Susan I. Paquet

Principal

Practice Description

Ms. Paquet’s law practice is exclusive to Adoption Law and Assisted Reproduction Law. She has practiced in this area of law for over twenty five years. Previous to the practice of law, Ms. Paquet studied and worked in social work related fields.

Included in her law practice are independent domestic adoptions, agency domestic adoptions, international adoptions, contested adoptions, interstate adoptions, family adoptions, step-parent adoptions, mediation, adoptions involving the Indian Child Welfare Act, drafting of surrogacy agreements and other assisted reproduction work.

In 1991 Ms. Paquet was invited to join the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. The Academy is a national association of only approximately 330 selected attorneys across the United States who practice in the field of adoption law. The Academy’s work includes promoting positive adoption laws, and disseminating information on ethical adoption practices.

Ms. Paquet actively practices law, is the supervising attorney of the firm’s adoption section and also is active in teaching and organizing continuing legal education programs to promote the conscientious and informed practice of adoption law among attorneys.

Representative Matters

• Adoption work for several large adoption agencies
• Legal representation in the area of adoption includes cases in which she represents adoptive parents, cases in which she represents birth parents, and Court appointments to represent children
• Legal representation in the area of Assisted Reproduction includes the representation of intended parents, gestational carriers and donors
• Legal representation in Indian Child Welfare Act cases

Education

• University of New Mexico (B.A. 1969)
• University of Arizona (M. Ed. 1972)
• University of Arizona (J.D. 1976)

Professional Admissions

• State Bar of Texas, 1983

Activities and Honors

• Fellow, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys (Board of Trustees)
• Continuing Legal Education Committee
• Recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence
• Member, Parker County Bar Association (Past President)
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Tarrant County Bar Association
• Member, Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association
• Member, Texas College of the State Bar
• Member, National Indian Child Welfare Association
• Member, North American Council on Adoptable Children

Presentations and Publications

• Frequent speaker for attorney groups at the State and National level
• Speaker for the National Indian Child Welfare Association Conference
• Frequent presenter for adoption support groups