Karolina Dehnhard, Esq., Family Law Attorney Continues Advocacy for Ukrainian Orphans Amid Adoption Freeze

Karolina Dehnhard, Esq., a partner in the Matrimonial and Family Law Group at Lindabury, and a leading international family law attorney for work between Poland and the United States, continues her mission to secure permanent futures for Ukrainian orphans caught in legal limbo due to an adoption moratorium imposed at the outset of Russia’s invasion.

Born in Poland and fluent in Polish, Ms. Dehnhard has deep personal ties to the region. Having immigrated to the United States with her mother at the age of 7, she credits her own ability to live the American Dream as the driving force behind her advocacy. “These children remind me of myself,” said Ms. Dehnhard. “I know what it's like to start over with nothing — to be given a chance at a better life. Every child deserves that same opportunity.”

Since the early days of the war, Ms. Dehnhard has been on the ground in Poland visiting orphanages, connecting with caregivers and guardians, and ensuring the children most affected by the war are not forgotten. Over the past two years, she has led several U.S. delegations reaffirming her unwavering commitment to those most vulnerable.

Most recently, in partnership with the nonprofit H.E.L.P. Foundation, led by Artur Maniowski, Ms. Dehnhard helped raise funds to organize Camp Brightside, a unique program designed to offer children a joyful escape from the institutional confines of orphanages. Held in Warsaw, the five-day program brought children together for workshops, excursions, and cultural exchanges, while allowing them to connect with American advocates devoted to their cause.

Simultaneously, together with Retired New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak, Ms. Dehnhard has been driving legislative advocacy in Washington to lift the moratorium. In collaboration with State Senator Lesniak and a coalition of U.S. lawmakers, diplomats, entrepreneurs, and humanitarians, the team successfully pushed for the unanimous passage of a House Resolution urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to lift the adoption moratorium. The resolution marks a significant milestone in international pressure.

“While we will continue our advocacy in Washington and abroad,” Dehnhard added, “we cannot allow these children to wait in silence. Until the moratorium is lifted, our mission is to provide them with dignity, opportunity, and the hope of a brighter future.”

The initiative has drawn international support, including partnerships with major hospitals in Germany and leading U.S. corporations, emphasizing the global urgency of the issue.

Looking forward, Ms. Dehnhard and her coalition plan to return to Washington to keep pressing for action until the moratorium is lifted — giving thousands of Ukrainian children, and hundreds of American families waiting to adopt them, the futures they so deeply deserve.