At Brilliant Beginnings and NGA Law we meet intended parents every day whose decision is not whether to pursue surrogacy, but how. Surrogacy in the UK is possible, but for many there are too many legal uncertainties, and they may need to wait longer than they would want to complete their family. If you decide to go to the US instead, your agency, clinic and US attorney are the building blocks of a successful surrogacy journey.
We are excited to welcome experts from US surrogacy agencies, fertility clinics, law firms and insurance brokers who have teamed up with us to host a seminar on the practical, legal, agency, medical and insurance aspects of surrogacy in the USA for UK parents. The event is free to attend, open to all and a rare opportunity to gain such a broad insight into the intricacies of a surrogacy journey in the US. Following a speaking segment, there will be an opportunity to speak to all of those involved on a one-to-one basis.
23 May 2018 – The Shard, London
6.30pm Welcome drinks
7.00 Introduction to US Surrogacy – Helen Prosser, Brilliant Beginnings
7.15 IVF in Surrogacy and Egg Donation – Dr Amanada Hurliman, ORM
7.30 Surrogates and Egg Donors – Wendie Wilson-Miller and Shawna Johnson, Gifted Journeys
7.45 Budgeting and Managing Risk in US Surrogacy – Steve Snyder, IARC
8.00 US Insurance – Virginia Hart, ART RISK
8.15 US Legal – Rich Vaughn, IFLG
8.30 UK Legal – Natalie Gamble, NGA Law
8.45 Q&A
The speakers
Helen Prosser – Brilliant Beginnings
Helen is the founder and director of Brilliant Beginnings, the UK’s first non-profit surrogacy agency to be run on a professional basis and to support both UK and US surrogacy. She has supported hundreds of UK families to navigate the practicalities of US surrogacy, and is an active campaigner for UK law reform. Helen is a CEDR-accredited mediator who is a member of the HFEA’s National Donation Strategy Group, one of the few international members of the American Bar Association’s Assisted Reproduction and Technology Committee, and a former trustee of the National Gamete Donation Trust, as well as being a director of the UK’s leading fertility law firm NGA Law. She has participated in leading international conferences on surrogacy and has an extensive network of contacts with agencies, medics and lawyers, in the UK and internationally.
Natalie Gamble – NGA Law
Natalie is a leading UK fertility lawyer, who has represented parents in nearly all the key surrogacy cases which have shaped UK law over the past decade (including the very first parents to go overseas for surrogacy). She has campaigned for many years for surrogacy law reform, and won progressive changes to the law for same-sex parents and fertility patients. Most recently she represented the single father whose case is leading to UK law being changed to support surrogacy for single parents. She is a regular voice on the Today Programme and Woman’s Hour and has been quoted in Parliament, ranked in the Independent on Sunday’s Pink List, invited to meet the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, and nominated for the Stonewall Hero of the Year Award.
Dr Amanda Hurliman – Oregon Reproductive Medicine
Amanda is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at Oregon Reproductive Medicine (ORM) one of the leading US IVF clinics specialist in surrogacy and egg donation.
She joined ORM in 2013 and helps build families worldwide through IVF, egg donation, surrogacy and reproductive genomics. Her patients include heterosexual and same-sex couples as well as single individuals. Along with the entire team at ORM, Amanda is committed to helping every patient achieve their dream of a healthy baby on their first attempt.
Craig Geisser – Oregon Reproductive Medicine
Craig is the Global Programs Director for Oregon Reproductive Medicine (ORM) and is a parent through egg donor surrogacy in the USA.
He and his partner have two boys (4 years and 2 ½ years old). In his two journeys he has personally experienced many of the options that intended parents are faced with deciding between.
Craig has helped educate many intended worldwide on surrogacy and egg donation in the USA and elsewhere. Craig is an active contributor to Fertility Road Magazine having written many articles on surrogacy and egg donation.
