Family & Relationships · Perth CBD
2 surrogacy & adoption firms in Perth CBD, Western Australia, including Perth.
2 firms
Perth, WA · Perth CBD
Leach Legal - Family Lawyers Perth provides legal services in Perth, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
DCH Legal Group provides legal services in NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Surrogacy & Adoption.
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.
Surrogacy and adoption create lifelong legal relationships. Getting the process right protects the child, the intended parents and the birth parents.
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.
Understand the next step
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.
When comparing Perth CBD firms, ask about the exact area of Western Australian practice relevant to your matter. For family work, the state’s separate Family Court makes it especially useful to choose a practitioner familiar with the applicable process.
For surrogacy & adoption, ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant WA experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside Perth CBD. Your home address alone does not determine the applicable process.
Explain the relationship history, current arrangements and outcome you want. Identify immediate concerns and provide every existing order or agreement.
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.
Ask how an agreement would be documented and implemented. Clarify who handles related transfers, finance and estate-planning 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.
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.
Western Australia is the only state with its own family court: the Family Court of Western Australia hears parenting and property matters for both married and de facto couples. Other matters start in the Magistrates Court, with the District and Supreme Courts for serious cases, and the State Administrative Tribunal for planning, guardianship and many licensing reviews. Lawyers are admitted and regulated by the Legal Practice Board.
Good to know
No. Only altruistic surrogacy is legal in Australia, and some states criminalise arranging commercial surrogacy overseas.
Through a parentage order from the state court after the birth, if the legal requirements of the surrogacy arrangement were met.
Most matters start in the Magistrates Court. More serious cases go to the District Court or the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Family law matters are heard by the Family Court of Western Australia.
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.
Practising certificates in Western Australia are managed by the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia. You can check a solicitor's status on its public register or by contacting it directly.