Barbara E. Katz is a family formation attorney whose practice is dedicated to assisting individuals and all families in the area of adoption and assisted reproductive technology law, wills and estate planning, and issues related to the marriage relationship, such as prenuptial agreements. She is especially dedicated to helping alternative families, such as same sex couples and single parents, with legal issues in their personal lives.
Barbara is a Fellow in the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys. She is also a charter Fellow in the Georgia Council of Adoption Lawyers, and a member of Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia, the National LGBT Bar Association, and the National Lawyers Guild.
Barbara has spoken on legal issues related to adoption, ART and estate planning for countless civic and religious groups. She has also spoken at the Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s seminar on adoption law.
Barbara graduated from the City University of New York School of Law in 1992, and was licensed for the practice of law in the state of Georgia later that year. Her firm’s mission, “Law in the Service of Your Family’s Needs,” was adapted from CUNY’s own mission statement.
In addition to her legal practice, Barbara is a teacher who taught Legal Writing, Research & Advocacy at Emory University School of Law from 1998-2004. She also taught and administered a bar review course offered through Georgia State University School of Law from 1994-2006. Finally, Ms. Katz is a private tutor and offers a bar review course for students taking the Georgia Bar Exam. (See GA Bar Preparation page)
Barbara enjoys spending her free time with her wife and their unruly rescue dog, Izzy. Her passions include bicycling, quilting, knitting and English Country Dancing. She volunteers with the Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer on its bicycle crew.
Laura Whitman joined the Barbara Katz Law Firm to better serve the community. Laura went to law school at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 
Michigan, graduating in 2008. While in law school she worked in the Elder Law Clinic and for Legal Aid, giving her broad experience in estate planning and various family law matters. After law school Laura returned to Georgia to start her legal career. From 2010 to 2012, Laura worked in the area of tax law. After taking a year off to stay home with her son, Laura returned to work in the area of bankruptcy law from 2013-2019. In joining the Barbara Katz Law Firm, she returns to her original goal of working in the areas of family formation law (adoption and assisted reproduction law) and wills and estate planning.
Laura will quickly tell you that, while she is an attorney by avocation and training, she is a Mom by choice. Laura’s oldest son joined her family via open adoption. Since that beautiful day, Laura has had two more children with her partner Kasia. The babies are referred to as “AAA,” as all of their names start with A. Being a lawyer and motherhood keeps Laura pretty busy. When she has a spare moment, Laura enjoys going to see a play, volunteering with the Free Food Commune of Atlanta, and shopping at Target.
Moreover, Laura has volunteered with Atlanta Legal Aid, serving as a rape crisis counselor. She also sat on the board of MEGA Family Project, whose focus was to provide support and education for same-sex parents and their children.
Please contact us with any questions or to set up an appointment.
