Here's the reality... You want an experienced, skilled and dedicated attorney for your stepparent adoption. You want them to guide you through the process quickly. You want it done economically. You want easy-to-understand fees. Most of all, you want an attorney truly focused on stepparent adoption so you know they have all the knowledge necessary.
So this page is to tell you about my experience, and that of my Senior Counsel, Allen. I hope you decide we are the right attorneys for you. We serve San Diego, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties (and beyond).
RANDALL HICKS' EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
Here is a fast thumbnail overview with links I encourage you to follow:
• Almost four decades as an attorney dedicated solely to adoption cases. Calbar.ca.gov.
• BBB (Better Business Bureau) highest rating of A+. Verify it here.
• Over 200 five-star client reviews on Lawyers.com.
• The popular attorney-rating site, Avvo, has awarded me the highest rating of "10" and the Clients Choice Award. You can verify that and see the 190+ five-star client reviews at Avvo.com.
• Awarded the AV "preeminent" rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating.
• 150+ five-star Yelp and Google total reviews (when adding all my office locations). The links here are to my Orange County office.
• Profiled on Wikipedia as an attorney and author.
• Noted author on adoption and stepparenting. Here is a link to STEP PARENTING: One-Minute Dos & Don'ts for Stepdads & Stopmoms.
Unlike most attorneys who charge hourly, where you have little real idea what the final cost will be, we charge a flat fee of $2,500. Please read the details of our flat fee here.
My work in adoption is not limited to lawyering. I've worked with the California Legislature in writing adoption laws beneficial to adoptive parents. And as an author my books have been featured on The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Sally Jesse Raphael and more.
My website has the same mindset of my books, which is to help educate people. You should not have to pay an attorney to learn the basics, so that is provided for you here. You will find more in-depth information on these pages than on another other website on stepparent adoption in California. Guaranteed. If you have not yet read about the legal process: requirements, laws, procedures and more, click here to select your county for specialized information about your county.
Stepparent adoptions can be of two types. If the person being adopted is a minor, that is a traditional stepparent adoption and you are in the right place. When you are ready to set up your free Zoom consultation, please complete the Stepparent Adoption Questionnaire. But if the person being adopted is an adult (18+) that is a different legal process called adult adoption. To learn the details of that please click here.
I handle all the adult adoptions, but I now have a Senior Counsel to take the lead with stepparent cases of minors. About five years ago I brought in my good friend, Allen Hall, a compassionate and skilled attorney and highly experienced litigator. I joke that I don't like him because he is younger than me, better looking, and a better litigator. Technically he is my "of counsel", which means we each have our own independent law practices, but we have chosen to be officially linked. So with that introduction, let me tell you more about Allen...
ABOUT ALLEN HALL
Unlike most attorneys who go straight from college into law school, Allen has had a lot of valuable life experience prior to graduating cum laude from Thomas Jefferson Law School and becoming an attorney. He served in the Air Force, then was a police officer for ten years before being injured in the line of duty and forced to retire.
Allen is not like most attorneys who never actually go to court and just live behind their desks and doing all their work on their computer and the phone. He is an experienced litigator who has chocked up hundreds of litigated cases, many of them "abandonment" stepparent adoption cases against the absent parent. Few attorneys have experience in this area. Please check out his 40+ (100%) 5-star reviews on Google, as well as on Avvo.
Allen is married and is the father of three children. His daughter has followed the family tradition of Allen and his wife and is serving in the US Armed Forces. When not practicing law, Allen is active in his church and likes to coach youth sports.
Randy and Allen do a combined 150 stepparent adoptions a year (minor and adult), which likely places them as the most-selected attorneys for stepparent adoption in California. A handful of recent reviews for Randy and Allen are below.
HOW TO CHOOSE A STEPPARENT ADOPTION ATTORNEY
Here are five basic suggestions:
- Don't be fooled by plaques on the wall or organization memberships. Normally these are just "bought credibility." Look at how many stepparent adoption cases the attorney has actually done. Lawyers are as specialized as doctors. You would not hire a pediatrician to do your heart surgery. The same is often true with general family law attorneys who spend almost all their time on divorce and child custody, not adoption.
- Check out their reviews on the usual places: Google & Avvo for sure, but also Lawyers.com, Mardindale.com, the BBB. Don't stop at seeing the five-star average. Read what actual people had to say about not just their services but their personality.
- Do they charge you hourly or a flat-fee? Attorneys typically charge $350-$450 an hour, so this issue is critical. Even an extra three hours of time means an extra $1,000+ for you. Many attorneys will ask for a low retainer fee with "This will likely be enough." But then, "Problems cropped up," or "Things took longer than expected." Your retainer fee might end up being the tip of the iceberg. If an attorney says he or she is almost sure it will not exceed the initial retainer amount for a standard stepparent adoption, then have them put their money where their mouth is and instead give you a flat fee, guaranteeing one pre-set fee for certain services.
