The media frenzy and public backlash we were all expecting later this summer came early. An unprecedented series of leaks from the U.S. Supreme Court, including the leak of a draft opinion overturning women’s rights to abortion, SCOTUSBlog reports, has convinced most observers that the Court...
Thanks to improvements in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques, intended parents today often end up with more viable embryos than they are able to use. Embryo donation offers parents a solution for “excess” embryos and a lower-cost option for individuals struggling with infertility. In our fast-paced world,...
With income tax time upon us, same-sex couples who hoped to deduct expenses for assisted reproductive technologies such as egg or sperm donation, in vitro fertilization or surrogacy are meeting with disappointment—even as heterosexual peers are able to successfully claim those same deductions. In January...
The daily images of mass graves, blasted out apartment buildings and long lines of refugees attest to the terrible toll of war. Ukraine will never be the same, nor will Europe nor the world. One change is Ukraine’s role as a popular destination for international surrogacy...
Even as reproductive professionals report a shortage of egg and sperm donors, thanks to the lengthy donation process, less anonymity, and lingering impact of the coronavirus pandemic, many people still choose to make the sacrifice of time and privacy in order to help parents in...
A federal appeals court on February 22, 2022, upheld a stay on a South Carolina “fetal heartbeat” abortion law that would punish doctors who violated it with stiff fines and up to two years in jail, as reported by the Raleigh, North Carolina, News Observer. But...
As the world watches in horror Vladimir Putin’s attack on the democratic republic of Ukraine, all of us are pondering the impact of this terrible, historic war. Certainly few are more impacted by the disruption, displacement and physical destruction of the Russian attack than intended...
If the story of the 16-year-old U.S. figure skating phenom nearly sidelined from the Beijing Olympics by a COVID diagnosis wasn’t dramatic enough, the story of Alysa Liu’s heritage is a real page-turner. Liu’s father, Junguo (Arthur) Liu, is a story in himself. A hero of...
In 1978, in England, Louise Brown, the first child made outside the womb, was born. Over the course of the next few years, babies like Louise were labeled as “test tube babies” and shrouded in mystery, and there was a stigma attached to babies born...
As assisted reproductive technology (ART) becomes an increasingly common and accepted way of creating families, a growing movement calls for ART to be available to anyone who needs it, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status. But does the legal “right to procreate,”...
Demand for fertility treatment by single women, lesbians creates delays under new French law on reproductive rights....
Often at this time of year, I find myself thinking about years past, how blessed I have been to work in a field that still fills me with passion, and how exciting it is that the miracles of assisted reproduction are increasingly available and accessible...
The COVID-19 pandemic has added a new critical area of questions to consider in matching intended parents and potential surrogates: COVID vaccination status—is the surrogate vaccinated? Do the intended parents want the surrogate to be vaccinated? Is the surrogate willing to be vaccinated? If she...
As an onslaught of state anti-abortion legislation threatens U.S. women’s rights, including an onerous new Texas law that effectively bans all abortions even in cases of rape or incest, New York’s new governor has vowed to make her state a “safe harbor” where women’s health...
With the recent lifting of COVID-19-related travel bans, effective in November 2021, as well as long-needed reforms to U.S. naturalization procedures, most intended parents who travel abroad for IVF and surrogacy will find the process of establishing their babies’ U.S. citizenship and bringing them back...
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an official Health Advisory yesterday (September 29) recommending that pregnant, recently pregnant or lactating women and those trying or planning to become pregnant get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. Healthcare providers, including reproductive health...
As global birth rates decline, raising concerns about shrinking labor forces and falling GDPs, Japan’s government is trying to make it easier for workers to become parents by offering paid time off for fertility treatment. Beginning in January 2022, employees of the Japanese national employees will...
Since the COVID-19 lockdowns in early 2020, demand for fertility services has skyrocketed. Fertility clinics and IVF providers report a recent rush on services, the result of a “perfect storm” of pandemic-defrayed dating and parenting plans, more at-home time to consider and pursue parenthood, and...
Swiss voters will decide September 26 whether to legalize same-sex marriage, a change in the law that also would give lesbian couples access to donor sperm and same-sex couples the ability to adopt children together. Both houses of the Swiss parliament approved the new law in...
