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Law & Policy Timeline: Fertility & Family Law & Genomics

Since 2008, Louisa Ghevaert has pioneered fertility and family law and cases with a genetic aspect for modern families in Britain. Louisa has also helped to shape and improve fertility, family and genomic law, policy and practice in the UK for fertility patients, donors, surrogates, parents, children and modern families.

Family Picture

2024

Continuing into 2024, since February 2023, Louisa Ghevaert has been a member of the Advisory Board for the international Expanded Carrier Screening Research Project led by Dr Cathy Herbrand at De Montfort University, Leicester together with Professor Nicky Hudson at De Montfort University, Professor Pascal Borry at the University of Leuven, Professor Bronwyn Parry at King’s College London and Professor Zosia Miedzybrodzka at the University of Aberdeen entitled, “Reproduction in the age of genomic medicine: the emergence , commercialisation and implications of preconception expanded carrier screening (ECS)”.

Egg and Sperm

On 7 February 2024 Louisa Ghevaert attended Progress Educational Trust’s informative event on the HFEA’s new IVF ‘Add-Ons’ ratings system entitled “IVF Add-Ons: How Should We Score the HFEA’s New Ratings System?”. It looked at the development, understanding, evidence and use of IVF ‘Add-Ons’.

On 22 February 2024 Louisa Ghevaert delivers a webinar hosted by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) entitled “Surrogacy: What Do Midwives Need To Know?” to ensure midwives are aware of the current framework around surrogacy in the UK, and proposed changes, to enable them to provide appropriate care and support.

2023

Louisa Ghevaert attends the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing held at the Francis Crick Institute, London (6 – 8 March 2023), organised by the Royal Society, the UK Academy of Medical Sciences, the US National Academies of Sciences and Medicine and the World Academy of Sciences. The Summit facilitated a global discussion on somatic and germline genome editing, including developments in clinical trials and genome editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9.

Louisa Ghevaert attends The Surrogacy Network (20 April 2023) in London to hear from The Law Commission on their proposals for surrogacy law reform in the UK and participate in the debate on the future practice of surrogacy and how to improve the pathway to parenthood for parents, children and families.

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Louisa Ghevaert attends the American Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) Huntingdon Beach, California, Annual Conference (30 April – 2 May 2023); which offered a full programme of legal sessions addressing current issues across the adoption and assisted reproduction sectors. This included a legislative update, covering the last year since the US Supreme Court delivered its regressive decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health [2022]. sessions on the US Constitution and Federal Respect for marriage, the future of three or more parent families through adoption and assisted reproductive technology, malpractice, professional responsibility and ethics and disparity in healthcare, fertility fraud and “Donor Fraud Legislation”.

Louisa Ghevaert as delighted to attend and join the debate at the 2nd International Surrogacy Forum from 8 -9 June 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The theme of the Forum was “Global surrogacy in a changing world – ethical. practical and legal developments in assisted reproduction and cross-border parenthood”.

Scales of Justice

Louisa Ghevaert attended Decoding the Future of Women 2023, a health tech conference, on 12 June 2023 during London Tech Week. Its mission was to positively change the FemTech sector by re-framing the narrative and addressing key issues and themes. What does the future hold for women? What does future fertility, longevity, scientific discovery and sustainability look like?

BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour “Listener Week: Psychedelics, Peripheral friendship, Posthumous Conception, Beach Guardian”. Louisa Ghevaert joins presenter Anita Rani and parent Lauren McGregor to discuss the legalities of posthumous conception (24 August 2023). Read more here.

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Louisa Ghevaert is an invited expert speaker at the British Fertility Society’s Study Week Creating Modern Families Module on 12 September 2023. This addresses the legal aspects of surrogacy and provides a surrogacy law and policy update for clinicians, nurses and specialists across the fertility sector.

Louisa Ghevaert attends and joins the debate at Genomics England Research Summit 2023 at the London Design Centre in London on 19 September 2023. It brought together the genomics community to continue to advance research and drive forward much-needed healthcare benefits and genomic medicine for patients, parents, children and families.

