If you’re looking for reasons why you should hire a surrogacy lawyer, you’re in the right place. Choosing the route of surrogacy in order to bring a child into this world is both an exciting and daunting decision.

Yes, the anticipation of meeting your child is incredibly exciting, but complicated fertility and surrogacy laws can take away from these positive feelings.

This is why the expertise of a surrogacy lawyer makes all the difference along your journey to blissful surrogacy.

Learn more about how a surrogacy lawyer can help you along the way in this blog.

What is Surrogacy?

For couples who have struggled with the inability to naturally conceive or carry a child, surrogacy is a non-invasive answer to fulfilling a desire to become parents.

Basically, surrogacy is a procedure which is assisted by reproductive technology which supports in vitro fertilization (IVF).

This is otherwise known as the implantation of a mother’s egg and a father’s semen into a willing surrogate who carries a healthy child to term.

Here’s How a Surrogacy Lawyer Can Help

All the biological details aside, it’s recommended that a surrogacy agreement should not be entered into without consulting a surrogacy lawyer first.

Why? Let’s dive into the facts:

1. Honest Experience

From the get-go, a surrogacy lawyer will discuss exactly what to expect from the process with prospective parents. This includes an outline on the timeline of surrogacy, costs, and any legal issues or hurdles that could arise.

An experienced lawyer will be able to answer any questions you may have and put to bed your doubts and concerns, once and for all.

2. Objectively Assist in the Selection Process

When it comes to choosing the ideal surrogate mother to bear your child, it may be difficult for prospective parents to make a clear-headed, objective decision.

This is totally understandable- there is so much emotion to attached the process of bringing a child into the world. This is where a surrogacy lawyer can help parents see the facts and make the right decision on a surrogate.

3. Help to Minimize Risk and Liability

Surrogacy is a complicated process, fraught with reams of paperwork that may be difficult to understand or decipher. As a prospective parent, you can expect to sign multiple contracts at once, so this is where a surrogacy lawyer can help simplify the process.

During this process, a lawyer can help to minimize risk and liability by helping you to understand what you’re signing, before committing to a contract.

4. Assist in Establishing Parental Rights

This is one of the most important areas of the surrogacy process- establishing your rights as the parents of your baby.

In order to do so, a legal document must be drawn up and signed, or a court order must be obtained by the legal parents. Laws for each state tend to vary, so this is where a surrogacy lawyer can help you streamline this process.

Additionally, working with the expertise of an experienced law firm helps parents to minimize legal risk before even matching with a surrogate. In other words, you’ll be armed with a legal ”plan” before entering into surrogacy.

5. Help to Understate Certain State Laws

Across the United States, surrogacy laws tend to change from one state to another. In some cases, these laws may even change according to your county.

All surrogacy lawyers should be attuned to all current laws pertaining to your state or county and able to assist in discerning these laws.

This also helps when your surrogate is from another state, and the law varies from yours to theirs. In this case, you may need separate representation. But a surrogacy lawyer well-versed in the law across numerous states can help avoid this.

6. Assist in Monetary Discussions and Agreements

The topic of money when it comes to surrogacy is often a very sensitive and highly-contended subject. A lawyer acts as the ”middle man” in this situation and takes over discussions and agreements about money with your surrogate.

Bear in mind that a lawyer enters these discussions with an objective frame-of-mind, and will be able to come to an agreement without emotion. They are also far less likely to feel pressured into agreeing on certain sums of money if they aren’t appropriate!

Basically, they will ensure that you are not paying a surrogate an inordinate amount, but only what is fair according to local standards.

7. Establish Degree of Contact and Relationship Management

Your surrogacy lawyer will be there to establish how much or how little you wish to be in contact with your surrogate. If you do not wish to communicate directly with your surrogate at all, your lawyer acts as a point-of-contact.

Along with this, a lawyer will help with relationship management throughout the course of your surrogacy journey. Should you have any issues, concerns or questions, a lawyer can provide the peace-of-mind you need.

8. Assist in Dispute Resolution

Disputes, disagreements, and quarrels may arise during your surrogacy journey. For example, you may not agree with your surrogate’s way of life, actions, or diet while they’re carrying your child.

This is where a surrogacy lawyer steps in and helps to resolve any disagreements, a breach of contract or settle your concerns.

9. Assist in Drafting of Surrogate Contracts

Finally, a lawyer will be there from the beginning to draft all enforceable surrogacy contracts. These contracts are extremely important as they address important issues which may arise before, during, or after pregnancy.

It’s not always possible to foresee these issues as prospective parents without the experience or foresight of a professional. This is why they are there to help!

Find Your Family Attorney With Us

Looking for the perfect surrogacy lawyer to assist in your family planning journey? Family Attorneys Near Me is your go-to for an assortment of listings of the best this country has to offer!

Have a query about our listed attorneys? Get in touch with us today…

Sources

[1] In vitro fertilization (IVF). (2018, March 22). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/in-vitro-fertilization/about/pac-20384716

[2] Surrogacy in the United States. (2016, February 8). Retrieved from https://www.sensiblesurrogacy.com/surrogacy-in-the-united-states/#surrogacy-friendly-US-states