A proposed law now before Congress would guarantee parents who undergo failure of fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or surrogacy, as well as those who lose babies through miscarriage or failed adoptions, have access to paid time off to recover and to...
Currently pending before Congress is legislation that would offer an expanded range of fertility treatment services to U.S. veterans, including to many LGBTQ+ veterans who have previously been denied equal benefits due to narrow, outdated and discriminatory Veterans Administration rules. We’ve been following this issue and...
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch filed a brief on July 22 asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision establishing a woman’s right to an abortion prior to fetal viability outside the womb. As reported by MississippiFreePress.org, Fitch’s brief was...
Several companies now offer a new type of genetic screening to determine which embryos created with in vitro fertilization have a higher risk of developing common diseases such as diabetes or heart disease. The same technology is being marketed, and sometimes used, to select those...
A coalition of women’s health organizations and advocates is challenging the onerous new Texas abortion ban, due to take effect in September, by suing the judges, county clerks and professional licensing organizations that would be responsible for enforcing it. The group’s legal strategy is an unusual...
Peiya Wang joined IFLG as a paralegal in 2015, where she manages surrogacy, egg donation and parental establishment cases and provides translation services for many of IFLG’s international clients. Peiya moved to the United States in 2012 to attend Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, receiving a Master of Science degree in Global Studies and International Affairs in 2014. Peiya moved to Los Angeles in 2015, received her paralegal certification from UCLA Extension, and obtained her second Master of Science degree in Legal Studies from Loyola Law School. Peiya relocated back to her hometown, Beijing, China in 2019 and works from IFLG’s Beijing office. When away from the office, Peiya is a dragon boat paddler and a ballroom dancer, where she favors Rumbas and Cha-chas. She is fluent in Mandarin and English.
Katie is a Senior Paralegal with IFLG and has dedicated over sixteen years to the areas of surrogacy and reproductive law. She received her Paralegal Certificate from Coastline Community College and has worked with some of the top law firms in the assisted reproduction community. Katie is also a commissioned Notary Public. With IFLG, Katie manages Surrogacy, Egg Donation, and Parental Establishment cases and provides support to other IFLG team members. Katie truly enjoys helping others build their families through assisted reproduction and is thankful she has had the rewarding experience of assisting IFLG clients. Katie often spends her free time with her Husband, four young children and her bulldog “Bella”.
Luis R. Sosa joined IFLG as a paralegal in 2016, where he enjoys pursuing his passion for family and reproductive law. While working toward his bachelor’s degree at Florida International University which he received in 2013, Luis worked as a paralegal and legal assistant for family law litigation firms in Miami and Washington, D.C. As a paralegal and case manager for IFLG, Luis, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, manages surrogacy, egg donation and other reproductive law cases. Luis has worked for IFLG in both Los Angeles as well as San Francisco, and is currently based in Dallas, Texas. In addition to spending time with husband Randy and dog Marty, Luis enjoys being outdoors and appreciating the arts.
Alexander joined IFLG as a legal assistant in 2019, where he manages surrogacy, egg donation and parental establishment cases. Alex is bilingual in English and Spanish and has been in the legal field for 23 years. Alex is excited to join the IFLG team and pursuing his will to help others in the reproductive law process. In his spare time he loves spending time with his family and friends, being outdoors, road trips, loves music and dancing.
After receiving her B.S. in Business Management, Toni joined IFLG to pursue her dream of working in the legal field. As a Paralegal with over 10 years of experience in the assisted reproduction technology field, Toni is our Managing Paralegal, responsible for training and managing our paralegal staff. From drafting legal documents to assisting our clients with post-birth matters, Toni embraces the challenge of learning something new in this field each day. Besides spending time with her son, Jordan, Toni enjoys exploring new things, cooking, spending time with family and friends, and serving as a Youth Advisor for “Next Generation.”
Kim has over 30 years of experience in the legal field and has worked exclusively in surrogacy and assisted reproduction law since 1999. Kim is a senior case manager responsible for managing parental establishment cases and interacting with IFLG’s Of Counsel attorneys across the country. With three children of her own, Kim understands the importance of family and finds working in this area of law a rewarding experience.