Louisa Ghevaert attends Public Policy Projects Global Genomics Conference 2023 (9 November 2023), which explored the complex issues and challenges associated with realising the benefits of genomic sequencing both in the UK and globally, as well as the benefits of collaboration across sectors, among organisations, between countries and international diplomacy. Importantly. it also focused on the need for ensuring diversity and equity across the genomic ecosystem.

Louisa Ghevaert joins the debate about fertility, embryo and surrogacy law reform in the UK at Progress Educational Trust’s AGM 2023 on 6 December 2023 entitled “How Much Change Do We Want? Updating Fertility Embryo And Surrogacy Law”. 

2022

2017 – 2022, Louisa Ghevaert  was a member of the international Egg Donation Stakeholder Advisory Group (EDNA) led by De Montfort University concerned with the future landscape of egg donation policy in the UK and Europe. In this capacity, Louisa attended the EDNA study end of project webinar “From scarcity to sisterhood: exploring the complexities of egg donation in Europe” (10 May 2022).

Sperm and Egg

Louisa highlights the ongoing vulnerability of surrogate-born children with questions over their legal parentage as seen in the case of Re X, Y and Z (Children: Parental Orders: Time Limit) [2022] and calls for international surrogacy law reform to prevent more surrogate born children and their intended parents falling victim to complex international conflicts of law (BioNews comment piece International Surrogacy Law: existing conflicts unresolved, (14 March 2022). Louisa Ghevaert acted for the intended parents in Re X, Y and Z (Children: Parental Orders: Time Limit) [2022]).

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Louisa is an invited expert speaker at the British Fertility Society’s Study Week 2022 addressing the legal aspects of surrogacy and providing a surrogacy law and policy update as part of its annual Creating Modern Families Module for clinicians, nurses and specialists across the fertility sector.

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Louisa publishes an article in Family Law entitled Challenges in international surrogacy arrangements”, (4 April 2022). The article looks at the international surrogacy law case of Re X, Y and Z (Children: Parental Orders: Time Limit) [2022] EWHC198 (Fam) in which Louisa successfully obtained parental orders for the intended parents in the English High Court for their 3 US surrogate born children. Louisa highlights that Re X serves as a reminder that international surrogacy is not risk free and that the lack of international harmonisation of surrogacy law can leave surrogate born children with ‘limping legal parentage’ and even at risk of deportation.

Louisa calls for fertility law reform in the UK “Undergoing Fertility Treatment in the Workplace and Fertility Law Reform”, (29 April 2022). In doing so, Louisa addresses the legal difficulties workers encounter in the workplace whilst undergoing fertility treatment and measures to better protect workers and improve workplace culture.

Louisa attends Progress Educational Trust’s (PET) 30th birthday party at The Royal Society of Medicine in London (22 June 2022), sponsored by Ferring Pharmaceuticals and with speeches by Baroness Ruth Deech DBE, Professor Robin Lovell-Badge CBE and PET Director Sarah Norcross. The event celebrated PET’s work over the last 30 years informing and helping to shape public, patient, professional and policy debate about fertility, genomics and embryo research through its regular programme of expert-led events and its weekly newsletter.

Egg and Sperm

Louisa highlights the importance of identity, status and parentage and the re-registration of birth certificates to provide properly maintained records not just for the benefit of individuals but for the public as well as seen in the case of X v Y [2022] EWFC 77. Louisa Ghevaert acted for the applicant in the case of X v Y [2022] EWFC 77, successfully obtaining a Declaration of Parentage following an ancestry website search, complex issues associated with DNA testing and a 35-year quest to find the applicant’s biological father. “Declaration of parentage: the importance of identity, status and birth certificates” (19 July 2022).

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Louisa Ghevaert attends Illumina’s Inaugural Genomics Forum 2022. This groundbreaking event in San Diego, USA, from 28 September – 1 October 2022 gathered together global leaders from across the genomics, healthcare, scientific, technology, data and policy sectors to advance and improve genomic healthcare, with spotlight speeches by former US President Barack Obama and Bill Gates. You can read more in Louisa’s blog “Illumina Genomics Forum 2022: A Conversation with Former US President Barack Obama”.

Louisa visits Oxford University Nuffield Department of Population Health for a “Conversation with Professor Sir Rory Collins Chief Executive of UK Biobank” (26 October 2022) to discuss the ways UK Biobank is helping to transform our future health and family life.

