Albany Attorneys Offer Legal Assistance in Building Families

Over the past few decades, new advancements have been made in the field of assisted reproductive technology. New procedures, especially those which utilize a third party, like sperm donation, egg donation and surrogacy, have caused a number of legal questions to come up.

In order to deal with these new legal questions, a new form of law has developed. Called Family Building Law, or Reproductive Technology Law, this new field focuses on the rights and responsibilities of those involve in these assisted reproduction options.

Albany Law Practices

If you are considering a third-party fertility treatment, it is a good idea to retain the services of a lawyer who specializes in reproductive technology law. Reproductive law attorneys draw up contracts that clarify custodial rights, deal with insurance claim denials, and sort out embryo disposition issues.

The following reproductive lawyer in Albany works with patients undergoing fertility treatments:

• Anne Reynolds Copps

Surrogacy

Because it uses a third party, surrogacy is commonly considered the most legally complex of the assisted reproductive options. Surrogacy becomes even more complex legally if traditional surrogacy is used, where a surrogate uses her own eggs to become pregnant.

Surrogacy agreements are complicated in New York. According to New York law, surrogacy agreements are prohibited, and punishable by fines of up to $500 for those involved in a surrogacy agreement and up to $10,000 for those found to arrange or coordinate the surrogacy agreements.

In New York, couples are permitted to work with a reproductive lawyer for surrogacy only in the capacity of intended parents. They cannot serve as surrogates.

Before you begin the process of surrogacy in New York, talk first with a lawyer so you can know what to expect.

Adoption

If you are planning to adopt a child either domestically or internationally, you should meet first with an adoption attorney. An adoption attorney can first help you understand how the state adoption laws pertain to your situation. Later, your adoption attorney can draft a post-adoption agreement, which will clarify the custody of the child and the role the birth parents will play in the child's life.