Rachel Thiessen
Lemoyne, PA
Licensed for 10 years
Law Degree
Awards
Primary Practice Area
Estate Planning
Language
English
About
Adoption has shaped my life from my very first days when my own birthmother made the painful and loving decision to place me for adoption. There was a brief stay in foster care and then I joined my adoptive family as their first child and the apple of my father’s eye.My experience as an adoptee fueled my desire to build my own family through adoption. I am the proud parent of two elementary school age daughters who were adopted from the foster care system. Now in reunion with my birth family, my journey is enriched by relationships with both my biological and adoptive families.My career has revolved around foster care and adoption from the start. My first glimpse of children involved with “the system” occurred when I worked at a crisis shelter for children while still in college. These were babies, the shelter only served children under six, but there was something very different in their eyes. Some vacant, some piercing, some dark, some glazed- many I have never forgotten. I wondered what would become of ones so fragile in the storm of generational poverty, domestic violence and neglect. I would soon find out. After graduating from college I worked a children’s home in California. Here, their bodies were bigger and their behaviors were more extreme, but those eyes were familiar.I went on to work for a private adoption agency where I trained foster parents. Eventually I became a foster parent myself. From this experience I learned that while it was impossible to save them all, I could profoundly influence a few. I noticed a lack of quality, practical training opportunities for foster and adoptive parents and launched Real Moms in response. Real Moms brought trainings to various foster and adoption groups across the state.In law school I continued to focus on adoption and foster care issues. After law school, I did a year long fellowship with Dickinson Law School’s Center for Children and the Law.
Practices Areas
Estate Planning
Language
English
Contact
Law Office of Rachel Thiessen525 N. 12th Street.Suite 100Lemoyne, PA, 17043525 N. 12th Street.Suite 100Suite 100Lemoyne, PA, 17043
Office: N/A
Website: N/AReviews
Rachel Thiessen was on point at every element that arose. She answered all of our questions with respect and compassion. Her legal expertise to thoroughly ensure all aspects were appropriately tailored to my expectations was extremely appreciated and refreshing.
Very friendly and easy to talk to. Very thorough and great at explaining thing I didn't understand. Had everything ready for us as soon as we arrived..She did a great job...would highly recommend her because she's not only a very intelligent lawyer, she's a trustworthy one.
I had an issue with Adoption Subsidy. The county thought I should just take what I got when I was adopting two special needs children with lots of emotional issues. Rachel helped me to negotiate the subsidy so that the children could get the emotional support that was needed to help them.
Rachel Thiessen was on point at every element that arose. She answered all of our questions with respect and compassion. Her legal expertise to thoroughly ensure all aspects were appropriately tailored to my expectations was extremely appreciated and refreshing.
Very friendly and easy to talk to. Very thorough and great at explaining thing I didn't understand. Had everything ready for us as soon as we arrived..She did a great job...would highly recommend her because she's not only a very intelligent lawyer, she's a trustworthy one.
I had an issue with Adoption Subsidy. The county thought I should just take what I got when I was adopting two special needs children with lots of emotional issues. Rachel helped me to negotiate the subsidy so that the children could get the emotional support that was needed to help them.
Rachel Thiessen was on point at every element that arose. She answered all of our questions with respect and compassion. Her legal expertise to thoroughly ensure all aspects were appropriately tailored to my expectations was extremely appreciated and refreshing.
Very friendly and easy to talk to. Very thorough and great at explaining thing I didn't understand. Had everything ready for us as soon as we arrived..She did a great job...would highly recommend her because she's not only a very intelligent lawyer, she's a trustworthy one.
I had an issue with Adoption Subsidy. The county thought I should just take what I got when I was adopting two special needs children with lots of emotional issues. Rachel helped me to negotiate the subsidy so that the children could get the emotional support that was needed to help them.