Louisa Ghevaert was delighted to attend and join the debate addressing global reproductive issues and access to fertility care at Progress Educational Trust’s 2022 AGM “Making Fertility Treatment Fair: Equality in Access, Equality in Outcome?” (7 December 2022). Speakers included Professor Dame Lesley Regan Women’s Health Ambassador for England, Julia Chain, Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and Dr Gitau Mburu Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO).

Egg and Sperm

2021

Louisa discusses single parent surrogacy and calls for wider surrogacy law reform in a Times Radio interview with John Pienaar Drive (Louisa Ghevaert Associates’ blog, 28 January 2021).

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Louisa is an expert speaker at The British Fertility Society’s Virtual Study Week 2021, receiving 100% positive feedback to the BFS for her session addressing the legal aspects of surrogacy and re-joins the expert speaker panel as part of its annual Creating Modern Families Day module.

Louisa calls for genomic and fertility law reform in the UK and internationally and publishes an article entitled “Why we need genomic and fertility law reform part v” (dated 22 May 2021). The article addresses the need for law reform with reference to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and genomic governance internationally and in the UK, including calls for a new UK Ministry for Genomics and Fertility, with a dedicated Minister providing unified future direction for the fertility sector.

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Louisa publishes an article entitled “Human genome editing in a fertility context: The World Health Organization’s framework for governance of human genome editing” (dated 29 July 2021). The article look at the World Health Organization’s finalised recommendations for global governance and regulation of human genome editing technology.

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Louisa calls for change in workplace culture and policies to overcome discrimination experienced by working women undergoing fertility treatment and IVF (Mail Online, dated 5 August 2021).

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Louisa Ghevaert provides an updated specialist chapter on surrogacy law to leading practitioner reference book “The International Family Law Practice” (Sixth Edition, 2021), used by solicitors, barristers, judiciary and academics.

Louisa features in a BBC World Service: Business Daily broadcast “The economics of older mums” and highlights structural problems with workplace law affecting fertility patients and prospective parents, as well as a lack of international harmonisation of fertility law (12 October 2021).

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2020

Louisa calls for fertility and wider law reform in the UK and internationally and publishes an article entitled “Why we need fertility and wider law reform part II” (dated 15 January 2020). The article addresses the need for law reform with reference to a number of issues including: personal genomic information, evolving political situation, economy, business and wealth, advances in IT, science and medicine, fertility treatment and reproductive legacy.

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BBC Radio 5 Live interview with Louisa Ghevaert on law, policy and wider issues associated with proposals to harvest dead men’s sperm for posthumous conception in the UK to tackle UK shortfalls in donor sperm (Louisa Ghevaert Associates’ blog, 25 January 2020).

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BBC Radio 5 Live interview with Louisa Ghevaert on proposals to lift advertising restrictions on surrogacy in the UK and wider surrogacy law reform by The Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission (Louisa Ghevaert Associates’ blog, 29 January 2020).

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Louisa attends the international Egg Donation Stakeholder Advisory Group (EDNA) meeting led by De Montfort University concerned with the future landscape of egg donation policy in the UK and Europe on 11 February 2020.

New apple podcast entitled “Fertility law for modern families with Louisa Ghevaert” in collaboration with osteopath, doula and zero-balancer Avni Trivedi, founder of Avni Touch, in which Louisa calls for fertility law reform and  covers a range of issues including: the link between technological advances and increasing legal complexity of fertility treatment and family building, genetic testing and significance and management of genomic information, law and policy surrounding gender selection, current and future trends in the fertility sector, the increasing role of genomic science and medicine and the value of expert fertility and family law advice (26 February 2020).

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In a comment piece in BioNews entitled “The UK Supreme Court awards damages for commercial surrogacy” (6 April 2020), Louisa addresses the law and public policy significance of a landmark ruling of the UK Supreme Court granting damages for commercial surrogacy on 1 April 2020 (Louisa was instructed to provide expert advice on surrogacy, donor conception and fertility treatment law and policy in the case). Louisa also calls for the establishment of an expert advisory committee (‘Warnock 2020’) and a dedicated Ministry for Genomics and Fertility to bring about fertility and wider law reform.

