Practice Areas: Foster Care Adoption, Stepparent + Second Parent Adoption, Domestic Infant Adoption, Surrogacy, International Surrogacy, ART Law + Gamete Donor Agreements, Adult Adoption
Why I Practice in Family Law: "Adoption and reproductive law matters are one of the most important and intimate processes a family will experience. It is always an honor to become such a vital part of a process to make these dreams a reality. Who could ask for a better profession?"
Foster Care Adoption, Stepparent + Second Parent Adoption, Domestic Infant Adoption, Surrogacy, International Surrogacy, ART Law + Gamete Donor Agreements, Adult Adoption
Michelle B. Evans has been practicing law for more than 17 years. She specializes in adoption throughout California, including stepparent adoptions, infant adoptions, termination of parental rights, adult adoptions, foster care adoptions and guardianships. In addition, Michelle practices reproductive law, including egg and sperm donation, surrogacy and intended parents’ rights.
Michelle is a member of the Academy of California Adoption Lawyers and a fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys. On a local level, she is also a member of the Ventura County Bar Association, Women Lawyers of Ventura County and the Ventura County Family Law Bar Association. Michelle graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business economics and a minor in technical writing from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She received her Juris Doctor in January 2008 from the Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law. Michelle is admitted to practice by the State Bar of California and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Michelle has a child-centered approach to her cases. The best interest of the children is the focus of her work.
In March 2021, Michelle partnered with Douglas Donnelly, a longtime adoption attorney, to form the law firm Donnelly & Evans, LLP. Donnelly brought unparalleled experience to the firm, having handled adoption cases up to the California Supreme Court. Michelle served as managing partner of Donnelly & Evans, LLP.
Michelle has been practicing law for over 15 years, devoting the last 10 exclusively to Adoption Law, Termination of Parental Rights, Guardianships and Juvenile Dependency. She is a deft litigator, often traveling all over California for hearings and trials advocating for adopting parents. Since 2014, Michelle has regularly practiced juvenile dependency law, including contested termination of parental rights cases, representing both biological parents as well as de facto and foster parents.
Michelle is an avid off-road motorcyclist, and enjoys spending weekends camping and riding in the mountains.
