Surrogacy and adoption lawyers guide intended parents through agreements, court orders and parentage.
firms
28
regions
16
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Surrogacy is legal in Australia only on an altruistic basis, and each state has its own laws about agreements, independent legal advice and parentage orders. Commercial surrogacy is illegal in Australia and in some states even when arranged overseas. Adoption is governed by state law and involves the relevant government department.
Why surrogacy & adoption matters
Surrogacy and adoption create lifelong legal relationships. Getting the process right protects the child, the intended parents and the birth parents.
The Australian context
Only altruistic surrogacy is legal in Australia, and each state regulates it separately, including requirements for counselling and independent legal advice. Parentage orders transfer legal parentage after birth. Adoption is managed by state government departments and courts.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(60)Google rating from 60 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Top rated4.8★ or higher from at least 50 Google reviews
Mullins Lawyers provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Mandurah, WA · Perth South
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(59)Google rating from 59 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Ds Family Law provides legal services in Mandurah, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, International Family Law & Hague Abduction and Parenting & Child Custody.
Family Law+7 moreInternational Family Law & Hague Abduction · Parenting & Child Custody · De Facto Relationships · Divorce & Separation · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · Property & Conveyancing · Surrogacy & Adoption
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
East Perth, WA · Perth North
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(54)Google rating from 54 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Ds Family Law provides legal services in East Perth, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, International Family Law & Hague Abduction and Parenting & Child Custody.
Family Law+7 moreInternational Family Law & Hague Abduction · Parenting & Child Custody · Property & Conveyancing · De Facto Relationships · Divorce & Separation · Surrogacy & Adoption · Mediation & Dispute ResolutionFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Kalgoorlie, WA · Goldfields-Esperance
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(54)Google rating from 54 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Ds Family Law provides legal services in Kalgoorlie, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, International Family Law & Hague Abduction and Parenting & Child Custody.
Family Law+7 moreInternational Family Law & Hague Abduction · Parenting & Child Custody · Property & Conveyancing · De Facto Relationships · Divorce & Separation · Surrogacy & Adoption · Mediation & Dispute ResolutionFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
North Adelaide, SA · Adelaide CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.5(42)Google rating from 42 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Resolve Divorce provides legal services in North Adelaide, SA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Partner & Family Visas.
Family Law+6 moreDivorce & Separation · Partner & Family Visas · Binding Financial Agreements · Parenting & Child Custody · Surrogacy & Adoption · Property & ConveyancingFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Newcastle, NSW · Newcastle & Hunter
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(30)Google rating from 30 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
The Family Law Co. provides legal services in Newcastle, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Planning & Environment and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Cleveland, QLD · Brisbane South & Logan
★★★★★★★★★★4.5(25)Google rating from 25 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Cherry Family Lawyers Pty Ltd provides legal services in Cleveland, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Surrogacy & Adoption and Parenting & Child Custody.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Midland, WA · Perth East
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(25)Google rating from 25 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Ds Family Law provides legal services in Midland, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, International Family Law & Hague Abduction and Parenting & Child Custody.
Family Law+7 moreInternational Family Law & Hague Abduction · Parenting & Child Custody · De Facto Relationships · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · Divorce & Separation · Property & Conveyancing · Surrogacy & Adoption
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Bundall, QLD · Gold Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(20)Google rating from 20 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Quinn Family Law provides legal services in Bundall, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Divorce & Separation.
Family Law+7 moreParenting & Child Custody · Divorce & Separation · Property & Conveyancing · Surrogacy & Adoption · Domestic Violence & AVOs · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Partner & Family VisasFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Mackay, QLD · Mackay & Whitsundays
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(19)Google rating from 19 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Family Lawyers Mackay provides legal services in Mackay, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Binding Financial Agreements and Divorce & Separation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Jannali, NSW · Southern Sydney
★★★★★★★★★★4.5(15)Google rating from 15 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Harriss Jones Lawyers provides legal services in Jannali, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Property & Conveyancing+6 moreWills & Estates · Business & Commercial Law · Surrogacy & Adoption · Planning & Environment · Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts · Family Law
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Albury, NSW · Riverina & Murray
★★★★★★★★★★3.0(5)Google rating from 5 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Robb & Associates Solicitors provides legal services in Albury, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Binding Financial Agreements.
