Adoption often looks different from one family to the next. Sarah’s practice includes guiding families through many types of adoption journeys.
This step can be extraordinarily meaningful for families to legally formalize a parent-child relationship.
In some cases, prospective adoptive parents have established a relationship with an agency for placement of a child for adoption. This process involves a formal court hearing to finalize the adoption.
Adoption agencies generally work closely with an attorney to accomplish the legal steps necessary for adoptive placements. The legal steps completed in this process are an important part of ensuring a successful adoptive placement.
A family may choose to move forward with an adoptive placement without working through an adoption agency. Independent adoption is where a prospective adoptive family is matched with a child for adoptive placement through means other than an adoption agency.
Domestic adoption is the process of adopting a child from within the United States. This can involve adoption of an infant child or an older child.
Foster parents may be in a position to adopt a child in their care, with approval and recommendation from the Department of Human Services. This process involves a formal court hearing to finalize the adoption.
Interstate adoption is the process of placing a child for adoption with a prospective adoptive family outside of the state where the child resides. Approval from all states involved in the adoptive placement must be obtained before the child may be placed with the prospective adoptive family.
Relative adoption is the adoption of a child by a prospective adoptive parent who is related to the child within a certain degree of consanguinity. In some relative adoption cases, there may be fewer legal requirements to reach adoption finalization.
Second parent adoption is the process of establishing parental rights with a non-genetic parent of a child. This step may be necessary as a part of a donor or surrogacy journey, or may be completed as a confirmatory adoption.
Step-parent adoption establishes legal parental rights for blended families.
Sarah attended Drake University Law School in Des Moines, graduating with honors and earning her JD in 2017. Sarah also attended Des Moines University, earning a Master of Health Care Administration. After graduating from her JD/MHA program, Sarah was admitted to practice law in the State of Iowa in fall 2017.
Sarah completed her undergraduate education at Iowa State University, graduating with double degrees in Criminal Justice and Spanish in 2010. Sarah then began a career in health care working for a medical office in South Carolina, where her husband served in the Marine Corps.
Sarah is currently an active member of the following professional associations:
Beyond her legal practice, Sarah is passionate about giving back to the community in the form of volunteering and serving on boards and committees for non-profit organizations.
State of Iowa – 2017.
State of Colorado – 2021.
J.D., Drake University Law School, with honors.
Masters of Health Care Administration, Des Moines University, 2017.
Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice, Iowa State University, 2010.
Bachelor of Arts, Spanish, Iowa State University, 2010.
Careers in Health Care Law, Guest Speaker, Drake University Law School Health Law Society and Public Interest Law Association, November 2021.
Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Technology Guest Lecture, Drake University Law School Family Law Class, November 2021.
Solo and Small Firm Panel, Polk County Women Attorneys, September 2021.
Founding Board Member, Engage Ankeny.
Board Member, Latina Leadership Initiative of Greater Des Moines.
Volunteer Committee Member, Can Do Cancer.
Volunteer Attorney, Polk County Bar Association.
Volunteer Lawyer Project.
Volunteer Attorney, American Bar Association Military Pro Bono Project.
Annual Participant in the Cady Day of Public Service.
Graduate of Ankeny Leadership Institute Class of 2019.
Past Board Member, Polk County Women Attorneys.
Past Volunteer Committee Member, Susan G. Komen Greater Iowa.
Iowa
Iowa State Bar Association (ISBA)
Family Law Section Member
Polk County Bar Association (PCBA)
Polk County Women Attorneys (PCWA)
Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce, Member
Greater Des Moines Partnership, Member
Colorado
Colorado Bar Association (CBA)
National
American Bar Association (ABA), Family Law Section
Assisted Reproductive Technology Committee Member
American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
Legal Professionals Group Member
Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy (SEEDS)
Resolve: The National Infertility Organization