The Wald Law Group

In celebration of Pride, the Wald Law Group will be participating in an event for gay men looking to build families through egg donation and surrogacy. Please join us! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gay-fatherhood-building-your-b

The situation for families involved in International Surrogacy just keeps getting more stressful. We are here to help in any way we can....

Colleagues, please consider joining me.

I remember my first NCLR gala, some 25-30 years ago. There were about 50 of us gathered in a small venue, dreaming of what a national organization devoted to protecting LGBTQ families could do. And here we are, many years later, having accomplished so much ... thanks in large part to NCLR's fearless, fierce advocacy. Please join me in celebrating and supporting this groundbreaking organization. They need us now more than ever.

The situation for families involved in International Surrogacy just keeps getting more stressful. We are here to help in any way we can....

The complications of co-parenting during the pandemic include potentially justifiable worries that children will be exposed to the virus by one of their parents continuing to provide essential services to those in need. Bay Area courts have been quite clear on this: parents are expected to follow existing custody orders unless there is a genuine emergency that prevents them from being able to do so.

As the drama around us all continues, babies continue to be born. Some are born to surrogates. Some need to be placed for adoption. Each situation brings with it new challenges and the need to find creative solutions. We're proud to be part of an international network working to make sure that every baby born during this coronavirus crisis lands safely.

I found this article both helpful and reassuring. I offer it to colleagues, clients and friends in hope that you will as well.

The concept of delivering a baby without a partner, friend or family member there for support is mind-boggling. No woman should have to go through labor without her chosen support person present -- be it her partner, her parent, or her doula. At the same time, protecting the health and safety of people working in hospitals during this pandemic is a top priority. It's a complex problem, not easy to solve. Add to this problem the issues specific to surrogate deliveries. For peo...ple having babies through surrogacy, the strict limitations on who can be in the delivery room may well mean that after everything they have been through to become parents they will not be allowed to be present for their own baby's birth; and that the baby will be born without a parent in the room authorized to make medical decisions. Thankfully, there are teams of attorneys working together around the country to find solutions to these complex problems. If you are expecting a baby through surrogacy and are worried about being kept out of the delivery room, or if you are a surrogate getting ready to give birth and anxious about whether your support person will be allowed to accompany you, we are here to help! See more

During these unsure times, we are continuously working to improve how we help keep you informed. Please visit our newly updated website for guidance and perspective on how COVID-19 may impact matters such as custody, guardianship and assisted reproduction. Also, if you have not yet, please follow this Facebook page. We will be sure to keep posting updates and news here. And please do not hesitate to reach out to us personally via email or phone. We hope you and your families are staying healthy and safe.

The Shelter-In-Place orders that many of us are living under are stressful at best, but for people living with an abuser they can be life-threatening. If you are safe in your home, please be aware that others around you may not be; and if you are in the Bay Area and are *not* safe in your home, please let us know how we can help.

Many clients with young children are contacting us with concern that they don't have wills. If you own property that is worth a lot, you may well need comprehensive estate planning (trusts, etc.) to address tax issues. But if all you are looking for is a way to protect your children if something should happen to you -- as well as letting the world know who should get your favorite artwork and what you want done with your remains -- a simple will and Nomination of Guardian will be sufficient, at least for now. Please let us know if we can ease one of your worries by helping you with these documents.

Excellent news for our pregnant clients!

The Wald Law Group is aware that this is an extraordinarily stressful time for our assisted reproduction clients. Many (most?) fertility clinics are temporarily ceasing assisted reproduction services in compliance with the recommendations of the CDC and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). The ASRM's most recent press release is linked below. Please let us know how we can help! https://www.asrm.org//asrm-issues-new-guidance-on-fertili/

Useful advice from AFCC on co-parenting during the COVID pandemic: https://www.afccnet.org//COVID19Guidelinesfordivorcedparen