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Louisa is an expert speaker at The British Fertility Society’s Study Week 2020 and re-joins the expert speaker panel as part of its annual Modern Families Day on 15 June 2020, delivering a session addressing the legal aspects of surrogacy.

Pregnant mum

Louisa calls for fertility and wider law reform in the UK and internationally and publishes an article entitled “Why we need fertility and wider law reform part III” (dated 17 July 2020). The article addresses the need for law reform in light of declining fertility levels, fallout from the Covid-19 global pandemic, changing geopolitics and the intensification of genomic, digital and AI technology revolutions.

Louisa features in an article in Above The Law entitled “There’s A Zipcode Lottery When It Comes To Access To IVF” (dated 2 September 2020). Louisa calls for reform of the IVF NHS Postcode Lottery and the establishment of a Ministry for Fertility and a continuous top-level multidisciplinary strategy group made up of strategic thinkers outside of the elected political elite to drive change and innovation, as well as identify and mitigate risk with joined up thinking between the technology, science, healthcare, fertility, education, economic and other sectors.

Egg and Sperm

Louisa publishes a discussion paper “Human gene editing: from evolution to revolution? Why we need fertility and wider law reform part IV” (10 September 2020) in response to the publication of The International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing on 3 September 2020. Louisa explains that the International Commission’s report represents a missed opportunity to expand and shift its paradigm and assess human gene editing technology (heritable and non-heritable) in an integrated context that takes wider account of the ongoing rapidly evolving digital, artificial intelligence, genomic, science, epigenetic and human reproductive revolutions and explains why we need wider fertility and law reform.

Louisa publishes a discussion paper “Human Genome Editing: World Health Organization and Global Governance” (22 September 2020) in response to the publication of draft recommendations for global governance by the WHO’s Expert Advisory Committee on Human  Genome Editing.  Louisa explains that  it has yet to adequately address the implications of rapidly evolving geopolitical and biopolitical considerations at play and as it stands, it is constrained by a healthcare and fertility paradigm.

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In a comment piece in BioNews on 19 October 2020 entitled “New National Genomic Healthcare Strategy, Genome UK: does it go far enough?” Louisa explains that the UK government’s new genomic healthcare strategy doesn’t go far enough in repositioning future healthcare strategy, policy and practice. She explains that by not fully articulating and integrating human reproduction and fertility treatment into future genomic healthcare strategy, it doesn’t represent a truly cohesive approach; it needs to encompass the whole fertility continuum from pre-conception through to birth and future genetic legacy.

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Podcast interview “The Intricacies of Fertility Preservation” (17 December 2020) with Louisa Ghevaert and Eloise Edington founder of leading fertility lifestyle platform Fertility Help Hub. Louisa discusses why people preserve their fertility, how demand for fertility preservation has increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact on family building and the fertility treatment sector, as well as the legal implications and need for fertility law reform in the UK (also available on podcast apps Apple, Spotify and Soundcloud).

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2019

Louisa attends the Public Policy Projects (PPP) breakfast meeting at The Law Society in London where Professor Lord Robert Winston delivers a keynote speech on the future of fertility policy in light of the genomics revolution. Louisa calls for a root and branch overhaul of law and policy in the UK to ensure its fit for purpose in view of rapid advancements in medicine, science and technology and publishes an article entitled “The future of fertility policy in the context of the genomics revolution” (April 2019).

Launch of specialist law firm Louisa Ghevaert Associates to meet the growing need for specialist fertility and family law services in Britain (April 2019).

Louisa joins the panel of expert speakers at The British Fertility Society’s Modern Families Day 2019 and delivers a lecture looking at law and policy issues concerning surrogacy, fertility preservation and posthumous conception (June 2019).

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Louisa attends the Law Commission of England and Wales’ Roadshow on Surrogacy Law Reform at Exeter University to debate the future of surrogacy law and policy in the UK (19 July 2019).

Pregnant mum

Louisa publishes an Article in The Review Magazine entitled “Do the law Commission’s surrogacy proposals really face the future?” in which she calls for wider reform of fertility law and policy in the UK (July/August 2019).

