Join us for an informal information session for prospective parents led by experienced legal and mental health experts specializing in the field of fertility. During the session, we will discuss some of the following issues:
- Legal steps involved in growing a family through surrogacy.
- Legal landscape for surrogacy in Canada (i.e. the laws pertaining to legal parentage of the child and reimbursement of the surrogate’s expenses).
- Pitfalls and trouble spots to keep in mind when considering surrogacy.
- Emotional and social considerations of intended parent(s) embarking on surrogacy for family-building.
- Factors that gestational surrogates need to consider when deciding on a match with intended parent(s).
- The latest research about the emotional and social development of children born through surrogacy.
Facilitators: Michelle Flowerday, LL.B. and Dr. Lila Z. Hakim, C.Psych.
Michelle Flowerday, LL.B. is a fertility lawyer in Toronto. Michelle works with couples facing infertility, for LGBTQ people/couples wanting to start a family, for single people looking to grow a family alone, and for surrogate mothers and egg, sperm and embryo donors assisting in the process. Michelle’s expertise includes negotiating and drafting agreements related to surrogacy, co-parenting, egg, sperm and embryo donations, making court applications for declarations of parentage, and other legal issues related to third party reproduction. Michelle works with clients in the greater Toronto area, across Canada and internationally. She speaks at conferences on the topic of fertility and surrogacy law and has provided legal advice to fertility clinics and hospitals on contract laws and compliance with Canadian assisted human reproduction laws and regulations. Michelle is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society, Fertility Matters, the Advocates’ Society and the 519 Church Street Community Centre.
Dr. Lila Z. Hakim, C.Psych. is a Registered Psychologist and conducts psychological assessment and treatment with adults and couples in private practice. She is the Clinical Director of the Centre for Interpersonal Relationships (Toronto, Canada) where she supervises psychologists and graduate students, and is active in research with publications and presentations in the areas of infertility and psychotherapy research. She has served on the Executive Committee of the Counselling Special Interest Group of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society.