the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys.

Adoption Attorneys in New Jersey

At the law office of Cofsky & Zeidman, LLC, our lawyers bring more than 25 years of experience to every matter we handle. Attorney Donald C. Cofsky has personally handled more than 1,500 adoption proceedings since joining the bar in 1974. Attorney Bruce D. Zeidman has protected the interests of clients in state and federal courts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania since 1984. We understand the challenges you face, and can help you identify all your options so that you can make good decisions that are in your best long-term interests.

Contact our office online or call us at (856) 429-5005 in Haddonfield, NJ, at (856) 429-5005 in Woodbury, NJ, or in Philadelphia, PA, at (856) 429-5005. We also provide a free initial consultation in personal injury and workers’ compensation matters.