Adoption Lawyers - Legal Service Attorneys for California, Open, Independent, Interstate, Contested, Adult, and Stepparent Adoptions and Guardianships for decades.

Santa Barbara Coastline

Hello, and welcome to AdoptionLawFirm.com, the web address for the Adoption Law Offices of Douglas R. Donnelly, in beautiful Santa Barbara, California.

It has been our privilege for over 28 years to represent adopting families, birth mothers, and adopted children. Our practice is limited to adoption law and guardianships. That is ALL that we do, it is not a sideline. We have represented adopting families from throughout the United States, and several foreign nations. We have handled adoption cases at all levels up to and including the California Supreme Court, and have been successful in helping to make California adoption law more child-friendly.

Doug Donnelly, is an adopting father, author, and lecturer, and is a past-President of the Academy of California Adoption Lawyers, and a charter member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. He has testified numerous times before committees of the California legislature, and has helped to write numerous legislative bills that have passed the legislature and become law. He and his work have been featured in the media, and he has been seen on the CBS News program "48 Hours," and has received but declined invitations to appear on "Larry King Live," and the "Oprah Winfrey Show."

The Martindale-Hubbell listing service rates attorneys throughout the United States, and has awarded Mr. Donnelly their highest possible rating, "AV," which is awarded to fewer than 3% of all practicing attorneys. These ratings are based upon confidential peer reviews, and an "AV" rating is awarded only to those attorneys who are considered to have "from very high to preeminent" legal ability. The Better Business Bureau has also awarded his business practices with a "AAA" rating, which is their highest possible rating.

Mr. Donnelly's curriculum vitae is included in the "About Us" section of this site.

We hope that this website is informative and helpful, but keep in mind that adoption laws are often confusing and in flux, therefore, you will want to speak with us about your specific factual situation before making any decisions based upon the information at this site.