Jeanne T. Tate, Attorney
Jeanne is an attorney with an extensive and renowned practice in the area of adoptions. She has participated in the placement of over 1,500 children in loving homes and is a member of the prestigious American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and the Florida Adoption Council. Jeanne has been active in Interstate Compact Adoptions, has authored numerous articles on adoption, has appeared on local and national television, is actively involved in the adoption issues before the Florida legislature, speaks at seminars and lectures on the topic of adoption, and has a comprehensive knowledge of adoption law. She was honored by the Florida Adoption Council with a lifetime achievement award in 2004. Jeanne owns and operates her own adoption agency called Heart of Adoptions®, at 813-258-6505; e-mail: info@afth.us, or visit www.floridaadoptionagency.com.

Jeanne received a J.D. degree in 1981 from the University of Florida College of Law, where she graduated with honors, as a member of the Order of the Coif, and as an editor of the Law Review. She received a B.S. degree in Journalism and Communications with high honors from University of Florida in 1978. Jeanne is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell.

Danelle D. Barksdale, Attorney
Danelle is an attorney with over 10 years of experience in adoption law. She practices exclusively in the area of adoption and surrogacy law throughout the State of Florida and in conjunction with out-of-state placements that involve choice of law and Interstate Compact issues. She represents adoptive parents in adoption finalizations and represents several adoption agencies in private adoption placements. She handles a wide variety of adoption-related issues, including issues arising from contesting birth parents. Danelle is a member of the Florida Adoption Council and speaks on the subject of adoption.

Danelle graduated from Rice University in 1989 with a degree in Psychology. In 1992, she received her law degree from the University of Florida College of Law, where she graduated with honors and was a member of Law Review. Danelle has been practicing law since 1992 and has handled innumerable adoption, surrogacy and reproductive law cases.

Danelle has been active in her career with the Hillsborough County Bar Association, The Florida Bar, and the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers. Danelle volunteers with the Bay Area Volunteer Lawyers Program and was recently awarded the Jimmy Kynes Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service for her volunteer work in the area of adoption.

Martha A. Curtis, Attorney
Martha is an attorney who practices exclusively in the area of adoptions, surrogacy, and reproductive law. She has practiced law for over twenty years, earning her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law in 1978. She has lectured on adoption and surrogacy law and is a member of the Florida Adoption Council.

Martha's practice embraces the full range of adoption practice, including adoption agency representation in private adoption placements, and representation of adoptive parents in adoption finalizations, as well as relative adoptions, stepparent adoptions, adult adoptions and recertification of foreign adoptions. Martha also handles gestational surrogacy, traditional surrogacy, preplanned adoption, egg donation, sperm donation and preembryo donation matters.

During her career, she has been active in The Florida Bar, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (HAWL). She has served on the board of directors of the Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind, Bayshore Little League and HAWL and has been active in numerous other civic, school, professional and charitable organizations.

Steven Hurwitz, Attorney
Steven is an attorney who practices exclusively in the area of adoptions and juvenile dependency. In the firm's adoption and dependency practice, Steven represents various adoption agencies, licensed foster parents seeking to become adoptive parents, and relatives, such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents, seeking to adopt in an intra-family adoption proceeding. Prior to joining the firm in March 2003, Steven, from January 1990, through July 1997, was the Tampa-based, Managing Attorney for the Department of Children & Families, focusing on issues of juvenile dependency (abuse, abandonment, and neglect of children) and termination of parental rights. For a period of five years thereafter, he was an attorney with R. Jeffrey Stull, P.A. in Tampa focusing on juvenile dependency, adoptions, and employment issues.

Steven earned his undergraduate degree from the American University in Washington D.C. in 1980,and his J.D. degree from the University of Florida College of Law in 1983, where he was a member of the Justice Thornall Campbell Moot Court Board. Steven is a member of the Florida Adoption Council, where he is serving as President for the 2004-05 term. He is also a member of the National Association of Counsel for Children in Denver, Colorado.

Nicole Ward, Attorney
Nicole M. Ward manages and operates the Orlando office. Nicole graduated with high honors from the University of Florida in 2001 with a B.S. degree in Journalism and Communications. Nicole then received her J.D. degree in 2004 from the University of Florida, College of Law, where she graduated with honors.

Prior to opening the Orlando office, Nicole worked for the Department of Children and Families as a Juvenile Dependency Attorney, prosecuting parents that abused and neglected their children.

Melinda Sue Eggert, Paralegal
Sue is a paralegal and adoption coordinator. She has worked in the legal field since 1980, and has specialized in adoption since 1993. Sue has an extensive legal background, and epitomizes professionalism in the law.

Sue is primarily responsible for termination of parental rights cases and adoptive parent assistance.

Sue is married and has a teenage son and daughter.

Lisa Weiskopf Chadwick, Paralegal
Lisa works as a paralegal and adoption coordinator.

She has worked in the legal field since 1975, and has specialized in adoption since 1994. Lisa is primarily responsible for termination of parental rights cases, stepparent, relative and grandparent adoptions, DCF finalizations, and recertification of international adoptions.

Lisa is married and is the mother of an adopted son.

Daneille Stewart, Paralegal
Daneille is a paralegal who works in the Naples area to handle the needs of our clients in Southwest Florida. She has been working in the legal system since 1983 and received her paralegal certificate of completion from Florida International University in 1986. She also achieved her Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) status in 1987 from the National Association and in 1988 from the Florida Association. Daneille received an Associate in Arts Degree in Criminology from Edison Community College in 1996.

Daneille is an associate member of the Florida Bar and of the Collier County Bar Association. Daneille is a founding member of the Adoption Task Force of Southwest, Florida, Inc., (ATFSF) and has held numerous officer positions of the organization over the years. She is currently Vice-President of the ATFSF.

Daneille is married with three young children, all of whom are adopted.

Ciana Hamilton, Paralegal
Ciana is a Tampa native. She received her A.A. in business from Hillsborough Community College.

She has been in the legal field since 1970 and has experience in litigation in the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice, product liability and maritime in both plaintiff and defense. She has also worked as an office manager. She joined the firm in Feburary of 2005 and is primarily responsible for finalization of adoptions.

Ciana is the mother of two lovely children.

Desiree Lauer, Bookkeeper
Our bookkeeper, Desiree Lauer, graduated Chamberlain High School in 1984. She is a native Floridian, born and raised in the Tampa Bay area. She immediately went to work in the accounting department at Dunn & Bradstreet, while taking business classes at night at the University of Tampa. She married in 1988 and took a year off after her son was born. Desiree rejoined the work force in 1990 by accepting a job at CiFCU Credit Union. Desiree initially worked as a teller, but worked her way up corporate ladder to senior loan officer. Desiree joined Jeanne T. Tate, P.A., law firm in June of 2003. She is responsible for accounts receivables and payables, bank reconcilements, payroll, billing and all other accounting functions for the law firm. She has 12 years experience in banking and many years of experience in accounting. She has been married for 15 years and has two beautiful sons ages 15 and 11.

Our staff has years of experience and is honored to have the opportunity to assist you during this important time in your life. Please contact us today.