Nicola Scott

My Approach

I am a fertility lawyer with 15 years’ experience in this niche and rewarding field. Having found a passion for this specialist area during my law degree in the early 2000s, I went on to dedicate my career to advising on the legal issues arising from surrogacy, donor conception, co-parenting, fertility treatment and adoption.

I am proud to have had my work ranked and recognised by Legal 500, been involved in numerous published High Court cases, written various academic articles and to have been interviewed multiple times in the media on topical cases and debate.

I am known for my personable nature, flexibility in approach and my ability to break down complex legal issues into clear pragmatic solutions. I hope that the genuine care I have for helping create families in non-traditional ways shines through for each and every client I work with.

Area of Expertise

Surrogacy

Including UK and international arrangements – providing both initial and ongoing advice and assistance in applying for and obtaining a parental order (or alternative legal solution).  I can advise intended parents or surrogates.

Donor conception and fertility treatment

Including couples and singles conceiving with donor gametes – providing both initial and ongoing advice, preparing donor agreements and assisting where disputes have arisen.  I can advise recipients or donors.

Co-parenting

Including arrangements between two or more co-parents – providing both initial and ongoing advice, preparing co-parenting agreements and assisting where disputes have arisen.

Adoption

Including adoptions involving a child of the family (i.e. step-parent adoption) and where adoption is necessary as a mechanism to obtain legal parenthood (i.e. following surrogacy) – providing both initial and ongoing advice and assistance in applying for and obtaining an adoption order.

Wills

I prepare Wills for the majority of my clients in order to bridge the legal gaps left by outdated legislation in this area, as well as to provide for their wishes more generally.  It is especially important to consider matters of inheritance and guardianship if you are using surrogacy, fertility treatment or adoption to build your family, or if you have helped another family through surrogacy or donation.

Recent Work

• Representing British parents living overseas to successfully obtain parental orders in two separate High Court applications for their children born via international surrogacy.
• Advising foreign parents on their ability to acquire parental status under English law following a UK surrogacy arrangement.
• Advising a separated (but not yet divorced) client on her ability to register as the sole parent on the birth certificate of her child conceived through fertility treatment.
• Advising a UK surrogate mother on the legal aspects of her planned surrogacy arrangement and assisting her through the parental order process.
• Providing an in-depth expert report for overseas legal proceedings on UK surrogacy law provisions.

Professional Associations & Qualifications

• Qualified as a solicitor in March 2013
• LLB (Hons) Law (Bournemouth University)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (Bournemouth University)
• Ranked by Legal 500