Shook Partner Completes 1000th Pro Bono Adoption

Shook, Hardy & Bacon Partner Gene Balloun celebrated his 1,000th pro bono adoption case on Monday, February 23. Balloun’s 1000th adoption involved single mom Lexie Hicks, who legally adopted the 10- and 12-year-old siblings who had been living with her as foster children.

Balloun’s 1000th adoption was featured on the front page of The Kansas City Star’s Sunday, March 1 edition.

In addition to offering legal support for the adoption cases, Balloun helped establish a post-secondary educational scholarship fund exclusively for any student who has been in the foster care system in Kansas.

The attorney fees generated by these adoptions, which are paid by the state, are donated by Shook to the scholarship fund for foster and adopted children. During the past 13 years, these adoptions have helped provide more than $625,000 in educational scholarships to nearly 500 students who have been foster children in Kansas.