Surrogacy is a life-changing decision, one with many procedures and steps along the way. Because completing this process legally is necessary to the overall success of your surrogacy journey, services from a trusted surrogacy attorney are required for all surrogates and intended parents.

A lawyer for surrogacy is needed to not only explain your local surrogacy state laws and regulations but to make sure all other aspects of your surrogacy are being completed legally. Steps like:

• Completing your surrogacy contract
• Protecting your rights
• Obtaining parental rights for intended parents
• Assisting in many other aspects and details to keep everything in order

This guide explains why you need an attorney for surrogacy, what to look for during your search for the best professional, and where to find them. With such an important decision as becoming an intended parent or a carrier, you want the best resources and information by your side.

We are here to help!                                           

Anytime you have questions about surrogacy lawyers or anything related to the process, you can fill out this online form to get more information from a trained surrogacy professional. Continue reading to learn more about why choosing the best surrogacy attorney is crucial to helping you reach your surrogacy goals.

What Does a Surrogacy Attorney Do?

With so many legalities involved during surrogacy, the service of a lawyer is a non-negotiable part of the process for all intended parents and carriers. Pursuing this path on your own can lead to very serious legal consequences. This is exactly why surrogacy lawyers are here to help!

Although your surrogacy attorney may not be as directly involved in the day-to-day steps as the agency you choose to work with, they will guide you through every legal step of the process. You will want to speak with a surrogacy lawyer early on in the process to determine any state requirements, regulations, or laws that may impact your surrogacy.

When you hire an attorney for surrogacy, their number one priority is to protect your rights. Initially, when you think about surrogacy, you may not realize some of the critical decisions and potentially awkward conversations that may come about. Decisions like:

• Compensated or altruistic surrogacy
• Termination if faced with a complication
• The number of embryo transfers 
• Many other situations 

These essential choices are all discussed and decided upon via your surrogacy contract, which your attorney will draft and make a legally binding contract. This contract will touch on all of the crucial topics mentioned above and put everyone on the same page for the expectations of how the surrogacy will play out. Although you may trust the intended parents or surrogate involved in your surrogacy, having this legal contract is the only way to guarantee your rights are protected.

For intended parents, your surrogacy attorney not only protects your specific rights and choices but will also ensure your parental rights are being protected and issued as early as possible. In surrogacy situations where a sperm, egg, or embryo donor is used, intended parents may not have parental rights immediately after birth. Your attorney will be well educated on local regulations and how to get your parental rights and custody of your child to you as soon as possible. 

From paperwork, to phone calls with the other parties involved, taking care of all of the legal steps, and so much more, your surrogacy attorney is here to help make this process as easy as possible for you. To learn more about the beneficial services a surrogacy lawyer will provide, fill out this online form to get more information. 

Keep reading for tips on how to find a surrogacy attorney and what to look for.

Finding Lawyers Who Specialize in Surrogacy

As an intended parent or a surrogate, you will have many different options available for finding a trusted surrogate attorney. 

Surrogates will want to contact a legal professional early in the process to ensure state laws and regulations allow surrogacy as an option. Intended parents will want to wait until being matched with a surrogate, as the carrier’s state laws will generally determine the legal process necessary to complete a successful surrogacy.                 

Much like finding the right surrogacy agency to work with, finding an attorney will have an impact on your overall experience and outcome of your surrogacy. But what should you look for? Are there specific questions to ask a surrogate attorney to get a better feel for the service level they will provide? 

When you are looking for a surrogacy attorney, some of the most common questions to ask include:

• If you are eligible as a surrogate in that specific state?
• If there are any limitations for intended parents living in a particular state?
• How many cases have they handled?
• How many cases do they take at once, and what kind of attention can be expected?
• What services can be expected?
• Are any of those services outsourced?
• What are the average surrogacy costs for intended parents?
• Are there any fees that may be added later?

These are just some of the most common questions to ask a lawyer about surrogacy. The main thing is that you feel a personal connection and trust before making any decisions. Ask questions, voice concerns, and most importantly, search around. Most intended parents and surrogates talk to multiple attorneys before choosing. 

In many situations, the surrogacy agency you choose will have an index of trusted professionals they recommend. If you don’t want to tackle such an important decision on your own, you may consider discussing your options for finding a surrogacy lawyer with your agency for guidance.

Contact a Surrogacy Professional

Having the advice and guidance of a trusted surrogacy attorney throughout such a life-changing journey is essential to the overall success and outcome. Whether you are just beginning to research, exploring your options, or are ready to start the process, we are here to help answer any questions you may have, ease any concerns, and discuss how to begin this amazing process. 

Fill out this online form to speak with a surrogacy professional and get more information about finding the best surrogacy attorney near you!