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Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

Home » Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

For many hopeful parents, surrogacy is not just a medical option—it’s a deeply personal path to building the family they’ve long dreamed of. Whether due to infertility, medical conditions, age-related factors, or the inability to safely carry a pregnancy, individuals and couples may turn to surrogacy after exhausting other avenues. For LGBTQ+ families and single parents, it often provides the only route to a genetic child. Whatever the reason, surrogacy offers a way forward when the journey to parenthood has been filled with challenges, heartbreak, and resilience. It’s a choice rooted in love, hope, and the unwavering desire to welcome a child into their lives.

Surrogacy, as well as other third-party family building options, is a life-changing journey—but it’s also a complex legal process that requires careful guidance every step of the way. From drafting enforceable contracts to navigating state-specific laws, protecting parental rights, and ensuring all parties are legally and ethically protected, an experienced surrogacy/assisted reproductive technology attorney is essential. Whether you’re an intended parent, a surrogate/gestational carrier, a donor, or an agency, legal counsel helps transform good intentions into secure, legally sound arrangements that lead to establishing the intended parentage—so that everyone can focus on what truly matters: bringing new life into the world with clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.

Advocating for Families—One Journey at a Time

Steven H. Snyder & Associates is a trusted legal advocate in the field of surrogacy and third-party reproduction, representing intended parents, surrogates/gestational carriers, and donors in building families with clarity, protection, and compassion.

With decades of experience in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) law, we help our intended parents, surrogates/gestational carriers, and donors navigate the legal, emotional, and logistical complexities that exist in any third-party reproduction arrangement. Whether you are a first-time surrogate, a repeat gestational carrier, or an individual or couple seeking to grow your family, we will guide you through every step of the way with transparency, knowledge, and care.

Helping You Make the Right Choices for Your Future

Our main goal is to make sure that you have the information you need to determine how you wish to move forward. We can help you minimize the risks and problems that you may not even be aware of when you are contemplating your options. Our assisted reproductive technology law practice includes, but is not limited to, helping clients with concerns relating to:

  • Sperm, egg and embryo donation: Whether you are considering being a donor or are a parent contemplating having a child using a donor, we will help you understand the legal requirements and risks specific to each situation.
  • Gestational carrier/Surrogacy Agreements. Whether you are seeking a gestational carrier/surrogate or are considering becoming one, we can guide you through the legal requirements to create a fair and clear contract.
  • Surrogacy: We help surrogates and parents-to-be with any and all issues related to surrogacy, including helping prepare and review any contracts that are necessary during the process, and establishing the intended legal parentage upon the child’s birth.
  • Same-sex family building: Our legal team has extensive experience helping same-sex couples establish, protect, and preserve their parental rights.

Our legal team will ensure that you have the information you need to minimize the risks that you may encounter. We explain how the law will apply to your situation in Minnesota and also examine the issues that may arise if a donor, surrogate, or parent resides outside of the state. We are completely committed to providing you with the guidance that you need throughout the process.

A Balanced Approach for All Parties

Attorney Rolf and her team are known for ensuring that each party to a surrogacy or donor arrangement is well-informed, fairly represented, and legally protected. Drawing from years of experience working with donors, surrogates/gestational carriers, and intended parents from across the U.S. and abroad, she crafts detailed, enforceable agreements that prioritize clear communication, mutual respect, and legal peace of mind.

Steven H. Snyder & Associates has worked with surrogacy agencies, fertility clinics, ART attorneys, insurance brokers, and mental health professionals, to ensure the process is comprehensive, smooth and supported from beginning to end.

Let Us Help You Protect the Ones You Love

Before you make any decisions about your specific situation, Attorney Rolf and Attorney Hanson are happy to schedule a complimentary call to go over the legal process and answer any questions you may have, focusing on educating you about the process so that you feel comfortable and confident moving forward, whether it is with them or someone else. Whether you decide to become our client or not, you will have the information you need to decide what is best for you. Please call us at 763-296-0672 or send us an email to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.

Common Questions About Surrogacy

Steven H. Snyder & Associates is an assisted reproductive technology law firm. We help clients who are looking for surrogates to start or grow their families. We get many questions from our clients who want to know more about surrogacy, and what it means for their specific situation. We have provided some basic information below about the process and the risks associated with surrogacy.

Of course, provided that the surrogate meets the necessary criteria. We want to make this process as easy as possible for you at every step. We make sure that you are protected legally before taking any action.

Yes, if the surrogate meets the necessary criteria. We will make sure that each party understands what they are able to do, and discuss the issues that need to be addressed at this time. We should mention that this is going to be an extremely delicate process, and your friendship may experience some strain as a result. Although it isn’t common, if you opt to use a friend as a surrogate, you have to accept the risk that your friendship may be affected.

If you both still decide to go through with it, we examine all of the legal issues regarding the responsibilities of each party, as well as the parental rights of the parents. We can help you resolve these issues before they become larger problems in the future. Although many people think that a surrogacy with a relative is less complicated and may need less documentation and structure, the opposite is actually true. Latent family dynamics can often create more complex emotional issues and conflicts than in a surrogacy with a previously unknown surrogate.

This can happen from time to time. If your surrogate does not become pregnant, we will discuss with you how to attempt to find another one. If you found your surrogate through an agency, your selected agency typically covers the expenses associated with this, as long as it meets the time frame specified in the agreement.

If the surrogate experiences issues that threaten her health or the life of the child, you need to be sure that your surrogacy agreement has clear provisions regarding what should happen in these circumstances. So many surrogacy agreements fail to fill in this gap, and major disputes arise when there are issues that complicate the pregnancy.

Our attorney will help you draft the appropriate documents that carefully disclose what should happen if a problem develops. We will protect your rights, and carefully describe the specific obligations required of each party.

Common Questions We Are Asked By Surrogates

Steven H. Snyder & Associates is a law firm that focuses on helping families grow through assisted reproductive technology. A large portion of our practice is representing surrogates with their legal needs. We wanted to take a moment to provide surrogates with answers to the questions that we are asked most often.

Yes. You will receive some information about the parents so you can decide if they are a good match for you. You will be able to talk with them on the phone, via video conferencing or in person, if you prefer. We will coordinate these steps so that you have as little or as much contact as you would prefer.

Your specific obligations will be spelled out in the surrogacy agreement. This agreement will cover all financial responsibilities including, but not limited to, any compensation, medical care, legal fees, lost wages and travel expenses. Additionally, the document will also address what should happen in the event that your health or the health of your child is in danger due to the pregnancy.

We help you negotiate all of these issues between you and the prospective parents before you become pregnant. We want to make sure that each party has a clear understanding of their specific requirements and responsibilities at this time.

You may decide to seek compensation for being a surrogate. However, know that some parents may not be able to afford the fees that you set. They will opt to work with someone who is more affordable or is not charging a fee. If you decide to request compensation for your surrogate services, we can help you draft an agreement with the parents that states when the payments should be made.

This will depend upon the agreement you make with the parents. They may wish, and you may agree, that you should have no contact with the child after it is born. They may also decide that you should be an active part of the child’s life. It is something that you will have to talk about at the time you create your agreement. You should only match with prospective parents with whom you agree on such important issues.

At a minimum, after the child is born, you are going to have to take the necessary steps to terminate your potential parental rights to the child. This often means appearing in court, which may seem concerning. You do not have to worry about that aspect of things, as our attorneys can help you understand what must be done according to the laws in your home state or country. Whether a court appearance will be required will vary from state to state.

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