Adoption & Surrogacy

Creating a family can often be more challenging than anticipated. While adoption, surrogacy, and assisted reproduction can be exciting avenues, the associated processes can be daunting and emotional. As this area of law continues to evolve, navigating it can be complex without expert guidance. We provide compassionate support and guidance to future families at every step of the journey.

Auckland Adoption & Surrogacy Lawyers

We support you through every step of the adoption process, whether you’re adopting a child in NZ or from overseas. We also offer comprehensive advice for those considering surrogacy.

The journey can be complex, but we break it down for you into manageable steps and clearly outline what to expect. We keep you updated throughout the entire process and work closely with various government agencies to ensure a smooth experience.

  • Whether you are planning to have a child through surrogacy or acting as a surrogate, obtaining legal advice is essential. In New Zealand, surrogacy is regulated by the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2004. While the process is governed by this legislation, legal counsel is crucial for navigating its complexities.

    The Ethical Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ECART) reviews and approves all surrogacy arrangements involving assisted reproductive technology. Legal advice helps you understand the application process and ensure that all necessary documentation meets ECART's criteria.

    We assist in ensuring your surrogacy arrangement complies with ECART's ethical and procedural guidelines for approval.

    After a child is born via surrogacy, intending parents must legally adopt the child through the Family Court to be recognized as the legal parents, regardless of any biological connection to the surrogate. There is a mandatory 10-day stand-down period before applying for adoption, but with social work consent, the child can be placed with the intending parents from birth. The Family Court will confirm the fitness of the intending parents and obtain the surrogate's consent.

    Once the Adoption Order is granted, the surrogate relinquishes all guardianship rights, and the birth certificate is updated to reflect the intending parents as the child's legal parents. Our experienced team specializes in navigating the surrogate adoption process.

    Once the adoption order is granted, the surrogate loses all guardianship rights, and the birth certificate is updated to list the intending parents as the child's legal parents. Our experienced team specialise in navigating the surrogate adoption process.

  • We provide support at every step of the adoption process, whether you're adopting a child in New Zealand, as a step-parent, caregiver, or from overseas. Additionally, we offer comprehensive advice for those considering surrogacy.

    Understanding that the journey can be complex, we break it down into manageable steps and clearly outline what to expect. We keep you informed throughout the entire process and collaborate closely with various government agencies to ensure a smooth experience.

    We assist blended families looking to formalise relationships through adoption and offer guidance on alternative solutions like guardianship. For assistance, please contact one of our family lawyers."

CLIENTs

“Brintyn was able to achieve the results sought in a challenging case and I am very thankful for his professionalism in supporting me through this. His approach installs trust and confidence during what can be quite an emotional time. Thank you.”

Dan

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