At Curtin & Heefner LLP, we realize that clients often consider the most important issues in their lives those that affect their families and their children. Often these challenges will have long-term consequences to their spouses and their children.
Our attorneys understand our clients’ needs and desires and are there to help and guide them through these difficult times, so that their ultimate goals are achieved. We will fight hard for your desired results, while at the same time making certain that the children’s best interests are not forgotten. Realizing that all family law matters involve not only legal issues, but a complex set of personal issues, our attorneys are experienced and knowledgeable and will provide complete and comprehensive representation to enable our clients to move forward with certainty about their future.
Family Law
Each family law matter involves a set of circumstances, facts, personal history and emotions unique to the client. Therefore, our family lawyers address each client’s personal needs in regard to the matter at hand individually because no two cases are alike. We provide representation within the range of family law issues, including:
- Divorce, separation and equitable distribution of the marital estate
- Support for children and spouse
- Custody and visitation, including mediation of these difficult issues
- Domestic violence and abuse protection
- Pre- and post-nuptial agreements
- Cohabitation agreements
- Paternity cases
- Coordination of estate planning issues for families with our Estate, Trust and Tax Department
- Name changes
- Grandparent visitation and custody rights
- Guardianship
Adoption Law
Curtin & Heefner LLP’s Adoption & Family Formation practice includes not only the traditional methods of adoption, but also the emerging field of alternative reproductive technology law. We have been involved in the creation of over 4,500 families through our experience in the Family Formation practice of law.
Our adoption law practice includes private/independent adoption, attorney-assisted identified adoption, step-parent, same sex, and second parent adoptions. We represent adoptive parents who are looking to locate a suitable placement of a domestic-born child, as well as adoptive parents who seek to complete an international adoption. We also represent birth parents who desire to make an adoption plan for their child, as well as licensed adoption agencies. Our adoption lawyers have over 50 years of experience in the complexities of interstate adoption, as well as the procedures necessary to assure a successful and secure adoption in Pennsylvania. In the unfortunate event that an adoption becomes contested, our adoption law attorneys have vigorously represented adoptive parents before the courts.
Curtin & Heefner LLP is one of the few firms in the country that has extensive experience in the emerging area of litigation called “Wrongful Adoption”. One of our attorneys was lead counsel in the case before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania that established the right of adoptive parents to seek compensation from agency intermediaries for failure to disclose to them all relevant and material information in its possession about a child’s health and medical history prior to the adoption becoming final.
Finally, our attorneys have vast experience in and are leaders in the field of alternative reproductive technology law, including gestational carrier, ovum donation and traditional surrogacy arrangements.
