Reading Recommendations

20 Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew, Sherrie Eldridge

Raising Adopted Children: Practical Reassuring Advice for Every Adoptive Parent, by Lois Ruskai Melina

Talking to Your Child About Adoption, Patricia Martinez Dorner

Making Sense of Adoption, A Parents Guide, Lois Ruskai Melina

Dialogues About Adoption: Conversations Between Parents and Their Children, Linda Bothum

Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self,  byDavid M. Brodzinsky, Marshall D. Schecter and Robin Marantz Henig

The Family of Adoption, by Joyce Maguire Pavao

Taking with Young Children About Adoption, Mary Watkins and Susan Fisher

Real Parents, Real Children: Parenting the Adopted Child, Holly van Gulden and LIsa M. Bartels-Rabb

Jennifer Fairfax Bio

Jennifer Fairfax Bio

Jennifer, author of the 2012 book on adoption law, "The Adoption Law Handbook" published by the ABA.

She is an experienced Maryland and District of Columbia Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Law practitioner, Jennifer Fairfax advocates for clients in independent and in agency adoptions whether domestic or international as well as clients building or growing their families with assisted reproduction technology.

Jennifer serves on the Board of Trustees for the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys ("AAAA") an invitation only fellowship organization of the Adoption Attorneys who focus their practice in the area of adoption law and subscribe to the highest ethical standards in representing adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents.  They can be found at www.adoptionattorneys.org.  

Jennifer also serves on the Board of the Center for Adoption Support and Education which provides adoption related counseling and support services for all members of the adoption triad.  They can be found at www.adoptionsupport.org.  

Jennifer has been featured on the radio talking about Adoption and ART in the United States.  http://blog.samakowlaw.com/2011/02/406/. 

In addition to her adoption services, Jennifer works with clients who are interested in growing their families through the use of assisted reproduction technology (ART), whether using a surrogate or a donor. Jennifer has experience representing donors, surrogates (gestational carriers) and intended parents.  She is a fellow of the American Academy of Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys ("AAARTA") which can be found at www.adoptionattorneys.org/aaarta.htm

She assists clients in creating parenting, surrogate and donor agreements whether they are heterosexual couples, gays, lesbians (LGBT), stepparents or single parents.

A previous Court Appointed Special Advocate through the CASA program, Jennifer currently is often appointed as an attorney for the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland, representing children in adoption cases.  She handles over 20 appointments a year.  She also represents adoptive and/or birth parents in contested adoptions through court appointments.

She has been rated as a preeminent attorney by peers and clients receiving an AV* rating from Martindale-Hubbell.  An AV certification is a significant rating accomplishment reserved to only 20% of all attorneys rated nationwide.  You can see her at:  http://www.martindale.com/Jennifer-Fairfax/628067-lawyer.htm.  

Jennifer was also rated a 10.0, the highest rating available by AVVO based on an attorneys reviews, experience and ethical standards.  Information about her on Avvo is at:  www.avvo.com

She teaches courses on Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Technology for other legal professionals through:

  • Baltimore City Bar Association and Free State Legal (March 2011)
  • American Bar Association (Spring 2010 );
  • District of Columbia Bar Association (February 2011)
  • Montgomery County Bar Foundation (2005 - 2009);
  • MICPEL legal education program (2006-2008),
  • Baltimore City Bar Association (2010),
  • Free State Legal Services, (2010) and
  • National Business Institute (2009).

Jennifer has presented seminars for potential parents through:

  • George Washington University Lesbian Services Program (working with the Whiteman -Walker clinic) (2007);
  • RESOLVE, Inc (2007-2010);
  • Rainbow Families D.C., (2009-2010);
  • local parenting groups and organizations in Maryland and the District of Columbia (2007-2010).

 Jennifer has been a lecturer for law students at: 

  • Villanova Law School, Family Law Course, Adoption Practice, 2011
  • University of Baltimore School of Law, on Contemporary Family Law issues and Adoption/ART for GLBT families, 2009-2012 
  • University of Maryland School of Law on Contemporary family building issues including adoption and ART, 2010-2012

Jennifer practices in all Maryland and District of Columbia courts, as well as the Maryland Federal courts. She is has the honor of being admitted to the United States Supreme Court.
 

 

“AV® Preeminent ™ and BV® Distinguished™ are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies.” Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the Bar and the Judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.