Great Expectations: Practicing Adoption Law (2/6/25)

The goal of this seminar will be to focus on current expectations and best practice guidelines in practicing adoption law.  Our adoption Judge and Guardians ad Litem will discuss what they expect from practitioners and other hot button topics.  Speakers will also address navigating DCFS adoption cases to best serve clients and their children, the intricacies of special immigrant juvenile status and international adoptions, and the nuances of managing client expectations and needs.

Topics and Speakers:
Expectations from the bench for practicing adoption attorneys, including best practices and other current adoption law topics.
Honorable Maureen Ward Kirby, Acting Presiding Judge, County Division, Circuit Court of Cook County 

Moderated panel of Guardians ad Litem who will address their role in adoption cases and their expectations for practicing adoption attorneys. 
Sheila A. Maloney, Attorney at Law 

Navigating DCFS adoption cases to best serve clients and their children.  
Ashley Reed, Monahan Law Group, LLC 

Current topics related to special immigrant juvenile status and international adoptions.
Cailee J. Alderman, Kogut & Wilson 

Managing client expectations, including Zoom etiquette, the possibility of contested adoptions, resources, and adoption options.
Michelle M. Hughes, Law Offices of Michelle M. Hughes, PC 

Moderator:  
Karin Carli, Greenlight Family Services, Vice-Chair, CBA Adoption Law Committee

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live.