Surrogacy & Adoption Lawyer
Helping you become a parent through surrogacy and adoption.
Clear, personal legal guidance for intended parents, surrogates, and donors — across California and worldwide.
A lawyer who trained in medicine before the law.
Founding attorney Maya Shulman studied medicine before earning her law degree — so the clinical side of your journey, from screenings and medical evaluations to embryo and donor protocols, is as familiar to her as the contracts and parentage orders. It’s a rare combination, and it’s why intended parents, surrogates, and donors trust Shulman Family Law Group with what matters most.
Your Family. Legally Protected.
Where does your story begin?
For intended parents and gestational carriers, we draft and negotiate surrogacy agreements and secure pre-birth and parentage orders under California law — for private and agency arrangements, domestic and international. We also review the agency and clinic contracts and consent forms you’re asked to sign, so nothing is agreed to before it’s properly understood. This includes matters that involve IVF and embryo transfer.
Egg donation involves retrieval, compensation, and future parentage — all of which need to be settled in writing first. We draft and negotiate egg donor agreements for known and anonymous donors that establish intended parentage and protect both the donor and the intended parents.
Sperm donation — whether through a clinic or a known donor — raises questions of parentage and donor rights that a clear agreement resolves before conception. We draft sperm donor agreements that define everyone’s role and secure the intended parents’ rights.
Embryo donation transfers existing embryos from one family to another, and requires careful relinquishment and parentage terms. We handle embryo donation and disposition agreements so the transfer is legally sound and every party’s intentions are honored.
Adoption for birth parents, adoptive families, LGBTQ+ and single parents. We guide you from consultation through finalization under California law, making sure every legal step is properly structured and enforceable.
Personal, discreet, and deeply experienced
Every family’s situation is different, and every one is handled personally. Maya Shulman is admitted to practice in California, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C., and before the U.S. Supreme Court. She is a Preferred Provider for MetLife Legal Plans, a member of Men Having Babies, an adjunct professor at UWLA School of Law, and a recipient of the University of West Los Angeles Honorary Doctor of Laws. Your matter is kept in strict confidence, from first call to final order.
Ready to begin your story?
Schedule a free consultation or reach out however works best for you.
Book a consultation: Schedule online
Call: 818-222-0010
Email: nrivas@sflg.us
Send a message: Contact form
Offices in Calabasas and Santa Barbara, serving clients across California and worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Shulman Family Law Group located?
The firm has offices in Calabasas and Santa Barbara, California, and works with clients throughout the United States and internationally.
What languages does the firm offer?
Services are available in English and Russian.
Does the firm work with international intended parents?
Yes, for surrogacy. The firm regularly represents international intended parents in cross-border surrogacy matters. Adoption services are focused on California.
Does the firm work with LGBTQ+ and single parents?
Yes. Shulman Family Law Group serves LGBTQ+ and single parents and is a member of the LGBTQ+ Bar and Men Having Babies.
What makes the firm different from a high-volume practice?
It is a boutique firm, so every client works directly with founding attorney Maya Shulman, who trained in medicine before law and understands both the clinical and legal sides of assisted reproduction.
Does the firm accept MetLife Legal Plans?
Yes. Maya Shulman is a Preferred Provider for MetLife Legal Plans.