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About the firm
We built a practice around the moment a family becomes permanent.
Prescott’s Family Law is a small, deliberately focused firm. We took the parts of family law that decide where a child belongs and made them the whole job.
Our story
Founded on one observation.
John Prescott started Prescott’s Family Law in 2000 after his own family navigated the complexities and emotional weight of adoption, realizing how vital dedicated, compassionate legal advocacy is for families in transition. The observation was simple: the families who most needed steady legal guidance — a grandmother raising a grandchild, a stepfather who had been a father for nine years, an expectant mother with a fortnight to decide — were the ones least likely to get a lawyer’s undivided attention.
So the firm was built the other way round. Adoption and permanency sit at the centre. Divorce, custody, guardianship and parentage are here because they are the matters that keep arriving alongside adoption, not because we wanted a longer list.
Today the firm serves Los Angeles County and the surrounding counties of California, and works with out-of-state counsel and licensed agencies on interstate placements under the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC).
What we hold to
Six commitments we will be measured against.
The child comes first
Not as a slogan. When a strategy would serve the adults at the child’s cost, we will say so, and we will say it early.
Plain language, always
Every document we send you is accompanied by an explanation in ordinary English of what it does and what you must do next.
Honest assessment
If your matter is simpler than you think, we will tell you and quote accordingly. If it is harder, you will hear that at the consultation, not in month four.
Momentum
Adoption files stall on missing paperwork. We keep the checklist, chase the third parties and tell you every 14 days where things stand.
Consent that is real
A placement built on a rushed or pressured consent is a placement at risk. We insist on independent advice and full compliance with California consent law.
Every family shape
Married, single, unmarried partners, same-sex couples, multi-generational households, and families formed across cultures and faiths.
How we work
A small firm, on purpose.
We cap the number of active adoption files so that each one gets attention. That means we occasionally say no, or refer a matter out. It also means your calls are returned by the person who knows your file.
- One attorney owns your matter from consultation to decree.
- Flat fees for most adoption work, agreed in writing before we start.
- A shared checklist so you can see exactly what is outstanding.
- Secure document exchange — never plain email for sensitive records.
- Court appearances covered; you attend only what the judge requires.
Credentials
Admissions, memberships and community.
Verified bar admissions, professional leadership, and community partnerships representing our commitment to children and families across California.
Bar admissions
- California State Bar — admitted 1998
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Professional memberships
- American Academy of Adoption Attorneys (AAAA)
- Academy of California Adoption-Family Law Lawyers (ACALL)
- Los Angeles County Bar Association (Family Law Section)
Active in continuing legal education and ethical standards in California adoption and family law practice.
Community work
- Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law & Public Counsel Pro Bono Representation
- Alliance for Children's Rights
- Los Angeles Foster Care & Kinship Support Network
Languages & access
- Services available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese
- Interpretation arranged on request
- Wheelchair-accessible office, ASL and multilingual certified interpreters arranged upon advance request.
Next step
Talk it through with someone who does this every day.
Consultations are confidential and there is no obligation to hire us. Bring your questions, your paperwork and your timeline — we will tell you plainly what the process looks like, what it is likely to cost and how long it should take.