Louisa joins the Expert UK Surrogacy Consultation in London to help develop international Principles for the protection of the rights of the child in the context of surrogacy organised by Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB), British Association of Social Workers (BASW), the BASW Project Group on Assisted Reproduction (PROGAR) and International Social Service (ISS), (13 and 14 September 2019).

Egg and Sperm

Louisa joins the panel of expert speakers at LaingBuisson’s Fertility Forum 2019 in London and delivers a session on the future legal and regulatory landscape for fertility treatment in the context of the genomic revolution and calls for fertility law reform (1 November 2019) and publishes an article “Perspectives on Fertility Forum 2019” (5 November 2019).

Louisa calls for fertility law reform and publishes an article in BioNews entitled “Why we need root and branch fertility law reform” and a longer blog article entitled “Why we need fertility law reform: the paradigm shift”, (25 November 2019)

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Louisa attends the Progress Educational Trust conference “A Realistic Look at Assisted Reproduction” in London and joined the debate addressing key issues affecting fertility treatment in the UK and globally (4 December 2019).

2018

Louisa features in The Lawyer Hot 100 List 2018 as a top litigator for her groundbreaking fertility and modern family law practice, which recognises her as ‘an influential figure’ at a law and policy making level (January 2018).

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Successful representation by Louisa of an intended mother in complex international contested assisted reproduction and modern family law proceedings in the High Court concerning 2 surrogate born children, AB v CD, EF, GH & IL [2018] EWHC 1590 (Fam). This case marks a legal first in the treatment of blended families in the UK following assisted reproduction, divorce, re-marriage, serious allegations of domestic violence and abuse as well as the legal status and identity of two surrogate born children, their biological, intended and social parents and arrangements for the children’s care and upbringing (April 2018) and publishes an article about the case in Family Law entitled “Anything but child’s play: surrogacy and thorny issues of identity, parenthood and status in modern families” (September 2018).

Louisa joins the expert panel of speakers at the British Fertility Society Modern Families Day, London, and delivers a lecture on surrogacy law and policy in Britain (June 2018).

Louisa was part of the wife’s legal team and secured a landmark legal ruling in The Court of Protection to extract and store the sperm of a fatally injured man for his wife’s use in posthumous fertility treatment. This followed a catastrophic injury whilst in the early stages of fertility treatment. This case, Y v A Healthcare NHS Trust & The HFEA & Z (by his litigation friend, The Official Solicitor) [2018] EWCOP 18, represents a unique and important legal ruling on posthumous conception in the UK that individual fertility and reproductive legacy can warrant protection in appropriate circumstances, featured in The Independent (13 July 2018) and The Times (14 July 2018).

Egg and Sperm

Article in BioNews (3 September 2018) by Louisa on the significance of fertility in which she calls for better education and understanding of fertility preservation in Britain.

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Article published by Louisa in lifestyle magazine Female First about fertility preservation in which she calls for better understanding and take-up of specialist fertility and family law advice in Britain(7 September 2018).

Article published by Louisa in The Times on posthumous conception law and policy in the UK in which she calls for intervention by the HFEA entitled “Was it legal to create a grandson with a dead man’s sperm?” (13 September 2018). 

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Provision of expert evidence by Louisa in parliament on surrogacy law reform to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Surrogacy (APPG on Surrogacy) led by Andrew Percy MP (November 2018).

Pregnant mum

Provision of expert evidence by Louisa on fertility and surrogacy law in complex medical negligence proceedings tested in the Court of Appeal, XX v Whittington Hospital NHS Trust [2018] EWCA Civ 2832. For the first time, the Court of Appeal awarded damages for the costs of fertility treatment and commercial surrogacy in California for a woman rendered infertile and unable to carry a pregnancy following a delay in detecting cancer in smear tests and biopsies. The case featured in The Telegraph 19 December 2018 and The Times, The Telegraph, The Mail Online and The Mirror on 27 January 2019.

2017

Louisa publishes an article on fertility law and policy implications of 3-person IVF in Family Law (January 2017).

Egg and Sperm

Louisa is quoted in The Telegraph on growing demand for surrogacy in the UK (March 2017).

