Barnette
CHARLESTON -– Representative Shelley Moore Capito has nominated Dave Barnette as a 2007 Angel in Adoption for his outstanding advocacy of adoption.
The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which orchestrates the Angels in Adoption™ program, will honor Dave Barnette, along with more than 180 Angels, at an awards ceremony and gala event in Washington on Oct. 4.
Barnette has been an advocate on behalf of children in need of homes for over 25 years. Barnette is considered among his professional colleagues as one of the best in the country at dealing with adoption issues.
He has represented adoptive parents and also birth mothers. He also does volunteer work in trying to improve the adoption process. He was a member of the West Virginia Law Institute that revised the adoption laws in West Virginia in 1997.
Barnette has spoken twice at the West Virginia Judicial Conference on Adoption Law, and has lectured on Adoption Law. Barnette appeared before a Joint Committee of the West Virginia Legislature to testify on proposed changes to adoption law.
Barnette has represented clients in adoptions since 1981, handling about 50 cases per year for a total of about 1,000. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and the adoptive father of two daughters.
Barnette is a Member of Jackson Kelly's Business Department. His practice is focused upon business law, business litigation, technology and intellectual property matters. He joined Jackson Kelly in 1979 upon receiving his Juris Doctorate Degree from The University of Dayton where he served as a Law Review Editor. Barnette became a member of Jackson Kelly in 1986.
The Angels in Adoption program is CCAI's signature public awareness campaign and provides an opportunity for all members of the U.S. Congress to honor the good work of their constituents who have enriched the lives of foster children and orphans in the United States and abroad.
"Our goal is to raise awareness of the millions of orphans and foster children in the United States and abroad that are in need of permanent, safe and loving homes, and we congratulate Dave Barnette for his role in helping us to achieve this goal," said Deanna Carlson Stacy, CCAI's executive director. "Thanks to Representative Shelley Moore Capito, Dave Barnette will receive the recognition he deserves for his tireless effort in the mission of helping these children realize their basic right of a family."
In addition to the more than 180 local angels from around the country, several National Angels will also be recognized at the ceremony and gala for their dedication and commitment nationally and internationally to child welfare on a grand scale.
Last year's National Angels include:
* Daunte Culpepper, starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, has worked closely with the African American Adoption Agency to promote the movement of children of color from foster care to permanent families.
* Darryl McDaniels, or DMC, of the legendary rap group Run DMC, co-founded The Felix Organization and Camp Felix to provide foster children with opportunities to attend camp and have similar life experiences as children with families.
* Invisible Children is an organization dedicated to providing financial resources to invisible children of Northern Africa by documenting their true, untold stories in a creative and relevant way. The organization was created after the release of the film "Invisible Children: Rough Cut", a revealing documentary about the life of child soldiers in Northern Uganda.
Previous National Angels have included Jane Seymour, Victoria Rowell and Bruce Willis.
The Angels in Adoption program is made possible through the generous support of sponsors including the Founding and Premier Sponsor, Freddie Mac Foundation.
For more information about CCAI and the Angels in Adoption™ program, visit www.ccainstitute.org.
With roots dating back to 1822, Jackson Kelly PLLC is the oldest and largest law firm based in West Virginia. Jackson Kelly serves clients from offices in Charleston, Clarksburg, Martinsburg, Morgantown, New Martinsville, and Wheeling, West Virginia; as well as from offices in: Denver, CO; Lexington, KY; Pittsburgh, PA; and Washington, DC.
For more information, visit the Firm's website at www.jacksonkelly.com.