Academy of California Adoption Lawyers

Attorneys who are members of the Academy of California Adoption Lawyers (ACAL) represent clients in adoption and assisted reproduction cases. The Academy of California Family Formation Lawyers (ACFFL) is a subsidiary of the ACAL.

Many of the top adoption law attorneys in California belong to this trusted organization. 

The Academy of California Adoption Lawyers (ACAL) and the Academy of California Family Formation Lawyers (ACFFL) are invitational societies of family formation law attorneys whose membership is limited to attorneys licensed in the State of California with extensive adoption and assisted reproduction expertise.

Members have practices that embrace the highest standards of ethics and professional competence. 

Contact Information for ACAL

Adoption and Family Formation Laws in California

In adoption cases, the attorneys represent clients in an independent adoption, an agency adoption, an international adoption, cases in juvenile dependency court, and adoption by a step-parent, adult, relative, or co-parent. The ACAL also provides referrals to competent counselors who are local to their client, be it a birth parent or an adoptive parent.

In assisted reproduction cases, attorneys in the ACAL provide information about the adjudication of parental rights and risk assessment, review of third party reproductive technology contracts--medical facility, program, ovum or sperm donation, and surrogacy contracts, and provide guidance in locating appropriate ovum or sperm donors, surrogates, or intended parents.

Attorneys with the ACAL also provide representation for other family formation alternatives including juvenile court dependency matters, guardianship proceedings, embryo adoption, and donation matters.

Requirements for Membership in the ACAL

The ACAL / ACFFL helps the public identify competent family formation attorneys, provides information on adoption law and related matters, encourages the creation of fair laws and regulations in this area of the law, and increases competence of adoption law and family formation attorneys.

Attorneys in ACAL / ACFFL have completed a minimum of 200 successful adoptions or ART matters or has other special expertise.

The Annual Seminar of the ACAL/ACFFL

The 2016 Annual Seminar of the ACAL / ACFFL was held on March 12, 2016, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Loyola School of Law in Los Angeles. The annual seminar features distinguished speakers on the latest updates regarding adoption and family formation law. The seminar offers 7 hours of MCLE credit. The ACAL seminar is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LEPs, LPCCs, LCSWs, and LMFTs (CAMFT #92155).

This article was last updated on Friday, January 17, 2020.