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Louisa is quoted in The Economist on surrogacy law and policy and growing global demand for surrogacy and assisted reproduction (May 2017).

The Economist

Louisa joins the expert panel of speakers at the British Fertility Society’s Modern Families Day, London, and delivers a lecture on surrogacy and fertility treatment law and policy in Britain (June 2017).

Provision of expert evidence by Louisa on fertility and surrogacy law in complex medical negligence proceedings in the High Court, XX v Whittington Hospital NHS Trust [2017] EWHC 2318 (QB). This was instrumental in winning the first ever UK damages award for altruistic UK surrogacy and fertility treatment (£74,000) for a woman rendered infertile and unable to carry a pregnancy following a delay in detecting cancer in smear tests and biopsies. This case created a new ‘fertility head of claim’ and marks the cross-section of fertility, family and medical negligence law in the UK.

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Specialist contribution on surrogacy law by Louisa to leading practitioner textbook “International Family Law Practice” (Fifth Edition, 2016-17), used by solicitors, barristers, judiciary and academics.

International Family Law Practice Fifth Edition

2016

Lecture by Louisa at the British Fertility Society’s Alternative Parenting Day, London, on surrogacy law and policy in Britain (June 2016).

Louisa is interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour on Indian Surrogacy Law Reform and surrogacy policy (20 September 2016). 

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Louisa quoted in The Daily Mail calling for reform of surrogacy law and policy in the UK (November 2016).

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Louisa successfully obtained a declaration of parentage in the High Court for a woman in a same-sex relationship for a child conceived through fertility treatment at a UK fertility clinic,In the matter of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (Case V) [2016] EWHC 2356 (Fam). The HFEA Consent Form WP was missing from the clinic file. The case for the first time gave guidance on the practice of making interim costs orders in favour of patients to fund litigation and secure access to justice following errors by UK fertility clinics in the completion of consent forms.

Juggling Child

2015

Louisa was interviewed on BBC World Service ‘Have Your Say’ on international surrogacy, policy and law reform (20 February 2015).

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Louisa is quoted on the complexity of surrogacy law in The Independent as ‘a leading UK surrogacy lawyer and family law expert’ (March 2015).

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Louisa becomes a co-author of medical textbook “Reducing Risk in Fertility Treatment” (First Edition, April 2015), addressing complex fertility treatment and modern family law for medical clinicians treating fertility patients at UK fertility clinics. 

Louisa is quoted in The Guardian on surrogacy law and policy reform in the UK.

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Publication by Louisa of an article in The Times entitled “Surrogacy in the UK; time for legal reform?” (26 November 2015). 

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2014

Representation by Louisa of an intended father in a high profile complex UK surrogacy dispute in the High Court, JP v LP & Ors [2014] EWHC 595 (Fam). For the first time, this established a legal framework for cases where the legal criteria for a parental order cannot be met, including use of the Court’s inherent power of wardship and featured on BBC News and The Telegraph (6 March 2014) and Daily Mail (5 March 2014) and BioNews (17 March 2014)

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Louisa features in New Law Journal as an ‘award winning and leading fertility and family law expert’ and calls for greater diversity and more women to take senior roles in the legal profession (September 2014).

Louisa is interviewed on BBC Radio Berkshire about the IVF postcode lottery and legal challenge against The Secretary of State for Health (December 2014).

2014 -2018 Louisa was a member of the Surrogacy UK Working Party on Surrogacy Law Reform and contributor to its first-of-its-kind report on surrogacy in the UK entitled “Myth busting and reform” (2015). This informed parliamentary debate on surrogacy law reform and policy in The House of Lords in December 2016 and ongoing work by The Law Commission in England and Wales on surrogacy law reform.

2013

Provision of expert evidence by Louisa to The Hague on UK and international surrogacy law and policy.

Louisa features in a documentary series on Chinese state television about UK medical, fertility treatment and assisted reproduction law, policy and practice entitled “What You Didn’t Know About The West: Healthcare”.

Louisa interviewed on BBC Radio Berkshire with Professor Robert Winston about new IVF treatment guidelines for PCTs (20 February 2013).

