The Center for Family Formation's Surrogacy and Adoption Attorney Positively Impacts California's Surrogacy Laws

SACRAMENTO, CA, August 15, 2010 (Press-News.org) Today, California's Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 2426, a measure drafted by California Assemblymember Steve Bradford (51-D) with the assistance of Family Formation Law Attorney Twa'Lea A. Jordan.

AB 2426 provides that non-attorney surrogacy facilitators shall direct their clients to place unearned funds into either an attorney-client trust account or an independent licensed and bonded escrow account. The bill is designed to prevent non-licensed agencies from embezzling their clients' funds.

Attorney Jordan is a former California Jesse Marvin Unruh Assembly Fellow, and is the managing attorney for The Center for Family Formation, The Law Offices of Twa'Lea Jordan (www.centerforfamilyformation.com). She is also a United States Veteran and a graduate of the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and California State University, Sacramento. While serving as a fellow, Attorney Jordan immersed herself in the surrogacy laws of California and the surrogacy laws of different countries around the world.

"I have a passion for fertility issues and I knew I wanted to make a difference in how the California surrogacy process is conducted," says Attorney Jordan. "One out of every six families battles some form of infertility. While working in the Capitol, it was devastating to learn that in the past few years, many of these vulnerable families have paid money for assisted reproduction technology services with hopes of expanding their families, only to have their dreams deferred, and in some cases extinguished, due to preventable fraudulent activity."

Families and surrogates that work with licensed California attorneys have built-in financial protections in their agreements and dealings with attorneys due to the California State Bar professional responsibility laws. However, those who work with non-surrogacy facilitators run the risk of being taken advantage of.

"Non-attorney surrogacy facilitators are among the least regulated agencies in California even though they practice within a multi-billion dollar industry," says Attorney Jordan. "Although there is still a lot of work to be done in this area of law, AB 2426 will provide some much needed protection for both intended parents and surrogates who choose to contract with non-attorney surrogacy facilitators."

Twa'Lea A. Jordan is the managing partner of The Law Offices of Twa'Lea A. Jordan. She is also the owner of The Center for Family Formation, a full-service surrogacy and egg donation agency. For further information, please contact us at (916) 972-8512.