Today’s Family Lawyer set to host conference on surrogacy reform

Please note: with train strikes having affected the previous date for the conference (31st May), Today’s Family Lawyer has taken the difficult decision to change the date to the 19th June 2023.

Today’s Family Lawyer is pleased to confirm details of its upcoming conference in London focusing on the proposed reforms to surrogacy laws in England and Wales.

The reforms put forward by the Law Commission in March include an entirely new route for domestic surrogacy arrangements under which intended parents would become parents of the child from birth rather than waiting months to obtain a parental order.

This, along with the other proposals, would represent the first significant change to the body of law since the Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985 as well as the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Acts in 1990 and 2008.

It is, therefore, vital that practitioners in this area come together to familiarise themselves with the proposed changes at the earliest juncture.

The Today’s Family Lawyer Surrogacy Conference follows the hugely successful Cohabitation Mini-Conference in Manchester in February during which Graeme Fraser and Dr Andy Hayward presented on the proposals for cohabitation reform that the Law Commission consulted on. Extensive discussions, led by Amanda McAlister of McAlister Family Law, were also had around the practical implications of the family lawyer’s role in better facilitating cohabitation and mitigating risk for cohabitees.

This latest event will bring together leading experts and figures from around the Surrogacy spectrum to share their insights with practitioners for the first time since the publication of the Law Commission’s “Building families through surrogacy” report.

Details of the conference

Leading the discussions will be Natalie Sutherland, a partner at Burgess Mee Family Law and recent recipient of Woman of the Year at the Women and Diversity in Law Awards, whose recent case W V v X and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust [2022] EWCOP 48, was widely reported on.

Other contributors to the day include SurrogacyUK who will present on the potential impact of the proposed Regulatory Surrogacy Organisation (RSO) regime and how they are preparing.

The mini-conference will discuss the current position of the law with regards to surrogacy; the rationale and objectives of the reforms; the effect of the proposals in a contentious setting; and a discussion surrounding ways forward in the immediate future within the current legislative framework.

The official sponsor of the event is OurFamilyWizard, renowned provider of co-parenting technology. Also returning as charity partner of the event is Support Through Court.

Venue

• etc Venues – Fenchurch Street, 8 Fenchurch Place, London EC3M 4PB
• 10am – 3.30pm
• 19th June 2023

Cost

£85 +VAT pp

Book your place (form will generate an invoice)

About Support Through Court

Every year, thousands of people in the UK face court alone. Often through no choice of their own, they must represent themselves at a moment that could determine the rest of their life. They may face divorce, eviction from their home, or the loss of their children. In an unfamiliar courtroom, up against a party with legal representation, the process can be stressful and confusing.

Support Through Court stand with those who have nowhere else to turn. They provide a free service across England and Wales, offering support and guidance to people before, during, and after court. The charity makes sure people facing court are not alone, and helps them navigate a complex legal system with dignity and self-assurance. Their volunteers help clients put their papers in order and prepare well, so they are clear about what they need to say in court and so that they can best represent themselves. Volunteers also go with clients to hearings and debrief with them afterwards.

An award-winning charity with over 500 dedicated volunteers, they operate from 16 courts and universities across England and Wales, as well as running a National Helpline. Despite the growing need for their work, Support Through Court remain the only organisation providing this service.

About OurFamilyWizard

The OurFamilyWizard website and mobile apps offer divorced or separated parents an array of tools to easily track child arrangements, share important family information, manage expenses, and create an accurate, clear log of co-parenting communication. Working in tandem with clients on OurFamilyWizard, family law and mental health practitioners can assist families to move beyond conflict and co-parent with confidence. OurFamilyWizard has routinely been ordered all over the United Kingdom as well as the Chanel Islands and the Republic of Ireland.