Ep 53: Surrogacy with Melissa Brisman, Esq.

Today’s guest is a friend of RMA New York and someone whose name comes up often: attorney Melissa Brisman. Melissa first started helping couples become parents in 1996. Actually, she was her own first client, guiding and directing the process in which she and her husband became parents of twin boys and later a daughter, all carried by a gestational carrier. Attorney Brisman has been instrumental in creating the law in many states regarding naming genetic parents on the original birth certificates of their children delivered via surrogacy. Her expansive knowledge and experience have allowed her to create an agency staff that is prepared to successfully help parents build their families. Melissa is considered a true pioneer in this field, and advocates for changes in the law in this area, lecturing to physicians, potential parents, universities, and lawyers around the world. In this episode, Melissa addresses the fact that New York has recently legalized paid gestational surrogacy, and she explains the nuances and limitations of the law. She also has some advice for both parents and carriers going through this process and she talks through the financial costs and the toll it can take on one’s mental health. What stands out about this interview is Melissa’s practical approach and her emphasis on the importance of patience, gratitude, and kindness. Tune in today!