Steven H Snyder – International Assisted Reproduction Center
Steve is the founding and principal partner of Steven H. Snyder & Associates and the Executive Director of highly-respected US surrogacy agency International Assisted Reproduction Center (IARC). He is known both nationally in the USA and internationally for his work in the field of assisted reproduction law and building families. Steve is an active leader in numerous professional US organizations, including RESOLVE, Path2Parenthood, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, and the American Bar Association Assisted Reproductive Technology Committee. He is the past chair of the American Bar Association’s Assisted Reproductive Technology Committee, Family Law Section. Steve is the author of numerous articles and continuing legal education materials. He is also a frequent national and international lecturer and continuing legal education presenter in the area of assisted reproductive technology law. Steve regularly contributes to various media interviews and publications as a legal expert in assisted reproduction and third party reproduction legal issues.
Wendie Wilson-Miller – Gifted Journeys
Wendie is the founder and CEO of highly-regarded US egg donation and surrogacy agency Gifted Journeys. She has been working in the field of assisted reproduction for over 16 years. Her experience being an egg donor for two women who were cancer survivors fuelled her passion to found Gifted Journeys. Wendie also co-wrote the book titled “The Insiders Guide to Egg Donation: A Compassionate and Comprehensive Guide for All Parents-to-be,” which won a Gold Medal Ben Franklin award in 2013 for its LGBT chapter. She co-founded the US national organization, The Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy (SEEDS) with the goal of creating consistent ethical standards of practice for all egg donation and surrogacy agencies in the USA. Wendie is also an executive board member of Parents Via Egg Donation and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s LGBTQ Special Interest Group. As an avid fitness enthusiast, Wendie also co-founded Fit-4-Fertility, which raises money and awareness for non-profit support and educational groups in assisted reproduction.
Shawna Johnson – Gifted Journeys
Shawna is a manager with Gifted Journeys, a California based egg donation and surrogacy agency. She has worked as an agency coordinator for egg donation and surrogacy cycles for over 9 years. In addition, Shawna was an egg donor to several wonderful intended parents, as well as a surrogate for a high profile couple in Los Angeles, Ca. Shawna has been featured in People Magazine and took part in a reality series documenting her surrogacy journey. She has also been a presenter for Pregnantish, the first online magazine that helps people navigate the realities of infertility and fertility treatments. Shawna currently lives in Danville, Ca. with her husband and two amazing children.
Rich Vaughn – International Fertility Law Group
Rich is the founder and managing partner of International Fertility Law Group (IFLG). After a successful career in corporate and technology law, Rich established IFLG more than a decade ago, following his own experience, with spouse Tommy Woelfel, of becoming fathers of twin boys via egg donation and surrogacy. Since then, IFLG has grown to become one of the largest and most highly regarded fertility law firms in the world, with an extensive network of consulting attorneys in every US state and nearly every country. With more than a decade of experience helping hundreds of families from all over the world, Rich is among the world’s best-known experts in the fields of assisted reproductive technology law and family formation law and a highly sought speaker at legal and academic forums, including Yale University School of Law and the American Bar Association. In addition to his active involvement in organizations such as Path2Parenthood, the LGBT advocacy organization Family Equality Council, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Rich serves as chair of the ART Committee of the American Bar Association, helping establish best practices, develop model legislation and advising international bodies such as The Hague Conference on Private International Law and the UN.
Virginia Hart – ART Risk Financial and Insurance Solutions
Virginia is the founder and CEO of ART Risk Financial and Insurance Solutions (ART Risk). ART Risk specializes in providing insurance and financial solutions for intended parents that are both costpast 24 years, with the last 15 years specializing in insurance for all aspects of assisted reproduction and family building. Virginia is one of the leading experts in this specialised field. She is licensed in all 50 US states allowing her to work with clients regardless of location to find the best solution whether it be via commercial insurance, specialty products, or financial management. She is passionate about the role of financial effective and minimize the risk. She has been an insurance broker for the planning and risk management as part of the family building process. Virginia is a regular speaker at numerous conferences for her expertise in the area of surrogacy and insurance.
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