- Carefully read the attorney's retainer or fee agreement. Many have 6-10 page retainers with tiny type and written in a way that you can't understand. And what little you can decipher seems to just protect the attorney against claims by the client, not to serve you. Look for an attorney who has a reasonably short and easy to understand retainer or fee agreement.
- Inquire about a free consultation. But if you get one, be cautious if you came away with no real details about exactly how stepparent adoption works, what are the possible risks in your case, and what the law says about those potential problems and the cost to handle them. If the attorney is just using the free consultation as a Meet and Greet, consult with another attorney who gives you a real consultation, then decide which of them can likely represent you best.
Randy's Client Reviews
(Reviews from Avvo.com)
Professional, Precise, and Completely Stress-Free
Posted January 13, 2026
I completed an adult adoption that was finalized in early January, 2026, and I cannot recommend this attorney highly enough. I was living outside the United States throughout most of the process, yet everything was handled seamlessly via phone calls, email, and Zoom. From the very beginning, he dem
Professional and Great Communications!
Posted by Brian, December 8, 2025
Great communications and professional during the entire process. I would recommend Mr. Hicks to anyone that requires his services.
When it comes to adoption, Randy Hicks is simply the best!
Posted by Alberto, October 15, 2025
Randy is sweet, extremely knowledgeable, patient, persistent and follows through. We had no idea how to navigate this process and he walked us through it and held our hand os so gently... We could not give him higher praise.
Adult Adoption
Posted by Scot, September 26, 2025
Made our experience easy and understandable. Let us through the entire adoption process and made us a very happy family.
Best of the Best
Posted by Cesar, September 26, 2025
Hiring Randy Hicks and his team was the best thing we did to achieve our goal of having a complete family. Now we have a new member in our family thanks to Randy's hard work and dedication to our case. Thank you Randy.
Made our adult adoption smooth and stress-free
Posted by Michelle, September 18, 2025
I can't say enough good things about Randy. He guided us through an adult adoption with kindness, patience and professionalism.
The best solution for stepparent adoption
Posted by Chelsea, September 9, 2025
Randy is a pro with decades of experience and compassion for his clients. We spent MONTHS trying to piece the adult stepparent adoption process together ourselves and eventually gave up - too much time, too much paperwork. Finding Randy was a blessing: He's friendly, affordable, quick, and knows
Allen's Client Reviews
(Reviews from Google)
By Alexis
January, 2026
We looked for adoption lawyers and came across the page of Allen R. Hall. Once we contacted him, he was very communicative and very informative... I would recommend Allen R. Hall to anyone looking for an adoption lawyer. Thank you, Allen, for making the process stress-free.
By Alex (Google local guide)
November 2025
Allen Hall was incredibly professional and responsive as our attorney. He handled our step parent adoption case with so much care and compassion. It was a true pleasure to work with him and his team. We are so happy he helped officially unite our family. Thanks a lot Allen!
By Jennifer (Google local guide)
October, 2025
Allen made what could have been a stressful process feel simple and seamless. They were patient, attentive, and always took the time to answer my questions so I felt comfortable and informed. What stood out most was their kindness and genuine care. It never felt like just business. I am truly grateful for the peace of mind they gave me and would recommend them to anyone looking for not only a skilled attorney but also someone who sincerely cares about their clients.
By Nicholas
September, 2025
Working with Allen was wonderful. He was knowledgeable, honest about what we needed and how everything would work out every step of the way and the result of working with Allen in ten months, made everything my family has been hoping for for the last 12 years. Thank you Allen!
By Tina (Google local guide)
June, 2025
5 stars - A truly exceptional adoption experience with Allen and his team! We cannot recommend Allen highly enough to anyone considering adoption. From our very first meeting, Allen guided us step by step through what we anticipated would be a complex process, making it incredibly quick and easy. His clear explanations and proactive approach truly set our minds at ease.
What truly set Allen apart was his ability to remain calm and step in to help our family whenever anything came up that was out of our control. There were moments of uncertainty, but Allen's professionalism, confidence, and unwavering support ensured we never felt alone. He always had our backs, no matter what was thrown our way. We are extremely grateful for his help and support throughout the entire journey.
By Amber (Google local guide)
April, 2025
Allen Hall and his team made our adoption process so easy. Even though it was a longer process due to extra paperwork, they made it so we didn't have to stress out or worry at all about getting everything done. Thank you all for helping us through this amazing process
By Tim
February, 2025
We had the best experience with Allen! He worked hard for us to get all the documents through the court system as quickly as possible so that I could adopt my stepson. I would highly recommend him for any adoption services as he is the best lawyer out there!
What is next for you? Choose your options below:
4025 Camino Del Rio S, #300
San Diego, CA 92108
619-542-7715
11801 Pierce St. #200
Riverside, CA 92505
951-787-8300
2030 Main St #1300
Irvine, CA 92614
949-260-4707
Click on the office photo above to learn more about stepparent adoptions in your area. When you are ready to schedule a consultation, please complete our short Stepparent Adoption Questionnaire .