| Press
Releases & News Articles |
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| Matching and Placement
Services |
| Identified,
Interstate, Stepparent, Grandparent & Family Adoption Services |
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| Pro bono work helps troubled families succeed |
| Article
- Daily Record - January 11, 2010 |
| Pro Bono success stories by Kathy Para - JBA Pro Bono Committee Chair |
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Brian Kelly’s job is to bring families together. His firm, Shorstein & Kelly, specializes in adoption law. And while there are many nonmonetary rewards in what he does, he wasn’t quite prepared for the explosion of gratitude he received last summer when, through a JALA pro bono case, he helped a “really, really nice older couple in their 60s adopt their own 6 year-old granddaughter.”
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“It really didn’t seem like that much, but they were just gushing over being able to adopt that child,” said Kelly. “It meant so very much to them.” |
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couple had already been caring for their
daughter’s child since her birth, but the
grandfather had since become disabled and their
income had plummeted. All three were forced to
survive on his disability payments. And they
likely would have continued to struggle on that
shoestring if not for Kelly’s efforts. By
adopting the girl, the grandfather could qualify
for slightly larger disability payments to help
offset the cost of caring for the child. |
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“It was not a lot of money, but his payment
increased by about 25 percent,” said Kelly,
“Which meant a lot to them, and to the child.”
While the grandparents technically could have
accomplished the adoption on their own, without a
lawyer few people are able to navigate the maze of
adoption laws by themselves. |
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| Brian
Kelly |
| Adoption
Attorney |
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| “They were so appreciative and just went on and on and on about how they couldn’t have done it without help from legal aid,” said Kelly, who, along with his partner, Michael Shorstein, handles about 10 to 12 such cases a year. “That was a rewarding day in court. The judge made a big deal out of it and the little girl just felt real special.” |
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| ONE: One Client. One Attorney. One Promise. |
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Requests for civil legal assistance from the Fourth Circuit’s low-income families have never been greater. Attorneys are needed in all areas of civil law for pro bono representation. Contact Kathy Para,
kathy.para@jaxlegalaid.org
or 356-8371, ext. 363., Chairperson, JBA Pro Bono Committee, for information on areas of greatest need, volunteer opportunities in Fourth Circuit legal services organizations, and support for pro bono attorneys. |
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Shorstein
& Kelly Affiliations
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| Both
Michael A. Shorstein &
Brian T. Kelly are
Board Certified Adoption Attorneys and are active members of the
Florida Adoption Council and the prestigious
American Academy of Adoption
Attorneys.
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| The
AAAA is an association of attorneys, judges, and law professors in the United States and Canada who are dedicated to the highest standards of practice in the field of adoption law. |
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| Membership is by invitation only from the Board of Trustees based on criteria for excellence in the practice of adoption. |
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| They have achieved the highest possible rating (“AV”) from
LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubbell, a national independent service that rates law firms throughout the country. |
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"Building Families & Dreams Through Adoption" |
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| Adoption
Is An Option... A
Loving Choice |
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The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.
Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience. |
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| Copyright ©
2012 Shorstein & Kelly Attorneys At Law, P.A.
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