Harold O. Atencio, JD

Over the years, Hal has earned a reputation as the leading Albuquerque and New Mexico adoption attorney through his work with adoptive families, birth parents, foster parents, and adoptees in agency and independent (direct placement) adoptions, step-parent adoptions, second-parent adoptions, co-parent adoptions, LGBT adoptions, interstate adoptions, international adoptions, relative adoptions, domestic adoptions, and Indian Child Welfare Act adoptions.

A native New Mexican, Hal graduated from the University of New Mexico Cum Laude in General Honors in 1985 and earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of New Mexico in 1988. He was admitted to the New Mexico Bar that same year. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, the former President of The Adoption and Foster Care Alliance of New Mexico, past Chair of the AFCA Legislative Committee, and past Chair of the New Mexico Forum of Estate Planning Attorneys. Earlier in his career he served as an Insurance Defense Attorney litigating cases on a frequent basis.

Hal has been practicing adoption law since 1993. He has participated in drafting adoption legislation with the Alliance, drafting regulations for the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, and has represented clients in contested adoption proceedings in the Trial Court, Court of Appeals, and New Mexico Supreme Court. Hal has extensive experience helping families obtain the financial assistance they are entitled to as part of the adoption process — whether a State or Title IV subsidy or an adoption tax credit, Hal does all that is possible to ease the financial impact of adoption and allow families to focus on their newest member.

Hal represented the successful Adoptive Parents in the landmark case of Helen G. v. Mark J.H., decided by the New Mexico Supreme Court, which interpreted the New Mexico Adoption Act provisions regarding the rights of an alleged biological father. He successfully completed the first three-parent adoption in New Mexico and has successfully completed contested adoptions covered by the Federal Indian Child Welfare Act. Hal would be honored to represent you as you move forward in expanding your family and bringing love and security to a deserving child.