Raymond William Godwin

PRO

Raymond William Godwin

4.8
65 reviews
This is an aggregated review score of Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews.
Rating: 8.9

Licensed for 43 years

Adoption Lawyer at Greenville, SC
Practice Areas: Adoption, Family, Child Custody

1212 Haywood Road, Ste. 400A, Greenville, SC

Virtual Consultation Available

About Raymond

Biography

Building Families Through Adoption For More Than 30 Years. Contact Us Today

Experienced & Compassionate Child Custody Attorney Protecting Your Parental Rights

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Adoption 85%

Our mission is to provide legal counsel to prospective birth mothers and adoptive parents in all manner of adoption categories. We assist in newborn, step-parent, adult, and foster care adoptions as well as domestications and re-adoptions.

36 years

85%
Family 10%

10%
Child Custody 5%

Attorney Raymond Godwin's former experience as a contract attorney for the Department of Social Services and his involvement in many state and foster adoption cases give him the legal knowledge you need to complete your adoption.

36 years

5%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Retainer

Always


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Awards

Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2024 2023 2022
...
+ 3
AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating

Licenses

Licensed in South Carolina for 43 years

State: South Carolina

Acquired: 1982

Good Standing

No misconduct found

Location

Raymond W. Godwin, Attorney at Law, PC

1212 Haywood Road, Ste. 400A, Greenville, SC, 29615

scadopt.net

Online Presence

Other places you can find Raymond online.

Raymond William Godwin's Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (63) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 reviews | Compassion

Posted by Frank and Johana | March 05, 2023 | Hired Attorney | Adoption

Successful infant adoption

We turned to Ray for help with a domestic infant adoption. His staff quickly matched us with a birth mother and walked us through the entire process. Ray and his staff were great coaches for every step of the way providing encouragement during challenging moments and sharing in our celebration when t...he adoption went through. We would highly recommend Ray and would use him again ourselves. We are very thankful for everything he and his staff have done for us.

Posted by Kristin | November 17, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Adoption

Kristin

Our lawyer was super responsive and prepared us very well for the adoption process. He ensured his staff were also the best to deal with and they left no stone unturned in the process for us. They all took the time to answer any and all questions we had as this was the first time we had been through ...this. They were caring and warm and you felt that they do this from their hearts… it’s not just a job.

Posted by Bailey | September 28, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Adoption

Great Experience!

Our adoption was a very fast one.. from finding out there was a baby to adopt and starting the whole adoption process, we had 40 hours to get ready! Mr. Godwin and his staff worked around the clock for us, and always answered our texts, emails, and calls very fast. I knew I’d always have answer, even... if it was later in the evening. They were all very personable and asked how we were with everything. We were always in the know of what was going on with our adoption. I never worried about the process because I knew they were right on track with everything and if they needed something from us they let us know. Thank you so much for helping us bring our son home!

Posted by Courtney | December 07, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Adoption

Realtea

We worked with an adoption agency that works along with Attorney Godwin. As with any adoption, you never know how things are going to go. This was our first adoption. We had a bump in the road, but we feel Mr. Godwin's office did all they could for us in the situation. We regrouped and pressed forwar...d. Every emotion is on the line, and I was concerned that going directly through the attorney would be less handheld. I was wrong. Attorney Godwin and staff held our hands the whole way through and were always reachable, and you felt like a priority. If we adopt again, we will go straight to Mr. Godwin directly to proceed. His girl Friday-Marion, could not be a more perfect fit to help keep you cool, calm, collected and focused. She helps you understand and consider all options while Ray advises the best way to proceed in a case. From start to finish, even with our bump in the road, we knew he was on the ball and a part of our heavenly father's plan to help complete our family circle. We are grateful to all at the Godwin office for each step they took with us. We would do it all over again in a heartbeat. They are well experienced, professional, and caring. They are organized, and I got the feeling some adoption agencies may even be less so. From some in the region I have spoken to it seems there is a lot of turnover and maybe moments where the right hand is not communicating with the left. Perhaps too many staff pieces? Mr. Godwin's office on the other hand is small enough to keep communication lines with each other together well so that you don't miss a beat. He is in touch with the local community and state and seemed to have great working relationships with each affiliate we had to work with to complete our adoption. To me that speaks volumes. He and his staff put heart and soul into their jobs.

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Raymond William Godwin's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Raymond
Philip James Temple headshot
Philip Temple

Adoption lawyer | Dec 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known Mr. Godwin for 30 plus years and have worked with him on numerous cases. I have known him to be extremely knowledgeable and proficient in his area of practice and a man of great integrity."

Jeffrey Dean Ezell headshot
Jeffrey Ezell

Adoption lawyer | Sep 06

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. Ray is skilled, ethical, and fair."

Regina M. Taylor headshot
Regina Taylor

Adoption lawyer | Mar 24

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. I have worked with Ray in adoptions in the past 14 years. He is extremely knowledgeable and very professional."

Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

Family lawyer | Oct 15

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Raymond. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

Steve Wayne Sumner headshot
Steve Sumner

Adoption lawyer | Feb 28

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Raymond Godwin is an attorney with integrity. The area of law he has chosen to concentrate on must be handled with great care and he has proven time and again that he is the attorney to do it. His books are amazing resources for anyone considering going down the adoption path. I highly recommend Mr. Godwin."

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Experience

Rating:  8.9 (Excellent)

Honors

2020

AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2019

Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell®

2019

South Carolina Lawyers Hall of Fame, Lawyers Weekly

2010

Angels in Adoption, Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute

Work Experience

1989 - Present

Owner, Raymond W. Godwin Attorney at Law PC

1994 - 1998

Attorney, Department Of Social Services, Division Of Legal Services

1994 - 1998

Attorney, Guardian Ad Litem Office Of The Governor

Associations

2000 - Present

Christian Legal Society

Member

2000 - Present

American Bar Association

Member

1982 - Present

South Carolina Bar Association

Member

2011 - 2014

Children's Law Committee-SC Bar Association

Member

2000 - 2006

Compass of Carolina

Chairman

Sample of Legal Cases

Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl (S.C. 2013) 404 S.C. 483, 746, S.E.2d 51 (aka Baby Girl Veronica Case)

Custody Awarded to Clients

Doe v. Baby Girl (S.C. 2008) 376 S.C. 267, 657 S.E.2d 455

Custody Awarded to Clients

See More Legal Cases

Education

1981

University of South Carolina School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1979

Bob Jones University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2016

South Carolina Bar Association

Adoption Matters

2016

B-annual Conference

Children's Records

2015

Yearly Conference

Adoption Law

2014

quarterly conference

Adoption

Publications

2005

Adams Media The Complete Adoption Book

Languages

English

Avvo Rating

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Avvo Rating Levels
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