Family law for every family · Oakland, CA
Build your family. We'll make it legally yours.
Adoption, surrogacy, donor agreements and LGBTQ+ family law in California, explained in plain words, with flat fees in writing.
Book a consultation Free 20-minute call to startNext free call: within one business day
Replies within one business day · English, Español, Tagalog
A sample plan
- Surrogacy agreement
- Parentage judgment
- Birth certificate
Every family shape is welcome here
- Two moms
- Two dads
- Single parents by choice
- Stepfamilies
- Trans and nonbinary parents
- Known donors
- Gestational surrogates
- Intended parents abroad
- Grandparents and relatives
- Co-parents and chosen family
How it works
Three steps, all in writing
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1
Talk it through
Tell us about your family. We tell you which path fits and what it involves.
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2
Get a written plan
Steps, who does what and a flat fee, on paper before you sign anything.
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3
Make it official
Agreements signed, filings made and, where needed, a court judgment.
Practice areas
What we help with
Seven paths, one firm. Each is explained in plain words, with an example fee on its page.
- Agency and private adoption Agency, private and relative adoptions, from consents to the finalization hearing. $3,500 to $12,000
- Stepparent adoption Make the parent your child already has a legal parent too. $1,800 to $3,500
- Second-parent and confirmatory adoption A court judgment for the parent who did not give birth. $2,200 to $4,000
- Surrogacy agreements Agreements for intended parents, and independent counsel for surrogates. $6,500 to $11,000
- Parentage orders Judgments that name the right parents, often before the birth. $2,500 to $5,500
- Donor agreements Known donor and co-parenting agreements, signed before conception. $1,500 to $3,000
- LGBTQ+ divorce and custody Separation and parenting plans that protect every parent. $350 to $450 an hour
- Not sure where you fit? Most families aren't at first. A free 20-minute call sorts it out. Start here
Surrogates and donors
Every person in the agreement gets their own lawyer.
- Independent counsel for gestational surrogates, working only for you
- Separate lawyers for known donors and intended parents, always
- A surrogate's legal fees are usually covered by intended parents through escrow
We do not match families with children, birth parents, surrogates or donors, and we never arrange or pay for a placement. Licensed agencies and clinics do matching. We handle the law.
for you alone
Reviews
Families, in their own words
Shared with permission, using the names each family chose. Every matter is different.
“Two lawyers before Kith & Kin called me 'the other mom.' Maren called me Mama from the first email. Our confirmatory adoption was simple, and we finally have the paper.”
“I was the surrogate, and they were my independent lawyer. They worked for me, not the parents, and it showed.”
“Our stepparent adoption took longer than we hoped because the other parent was hard to reach. They kept us updated every two weeks and never sugarcoated it.”
“Our donor is my best friend. Everyone had their own lawyer, and the agreement made the friendship feel safer, not stranger.”
“Teo explained our surrogacy agreement line by line, twice. He also told us plainly which questions about our home country he could not answer, and who could.”
“I am a single dad by choice. Nobody blinked. They just got to work.”
Flat fees, written down.
Example ranges for the legal work. Your exact fee is in your plan letter before you sign anything.
- Second-parent and confirmatory adoption $2,200 to $4,000
- Stepparent adoption $1,800 to $3,500
- Parentage orders $2,500 to $5,500
- Donor agreements $1,500 to $3,000
- Surrogacy agreements $6,500 to $11,000
Your first 20-minute call is free. A one-hour planning consult is $250, credited to your fee.
Plain promises
Three things we will always tell you
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The rules where you live
California law, explained plainly. When another state or country is involved, we say so on day one and bring in local counsel.
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We never match or broker
No finding children, birth parents, surrogates or donors, and no paid placements. Agencies and clinics match. We handle the law.
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No promised outcomes or dates
Courts and other offices keep their own pace. You get honest updates and a written plan, never a guarantee.
Questions families ask first
What happens on the free 20-minute call?
You tell us about your family and what you are hoping for. We tell you which path fits, what California asks of you and what a flat fee for your matter usually looks like. If we are not the right firm, we say so and point you to someone who is.
We are married. Isn't that enough?
Marriage often gives a presumption that both spouses are parents. A court judgment, through adoption or a parentage order, is harder to question, especially across state lines. Many families choose both.
Will you find us a child to adopt?
No. We never match families, advertise for expectant parents or arrange paid placements. Licensed agencies handle matching. We handle the legal work.
Can you represent both the intended parents and the surrogate?
No. Each side needs its own lawyer. We represent intended parents, or we serve as a surrogate's independent counsel, never both in the same journey.
What is not included in a flat fee?
Court filing fees, agency, home study and clinic fees, escrow, the other side's lawyer, and local counsel in another state. Your plan letter lists these separately.
Have another question? We are glad to help.
Free 20-minute call
Let's make your family legally whole.
Start with a free 20-minute call. You will leave it knowing which path fits, what California asks of you, and what a flat fee usually looks like. No pressure and no promises we can't keep.
Prefer to text? (510) 555-0163. Dee replies within one business day.