Why I Practice in Family Law: "Everyone deserves to build and protect their family. And strong, secure families are the foundation of a healthy, thriving community."
Foster Care Adoption, Stepparent + Second Parent Adoption, Domestic Infant Adoption, Surrogacy, Agency Compliance, International Surrogacy, ART Law + Gamete Donor Agreements, Adult Adoption, Relative Adoption, Parentage Orders
An Arizona native, Heather Strickland has been practicing adoption, assisted reproduction and family law for over 20 years. Heather represents expectant parents and prospective adoptive parents through the adoption process with compassion and care while adhering to the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. When it comes to assisted reproductive technology, Heather helps couples and individuals build their families through egg, sperm and embryo donation agreements, gestational carrier matters and parentage orders.
Heather is a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples in their quest to become parents and legally recognized families.
She is honored to be recognized as a 2017 Angel in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute for her dedication to positive child welfare practices.
Heather is a proud member of the State Bar of Arizona, Pima County Bar Association, Arizona Women Lawyers Association, Military Spouse JD Network, National Council for Adoption, RESOLVE and American Society for Reproductive Medicine. She graduated from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law in 2004 and from Smith College in 1997.
Heather’s passion for foster care and adoption work is also deeply personal. She shares the experience that first shaped her perspective:
"While in high school, a friend of mine, through no fault of her own, could not return home to live with her parents. Deeply concerned for her safety and stability, I went home and persuaded my parents to provide that much-needed home. Ignorant of the commitment and sacrifice I had just talked them into, I watched in awe as my parents opened our home and their hearts to another young person.
"They took all the necessary steps to become licensed foster parents and provided unwavering support during her foster care journey. I recall a caseworker telling my parents that she had never seen a family give 110% to a child the way my parents had. This was no surprise to me, as giving your all was just how things were done in my family.
"In addition to the Herculean efforts I witnessed in my own parents, I was deeply touched by the care and support I saw teachers, administrators, caseworkers, and the school community provide to my friend. I saw a community rally around a young person in need.
"Now, as an adult member of the Tucson community, I am keenly aware of the precious gift that families give to vulnerable children and to our community as a whole when they make the commitment and sacrifice of providing a safe and loving home. I am also witness to the great joy that children bring to their new families."
Heather is an opera fangirl. She loves the music, the drama and being swept away. A lifetime highlight was attending all 15 hours of Wagner’s Ring Cycle (Der Ring des Nibelungen) in Berlin, and she would happily do it again.
She enjoys life with her husband and two teenagers. If she finds spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening, yoga and traveling to far off places.