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Successful litigation by Louisa of an international parental order application following a Californian (USA) commercial surrogacy arrangement,Re C [2013] EWHC 2408 (Fam). This case redefined the English High Court’s approach to the authorisation of commercial payments in view of the UK public policy restriction against commercial surrogacy.

Louisa was shortlisted by Jordans Family Law Awards 2013 in the category of Most Innovative Family Lawyer of the Year.

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Louisa’s specialist fertility and family law practice was Highly Commended at The Law Society Excellence Awards in the category of Business Development and Innovation.

Two Dads One Mum

2012

Legal representation by Louisa of 24 year-old Andrea Heywood in a high profile case against her local health authority for age discrimination following its refusal to grant her IVF funding on the NHS for being too young, featured in The Daily Mail (4 June 2012) and The Independent (5 June 2012).

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Publication by Louisa of an article in BioNews (2 July 2012) calling for national reform of law and policy for IVF funding on the NHS, following her correspondence with The Secretary of State for Health in December 2011, which called for investigation and review of Portsmouth City PCT’s IVF funding policy over publicized cases of Donna and Dean Marshall and Andrea Heywood.

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Provision of expert evidence by Louisa to The Nuffield Council on donor conception law and policy.

Brother and Sister

Louisa featured on Ukrainian State Television providing commentary on UK and international surrogacy law and policy (15 July 2012).

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Louisa features in National Geographic TV Documentary TABOO, series 9, Episode 905 “Strange Passions” on private sperm donation law and policy in the UK and internationally (August 2012)

Louisa delivers a lecture on the impact of age on law and policy for IVF funding on the NHS at The Progress Educational Trust (PET) 2012 annual conference “Fertility Treatment: A Life-Changing Event?” (December 2012)

2011

Louisa was interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour on the ethics of paying for surrogacy (19 January 2011), on BBC Radio 4 Today programme on surrogacy law reform (21 January 2011) and on BBC Breakfast TV on surrogacy in the UK with well known UK surrogate Jill Hawkins (23 January 2011).

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Publication by Louisa of an article in BioNews about the legal challenges of progressive global regulation of IVF, donor conception and surrogacy (4 July 2011).

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Legal representation by Louisa of Donna and Dean Marshall, helping them win a rare high profile legal case against their PCT for IVF funding on the NHS against their local health authority, featured in The Telegraph and BBC South Today (20 December 2011) and Portsmouth News (21 December 2011).

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2010

Publication of an article in BioNews on groundbreaking changes to donation law and policy in the UK enabling 2 women to register as parents on a child’s birth certificate (April 2010).

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Louisa calls for reform of surrogacy law in the UK and is quoted by The Independent as ‘a leading expert in surrogacy and fertility law” (May 2010).

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Louisa is quoted in The Telegraph on law and policy around private sperm donor websites in the UK (September 2010).

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Louisa successfully obtained a parental order for British parents following a commercial US surrogacy arrangement, Re L (a minor) [2010] EWHC 3146 (Fam) and featured in The Telegraph (8 December 2010). This case marked a legal watershed ruling for the first time that the welfare of the child is decisive over the public policy ban on commercial surrogacy in the UK except in the clearest cases of abuse of public policy.

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2009

Publication by Louisa of an article in BioNews calling for reform of surrogacy law and policy in the UK (January 2009).

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Submission by Louisa of written evidence as an expert adviser to the HFEA’s Ethics and Law Advisory Committee, and provided detailed legal comment to the Department of Health’s 2009 consultation on proposed draft surrogacy regulations, which won changes to the law on nationality in international surrogacy cases.

Acted for Melanie and Robert Gladwin, helping them save their frozen embryos from destruction and winning a high profile last minute change to embryo storage law, for which Louisa was named The Times Lawyer of The Week (1 October 2009).

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Scales of Justice

2008

Louisa was a member of the stakeholders’ Parliamentary strategy group concerned with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 and its associated regulations, and lobbied for legal changes on a diverse range of issues, including surrogacy and embryo storage.

Successful litigation by Louisa of  the first international commercial surrogacy case through the English High Court, Re X and Y (foreign surrogacy) [2008] EWHC 3030 (Fam). This was the first case in UK legal history to test the law for British parents conceiving through an international (Ukrainian) commercial surrogacy arrangement.

Pregnant mum