Family Law+6 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Binding Financial Agreements · Family Property Settlement · Surrogacy & Adoption · Divorce & Separation · De Facto Relationships
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Maitland, NSW · Newcastle & Hunter
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(4)Google rating from 4 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
The Family Law Co. provides legal services in Maitland, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Planning & Environment and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Melbourne, VIC · Melbourne CBD
New on GoogleOnly 2 Google reviews so far, not enough for a reliable rating
Mulvany T J & Co provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Wills & Estates and Property & Conveyancing.
Business & Commercial Law+6 moreWills & Estates · Property & Conveyancing · Family Law · Probate & Estate Administration · Surrogacy & Adoption · Litigation & Dispute ResolutionFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Burleigh Heads, QLD · Gold Coast
New on GoogleOnly 1 Google review so far, not enough for a reliable rating
The Family Village provides legal services in Burleigh Heads, QLD. Listed practice areas include Surrogacy & Adoption, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Family Law.
Surrogacy & Adoption+3 moreLitigation & Dispute Resolution · Family Law · Partner & Family Visas
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Noosaville, QLD · Sunshine Coast
Daykin Family Law provides legal services in Noosaville, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Albury, NSW · Riverina & Murray
Pigdon Norgate Family Lawyers Albury provides legal services in Albury, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and De Facto Relationships.
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(36)Google rating from 36 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Sayer Jones provides legal services in Melbourne, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Family Law+7 moreParenting & Child Custody · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Mediation & Dispute Resolution · International Family Law & Hague Abduction · Property & Conveyancing · Surrogacy & Adoption · Domestic Violence & AVOs
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(34)Google rating from 34 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Leach Legal - Family Lawyers Perth provides legal services in Perth, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Family Law+7 moreDivorce & Separation · Property & Conveyancing · Surrogacy & Adoption · Wills & Estates · Parenting & Child Custody · De Facto Relationships · Business & Commercial Law
★★★★★★★★★★4.8(29)Google rating from 29 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Dimocks Family Lawyers provides legal services in Sydney, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Property & Conveyancing.
Identify whether the enquiry concerns a proposed arrangement, consent, parentage or recognition of an existing relationship. State and international connections should be explained before documents are prepared or commitments made.
Ask about the sequence of legal, counselling and other professional steps; a document alone may not complete the process.
How the engagement may progress
01
Explain the relationship history, current arrangements and outcome you want. Identify immediate concerns and provide every existing order or agreement.
02
Discuss negotiation and family dispute resolution. Parenting applications generally involve prior dispute resolution unless an exception applies; ask the lawyer to assess the appropriate process.
03
Ask how an agreement would be documented and implemented. Clarify who handles related transfers, finance and estate-planning work.
Fees and the scope of work
Ask for separate estimates for advice, negotiation, document preparation and court work. A fixed divorce-application fee does not necessarily cover parenting or financial disputes.
Ask for a written scope identifying the work you are authorising, the person responsible and when costs will be reviewed. If you only want advice on one step, say so before the firm begins wider work.
Dates to raise at first contact
Highlight court dates, proposed travel or relocation and any planned property sale. Ask which time limits apply to your particular issues rather than assuming there is one deadline for everything.
Questions to ask a surrogacy & adoption adviser
Which jurisdictions need to be considered?
Who needs independent advice and at which stage?
Will you handle parenting, property and divorce together or separately?
How will you communicate with me safely?
What would change the proposed approach or budget?
Directory guidance updated 19 September 2026. General information to help you prepare for a conversation with a professional; not advice about your individual matter. Check current requirements with the relevant authority.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is commercial surrogacy allowed?
No. Only altruistic surrogacy is legal in Australia, and some states criminalise arranging commercial surrogacy overseas.
How do intended parents become the legal parents?
Through a parentage order from the state court after the birth, if the legal requirements of the surrogacy arrangement were met.
Do I need a lawyer to get divorced?
Not always. A simple divorce application can be filed online without one. It's worth getting advice before you apply if you have children, shared property or superannuation, because divorce starts the clock on time limits for property claims.
How long do I have to settle property after separating?
Married couples generally have 12 months from the date the divorce becomes final. De facto couples generally have two years from separation. After that you need the court's permission, which is not guaranteed.
