Tate Healey Webster is proud to announce that our founder, Jeanne T. Tate, has been named the 2026 Waves of Change Award honoree by The Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women. This award recognizes a Florida woman whose lifelong service has created lasting impact. Jeanne’s decades-long career as a Board-Certified Adoption Attorney and advocate has changed thousands of lives, solidifying her status as a nationally recognized force in Florida adoption law.
The award will be presented at the Waves of Change Women’s Leadership Luncheon in Tampa on Friday, February 6, 2026. This recognition powerfully underscores the authority and compassion driving our firm.
Unmatched Authority: Who is Jeanne T. Tate?
When families search for the best adoption lawyers in Florida, Jeanne T. Tate’s record is unparalleled. She is Board-Certified in Adoption Law by The Florida Bar—the highest level of legal recognition—and has built a career marked by distinction:
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Florida Supreme Court: Honored with the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Service Award, the Court’s highest pro bono honor.
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National Recognition: Recipient of the Congressional Angel in Adoption Award.
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Consistently Ranked: Ranked as one of Florida’s Top 10 attorneys by Super Lawyers and AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
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Local Influence: Honored with a Key to the City of Tampa by Mayor Jane Castor.
Over her career, Jeanne has expertly handled complex contested adoptions and high-stakes appellate work, always ensuring the well-being of the children and families at the heart of each case.
Beyond the Courtroom: Leadership in Adoption and ART
Jeanne’s impact extends far beyond the legal brief. She is the founder of Tate Healey Webster, now the largest law firm in Florida exclusively dedicated to adoption and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) law. Under her leadership, the firm includes:
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Five of Florida’s 28 Board-Certified Adoption Attorneys.
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Six offices across the state, including our core locations in Tampa and Orlando.
Jeanne also founded two crucial adoption agencies: Heart of Adoptions, Inc., a licensed child-placing agency, and Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc., a nonprofit focused on finding permanent adoptive homes for children in foster care in Florida. Her work has been featured nationally on major news outlets like CNN and 20/20, reaffirming her mission to give every child the opportunity for a safe, permanent, and loving family.
Event Details: Waves of Change Luncheon in Tampa
The 2026 Waves of Change Women’s Leadership Luncheon, hosted by The Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women, will take place on Friday, February 6, 2026, at the Hilton Tampa Downtown. This event celebrates national and local female leaders, and we invite our clients and peers to join in celebrating Jeanne’s decades of leadership.
Learn more about the event at thecentre.org.
About Tate Healey Webster: Florida’s Adoption Law Experts
Tate Healey Webster is the premier law firm in Florida focused solely on adoption and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) law. With offices in Tampa, Orlando, Naples, Merritt Island, Jacksonville, and Boca Raton, our expert attorneys represent adoptive families, birth parents, agencies, and professionals with unmatched experience. Whether you are pursuing private adoption, relative adoption, foster care adoption in Florida, or gestational surrogacy, we are here to guide you every step of the way.
If you’re exploring adoption in Florida, trust the firm led by the state’s most awarded and recognized adoption attorney.