I’ve been practicing family law since 1984, always focusing on children and helping to create families. I began with adoption, then around 1991, I started exploring other areas – surrogacy had just become popular. It started with egg donation, then evolved into surrogacy.
In my first case involving IFV in 1993, they put eight embryos in, hoping one would take – now they rarely put in more than one. What I see in my practice, for around 95% of my clients, IVF works on the first try. As reproductive endocrinologists started becoming more successful with the IVF process, my practice shifted from a few surrogacy cases to being my primary focus.
I saw a tremendous desire of families to have someone carry a baby for them that was genetically theirs. These families also desire to have more control over the child’s health. With adoption, you don’t have the same authority.
A lot of people adopt to save a child in the world, but many more adopt because they can’t have a child of their own. With adoption, a birth mom will do what she has always done, and it may not be a healthy child when it’s born. With surrogacy, you have control over those choices, and you have a genetic link to the child.
As the technology advanced, I saw the need for surrogacy grow. I’ve always been interested in obstetrics and the medical process of reproduction. At the time, nobody else was interested in practicing surrogacy law, as with my adoptions. As the practice evolved, I became involved with the legislative process in crafting the regulations for both adoption and surrogacy. No one else has contracts like I have, nor the experience.
Generally, it’s an enjoyable practice. No matter what a surrogate mother gets paid, it’s a tremendous sacrifice and a gift she gives this family. I look for clients that are mutually respectful of each other. If the intended parents don’t appreciate this gift or indicate this is just a business deal and don’t appreciate what this woman is doing for them, I won’t work with them.
I love babies, children, and families. I love helping people become families. The personal rewards gained from helping with adoption and surrogacy are just tremendous. Watching the joy people get from adoption and surrogacy is amazing. I feel blessed to be practicing this area of law.
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