Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP, a leading New York City-based full-service law firm, has expanded its Matrimonial and Family Law practice by focusing added energy on Reproductive Law as one of its specialties. The firm’s Matrimonial, Family & Reproductive Law Group offers comprehensive legal support for individuals using assisted reproductive technologies to start a family.

Alexis L. Cirel, a partner in the firm, is a recognized leader in this quickly evolving area of family law. She was recently appointed to the Campaign Leadership Committee of New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s efforts to pass the Child-Parent Security Act, legislation that would legalize gestational surrogacy in New York, eliminate the need for costly second parent adoptions for families using donor gametes, and ensure protections for all families in the state formed through third party assisted reproduction.

New York State is one of only three in the country that prohibits compensated gestational surrogacy. The state’s laws also fail to clearly define who is a legal parent of a child conceived using assisted reproductive technology.

“Those archaic laws are inimical to New York’s otherwise progressive social and legal landscape and lag far behind judicial trends in recognizing the legal status of alternate family structures,” said Alexis L. Cirel, partner at Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP. “This creates legal uncertainty for the many individuals who rely on assisted reproductive technology to conceive a child, including women with infertility, members of the LGBTQ community, and cancer survivors.”

The Child-Parent Security Act would establish criteria for surrogacy contracts in line with the most advanced industry guidelines and regulation, and provide comprehensive protections for women acting as surrogates, gamete donors, intended parents, and resulting children. The proposed law would enable participants to third party reproduction arrangements to obtain a judgment of parentage that becomes effective at birth and is entitled to Full Faith and Credit.

“Alexis is a leading figure in this area, and we are extremely proud of her advocacy for the Child-Parent Security Act and the benefits it will provide for so many,” said Jeffrey M. Schwartz, founding and managing partner at Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP. “Our firm will continue to support Alexis and clients who are negotiating the difficult process of starting a family.”

“Our firm and clients are extremely fortunate to have Alexis to guide them through the complicated world of reproductive law in New York,” said Alton L. Abramowitz, chair of the Matrimonial, Family & Reproductive Law Group at Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP. “Alexis is deeply committed to providing compassionate and collaborative legal expertise to all clients participating in third party reproduction arrangements as they embark on an exciting but complicated journey to building a family. She has distinguished herself in the field through her advocacy for intended parent and surrogate rights, and through her many efforts to educate both legislators and other attorneys throughout the state on this emerging area of law.”

“Individuals seeking to start a family through reproductive technology in New York State face many serious legal considerations,” said Cirel. “We are uniquely positioned to support clients through the intricacies of this process, helping to provide both greater legal certainty and peace of mind as they build families through assisted reproductive technologies.”

About Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP

Based in New York City, SSRGA is a full-service law firm with practice areas including real estate, real estate development, cooperative and condominium board representation, real estate-related and commercial litigation, health care, matrimonial, family and reproductive law, trusts and estates, not-for-profit, corporate, landlord/tenant, financing, intellectual property, and insurance.