5 Tips for Hiring a Reproductive Attorney
Melissa Bisman, the surrogacy attorney featured on today’s show, shares her top tips for hiring a specialized reproductive attorney you can trust.
How to Hire a Reproductive Attorney
by Melissa Brisman, Esq.
If you’re facing fertility challenges and turning to assisted reproductive technologies, you may need some expert legal advice. To make sure you get the best, you’ll need to do some interrogating. Because reproductive law is still in its infancy (no pun intended!) there are still very few attorneys who specialize in this area.
That’s one reason it’s especially important for any prospective parents to research the qualifications of the lawyer they’re hoping will assist them on the path to parenthood.
For instance, a family law practice is substantially different from a law firm specializing in reproductive law. Firms advertising themselves as specializing in family law may be willing to take your case, but may not have the expertise to handle it as well as an attorney specializing in reproductive law. Websites and Internet message boards can offer a wealth of information when you start your research. Once you narrow down your search, you should get answers to the following questions before retaining the services of an attorney or firm.
For more information about Melissa B. Brisman and for resources on adoption, surrogacy and sperm donation, visit ReproductiveLawyer.com.
Melissa B. Brisman is an attorney who practices exclusively in the field of reproductive law and is considered by her peers to be a leader in her profession. Ms. Brisman’s experience and qualifications are unparalleled. She employs an experienced and qualified staff of legal and administrative professionals and is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Ms. Brisman has a practice, Melissa B. Brisman, Esq., LLC, located in Montvale, New Jersey, offering a full range of legal services in connection with gestational carrier arrangements, ovum, sperm, and embryo donation, and adoption. In addition, Ms. Brisman is sole owner of Reproductive Possibilities, LLC. Reproductive Possibilities, LLC is an agency offering a donor record-keeping service which maintains contact information for intended parents and their anonymous ovum donors for a period of years following a donor arrangement. Reproductive Possibilities, LLC also facilitates gestational carrier arrangements. Ms. Brisman is also sole owner of Surrogate Fund Management, LLC, a company that manages escrow in connection with reproductive arrangements.
A version of this article originally appeared in the Winter 2006 issue of Conceive Magazine.
Comments
My husband and I are not interested in being or hiring a surrogate. (We are empty-nesters with 2 sons and 2 daughters and an 8th granddaughter on the way. Needless-to-say, we have much to be thankful for in these past several years.) One of our sons and his wife did choose to be a surrogate for someone who was unable to have a child of their own. Their goal....to earn money, In fact, they (my son and his wife already had their own child.) They moved into our home during her pregnancy since we could offer the pleasure of air conditioning. The couple searching for a surrogate already had one using the sperm from a donor for which they decided to use for their second child. Quess what...my son and wife, did not earn a single dime, however the couple chose to keep the baby (our grandbaby) as it turns out that my son is the biological father of the new little baby boy...who shares that same DNA with his brother now living in our home. I hope I have made my case as clear as possible. I do not want to upset this little guys life in any way, yet I would like to see him. Is that irresponsible? How can I go about accomplishing this? There has to be a way in this way of open communication. Please write to me and let me know your thoughts on this. I do so appreciate your assistance. Best Wishes, Jackie Campbell P.S. Since my son and daughter-in-law used rhythm several days after their insemination with the sperm the couple wanted to use, they did not earn any money at all.