Fertility Law Solicitors for Advice on all areas of Fertility Law in England & Wales.

If you are preparing to undergo fertility treatment such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI) it is important that you take the proper legal advice to ensure that you have a clear and comprehensive understanding of your rights, the process and the different options that are available to you.

Our experienced team are highly knowledgeable about all the latest developments in processes such as egg freezing and embryo testing and can assist you with any questions or concerns you may have.

We will discuss everything with you at length and can provide guidance on complex matters such as the use of eggs, sperm and embryos following a relationship breakdown, concerns about storage or issues that may have arisen following conception.

Where required, we can also provide information on your legal status as a parent, parental responsibility and where necessary, we will assist you in the preparation of any required documentation, making sure that all the correct paperwork is prepared and submitted in full and within the relevant timescales.

Conceiving a child with the assistance of a donor can throw up a range of issues that will require careful thought and deliberation.

We have a wealth of experience working closely with those who have pursued this route extremely successfully and are on hand to provide guidance and information on all aspects of donor conception.

We will help you to identify the best course of action and will put a clear and robust agreement between you and your donor in place, to protect you in the event of a dispute arising.

If a woman conceives with an egg or sperm donated through a licensed clinic in England or Wales she, as the child’s birth mother, is their legal parent, even if a donor egg is used.  Her partner, in most circumstances, will automatically become the child’s second legal parent and named on the birth certificate, even if a sperm donor is used.

A donor’s details will be held on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s Register of Information, however, and anyone conceived as a result of donation will have the right to contact the donor and any genetic half-siblings once they reach the age of eighteen.

Legal parenthood can be affected however by the decision to conceive with the assistance of a known sperm donor.

The law is clear that the birth mother of a child is always their legal mother, even when the egg is donated by someone known to the couple or individual hoping to conceive.

The law is slightly more complicated when a woman conceives with sperm donated by someone she knows. In this scenario, there is the potential for the donor to be recognised as the child’s legal father with the accompanying rights and responsibilities. The legal position will very much depend on your individual circumstances and we recommend seeking bespoke legal advice as early as possible to be clear on your rights and legal status in relation to your child.

Co-parenting is an increasingly popular option and, if you wish to co-parent with someone who you are not in a relationship with, we can advise on assisted conception and the law on co-parenting arrangements, as well as ensuring that you have the correct legal relationship with your child by preparing and completing all the relevant documentation. We are here to support and guide you through your decision so that you and those you are hoping to jointly parent with can enter into any agreement wholly aware of all the implications.

For example, a single or gay man wanting to become a father will potentially have more legal rights as a co-parent than by simply acting as a known donor.

We often find that co-parenting arrangements are made between more than two people and, regardless of the numbers involved, it is sensible to put a co-parenting agreement in place to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each parent and to safeguard against any disputes that could possibly arise in the future with regard to the upbringing of your child. We can advise you on what should be included and will draft the agreement for you.

Regardless of the stage you are at on your co-parenting journey, we have the experience and expertise to help.

The law surrounding surrogacy can be particularly difficult and challenging to navigate but our specialist lawyers can provide you with clear and straight-forward advice so that you are fully aware of your position and where you stand.

Surrogacy laws in England and Wales are very strict to ensure that all those involved are fully protected, especially any children born as a result.  From supporting you with your decision, advising you during the process and applying for your parental order, to transfer legal rights and responsibility for your child from the surrogate to you and where applicable your partner, we can help with everything.

If your surrogate is based overseas, there is an added layer of complexity but at Lanyon Bowdler, we specialise in international surrogacy and can help you to navigate the different legal jurisdictions, advise on your legal status and on how to bring your child home legally and officially.

Surrogacy Disputes

Surrogacy can be a highly emotive and challenging process, but where issues or disputes do arise, we will handle the matter sensitively and with understanding.

We are highly accomplished when it comes to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and encourage a collaborative approach wherever possible when disagreements arise between surrogates and parents. We excel in negotiation and dialogue and are able to help find amicable resolutions to what can often be the most contentious of disputes.