Plain answers to common questions

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.

Usually, yes. An agency's or clinic's lawyer works for the agency or clinic. In surrogacy and donor agreements, each person should have their own independent lawyer.

Yes, at our office on Grand Avenue in Oakland. We also meet by video with families anywhere in California, and many hearings can be attended by video too.

No. It is general information so you can ask better questions. Advice for your family starts when we both sign an engagement letter.

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.

No. We never match families, advertise for expectant parents or arrange paid placements. Licensed agencies handle matching. We handle the legal work.

We do not promise timelines. The court's calendar, home studies, other states and records from clinics all affect pace. Your plan letter explains what usually affects a case like yours.

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.

California allows compensated gestational surrogacy with a proper written agreement. Other states limit it, and many countries limit or ban it. Where the surrogate lives and gives birth matters most.

A homemade agreement can leave gaps that cause real trouble later, for the donor too. Separate lawyers and a clear agreement signed before conception protect everyone.

No. We work with every family shape. Many of our clients are LGBTQ+, and everyone on our team is comfortable with the words, the history and the law that come with that.

Always. Our form asks for the name you use and what your children call each parent, and we use those in every email and document we can.

Call us before you move. A court judgment of parentage or adoption travels much more reliably than a presumption, and it is easier to get while you still live here.

Most family-building matters follow a known path, so we can price them up front. You see the fee in writing before you sign. Contested cases are the exception and are billed hourly.

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.

Yes. Any flat fee can be split into monthly payments. Ask on your first call.