Attorney Rich Vaughn combined his personal passion as a father of twin boys born via assisted reproductive technology (ART) with more than 20 years of experience in business and technology law to build International Fertility Law Group. Today IFLG is one of the most successful and best-known law firms in the world focused exclusively on fertility law, helping thousands of intended parents through empathetic listening, compassionate guidance, and unmatched legal expertise. As an advocate for reproductive freedom, Rich also contributes his knowledge and time to improving the understanding and practice of ART law, most recently as a founder of and speaker at the first Cambridge University International Surrogacy Symposium held in June 2019, as immediate past chair of the American Bar Association ART Committee, and as a popular presenter to law schools, faculty and advocacy organizations all over the world.
Elizabeth received her Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice from California State University of Los Angeles. Shortly after graduating, she continued her education at the University of California, Los Angeles where she obtained her Paralegal certificate. Elizabeth is fluent in Spanish and has been in the legal field since 2009. She is excited to be a part of the IFLG Team helping families realize their dreams.
Sunny joined IFLG as a paralegal in 2017, where she manages surrogacy, egg donation and parental establishment cases for many of IFLG’s international clients. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from California State University of Los Angeles, where she graduated cum laude. Sunny is bilingual in English and Mandarin and has extensive experience as a legal assistant and paralegal at Los Angeles-area law firms. She is excited to be part of the IFLG team. In her spare time, Sunny enjoys spending time with her family and their dog, going to the beach, cooking, and being outdoors.
5757 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 645
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: +1 323 331 9343
Email: info@iflg.net
Website: www.iflg.net
501 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1900
New York, NY 10017
Phone: +1 844 400 2016
Email: info@iflg.net
Website: www.iflg.net
Fertility law attorney Molly O’Brien began working in the field of assisted reproduction technology (ART) in 2005, at an egg donation agency and a surrogacy agency where she became familiar with all aspects of in-vitro fertilization, egg donation and the financial aspects of surrogacy. Since becoming an attorney in 2011, Molly has drafted and negotiated surrogacy, egg donation, sperm donation embryo donation agreements for hundreds of her clients all over the world.
Rubina has an extensive background in the legal field as a paralegal in Family Law and has worked in surrogacy and assisted reproduction law since 2012. Her area of focus is in managing and assisting clients with surrogacy, egg donation, and parental establishment cases for many of IFLG’s domestic and international clients. During her spare time, Rubina enjoys spending time with her family and dog Bella, traveling and cooking.
After receiving her paralegal certificate in 2005, Cara began working in assisted reproductive law. During the fifteen years Cara has worked in this field, she has gained a wide range of experience and knowledge that she uses to help better assist clients and those involved in the assisted reproductive journey. Cara’s primary roles involve managing parental establishment matters and coordination with IFLG’s Of Counsel attorney network, drafting contracts and parental establishment court documents and providing support to other team members. Cara finds great joy in being a small part of a team of caring people who help others achieve their dream of having a family. In her spare time, Cara enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, watching her children play the sports they love, and she enjoys, running, cycling and exploring the outdoors in the sun.
Stephanie received her BS in History and Political Thought from Concordia University Irvine in 2015 and her Paralegal Certificate from University of San Diego later that same year. She has been working as a Paralegal since 2016 in Family and Reproductive Law. She is excited to be part of International Fertility Law Group working on managing Surrogacy, Egg donation and Parental Establishment Cases.
With more than 20 years of experience in the field of accounting, Trish joined the IFLG team in 2019 as Assistant Financial Coordinator. Her client-facing focus at IFLG is to assist with all client trust accounting. Trish is the mother of two daughters and enjoys spending time teaching and learning new things from them. In her free time, she loves long walks in the park and reading suspense and mystery novels.
Elsa joined IFLG as a Legal Assistant in 2019, bringing more than 35 years of experience working in the legal profession (concentrating in tort and litigation matters). At IFLG she assists surrogates with their surrogacy and parental matters. The oldest of five siblings, born and raised in East Los Angeles to Mexican immigrant parents, Elsa loves “seeing the beauty of families forming” through assisted reproductive technology. She and her husband Carlos have four children and one grandson. Elsa enjoys jazz and ’80s music, being outdoors in nature, collecting teacups and tea pots, and spending time with her close-knit family.
