Experience, judgement, discretion
The practice of ART is constantly evolving, and inevitably raises new and unexpected legal concerns. We are experienced, understanding, flexible and discrete. Our goal is to be value-added to enhance the delivery of ART related services for professionals and participants.
If you have an ART related legal concern, contact us to see if we can assist you directly, or in collaboration with specialized legal counsel as needed (past examples include malpractice, tort, regulatory, local or international expertise). We may also be able to assist you with a referral.
For Medical Programs
The Firm advises and represents national, local, network, academic and private IVF medical programs, and individual medical providers, laboratory and other family building professionals, on a range of issues:
Documents and Program Protocols
Suites of Documents: we review and draft entire suites of documents and consent forms for IVF programs
Specific forms and protocols: we review, update and draft specific forms and protocols to address a myriad of often unique challenges faced by IVF programs:
- Consent forms needed for unusual collaborative arrangements
- Embryo disposition documents and protocols
- Egg freezing protocols and related documents
- Fertility preservation policies and documents for immediate medical reasons, age-related concerns, and underage patients
- Repro-genetics, including genetic testing, disclosure protocols and documentation
- Genetic and medical information sharing policies and documentation
Cutting edge issues
We trouble-shoot and advise clients, as well as support specialized or local counsel, on specific complex situations, including:
- Gamete and embryo issues and errors involving handling, storage, transportation, implantation, and disposition
- Regulatory compliance issues for medical programs and labs
- Management and updates of donor genetic information for donor conceived individuals
- Unique issues surrounding non-traditional patients (including individual, unmarried, not-yet divorced, same-sex unmarried, and polyamorous patients)
- Consulting and litigation support in selected matters
For Sperm & Egg Banks, Embryo Donation & 3rd Party Coordinating Programs
- We represent both national and local donor sperm and egg programs and banks, as well as embryo donation and third-party matching and coordinating programs
- We draft full suites of documents for banks and programs
- We review and update specific documents and protocols
- We help create or update policies, procedures, and documentation
- We regularly counsel and troubleshoot on individual situations
For Individual ART Participants
The Firm represents individual ART participants to help build legally secure families, including intended parents, donors and gestational carriers:
- We represent intended parents, donors and gestational carriers (we do not work with traditional surrogacy arrangements)
- We represent patients who need extra legal assistance in creating their families
- We draft supplemental consent forms to address unique circumstances or those where the law simply hasn’t yet “caught up,” including protecting LGBT patients and partners, single intended parents, and other collaborative participants
- We counsel, draft agreements, and secure legal parentage orders, as well as co-parent adoptions as needed, in collaborative reproduction arrangements
- We counsel and draft documentation for embryo donation arrangements
- We advise on specific complex situations
“Embryo Law” and Policy Implications
As the ARTS mature, “Embryo Law” is emerging as an increasingly critical area for professionals, patients, and policy makers. We believe it is essential to provide our clients with an understanding of the dynamics and underlying legal, policy and political tensions and implications as we assist them in their family building pursuits.
- Pre-implantation IVF embryo management: the Firm consults to and advises both medical and other professional programs on embryo cryopreservation and dispositional options and protocols.
- Reproductive Genetics: the Firm consults to and advises on fertility preservation for oncofertility patients, minor patients, and elective freezing