Sarah Jefford (she/her) is a family creation lawyer in Australia, working with surrogacy, donor conception and co-parenting arrangements. Sarah was an IVF mum, egg donor and surrogate, and delivered a baby for two dads in 2018. Sarah lives with her partner and two children in Melbourne, and practises family creation law across Australia. She assists clients in all states, with surrogacy and donor arrangements.
I am currently overseas. For media enquiries, you can contact me by email sarah@sarahjefford.com or WhatsApp +61 400481703.
Sarah was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2023, for services to the law, and her work with the surrogacy community.
Sarah has appeared in various media and at conferences, speaking on the issues of surrogacy law, donor conception and her life as a lawyer and being a a mother, donor and a surrogate.
Downloadable Press Materials:
Details about Sarah’s book, More Than Just A Baby can be found here.
In August 2023, Greek police raided a fertility clinic in Crete, taking custody of babies born via surrogacy, arresting staff and investigating alleged criminal activity at the clinic. Australian intended parents were impacted including those with babies born and embryos in storage. All the news outlets covered the story, including Channel 9. You can read more here.
“We need to talk about surrogacy” – the Sydney Morning Herald published a story about surrogacy law reform in Australia, sharing the views of intended parents, surrogates, an academic, lawyer and a child born via surrogacy.
Sarah appeared on Channel 10’s The Project talking about reforming surrogacy in Australia, alongside Jen and Edwina sharing their story.
Sarah and Lauren Trend appeared on The Memo Masterclass series, and you can view the recording: The Road to Conception for Same-Sex couples.
Sarah was interviewed by her alma mater, the University of New England, about her work in surrogacy law, and her Order of Australia award.
The Sunday Telegraph ran a story about Lisa Messenger’s surrogacy story, with her friend Sarah due with her baby in August 2023.
ABC Tropical North ran a story about the increase in surrogacy in Australia, and profiled four surrogates and our stories: Surrogacy is on the increase in Australia: but agreements can be legally, medically and emotionally complex.
Rebel Wilson welcomed her daughter, Royce, born via surrogacy in November 2022. Sarah spoke to the ABC about surrogacy in Australia and the processes here.
Sarah spoke with the Age journalist Samantha Selinger-Morris about surrogacy and particularly commercial surrogacy and the international options for Australians, after Rebel Wilson announced the birth of her daughter.
Read the full wrap-up of the media interviews about Rebel’s news and surrogacy in Australia.
Sarah was interviewed for Mamamia about her experience as an IVF mum, egg donor and a surrogate: “I had to ask myself if I could give up a baby.” A mum-of-two on her surrogacy journey.
Sarah was a finalist for Thought Leader of the Year for the 2022 Women in Law Awards, run by Lawyers Weekly.
Sarah spoke with Lawyers Weekly in September 2022 about the need for surrogacy law reform: Calls for surrogacy laws to be uniform, seamless.
Northern Territory surrogacy laws are coming (May 2022), bringing NT laws into line with the rest of Australia (ABC)
The war in Ukraine has caused distress and turmoil for intended parents engaging in surrogacy in Ukraine. Sarah spoke to ABC Melbourne’s Virginia Trioli about the situation in February 2022 (listen from 42:30).
Surrogacy rates in Australia are increasing due to marriage equality, the pandemic closing borders and overseas countries banning surrogacy arrangements: Modern family: Surrogacy rates in Australia are on the rise.
60 Minutes on Channel 9, 18 July 2021, ran a story about IVF, donor conception and surrogacy laws and the impacts on families. You can watch the footage (second story) on 9 Now, or on 60 Minutes’ Youtube channel.
IVF parents with embryos overseas have been impacted by COVID travel restrictions and the regulation of importing donor embryos: With embryos stored abroad, Australia’s travel ban means prospective parents face losing out on pregnancies, Crikey, April 2021.
ABC in the Northern Territory ran a story about promised new surrogacy legislation, January 2021
Sarah appeared on the Doing Law Differently Podcast with Lucy Dickens, September 2020
‘Surrogacy is about so much more than just a baby’ – Lawyer’s Weekly, August 2020
Sarah presented to the Australian College of Midwives on surrogacy arrangements and care during surrogacy pregnancy and birth. You can watch the webinar recording here.
Sarah was shortlisted for the Lawyer’s Weekly Women in Law Awards for both Thought Leader and Sole Practitioner of the Year, 2019, and for the Australian Law Awards 2020 Innovator of the Year Award.
The Australian Women’s Weekly The shocking US IVF embryo mix-up cases that have mothers giving birth to other parents’ children, February 2020
The Age: Surrogate Mothers to Claim Loss of Income Under New Laws, December 2019
The Juggle Podcast: IVF, Surrogacy and The Juggle with Sarah Jefford, December 2019
SBS Insight: Inconceivable, October 2019
Victorian Surrogacy Law Reform Update – Law Institute of Victoria, 2019
Ethical duties and dilemmas faced by practitioners working with surrogacy teams – Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Conference, 2019
Human Genetic Technology: Opportunities, anxieties and the future (event video recording)- La Trobe University, 2019
Surrogacy as Motherhood: The Inalienable Right to Choose – Melbourne Law School’s Health Law and Ethics Network Seminar Series, August 2019
Surrogacy in Australia – Webinar with Queer Doula Sheridon Byrne
Mamas on a Mission Podcast – Motherhood Melbourne, 2018
Creating Happiness in the Law – Happy Lawyer Happy Life Podcast episode 63
Stepping off the Linear Path – Women at Work Podcast with Samantha Sutherland
Expert Advisor – Intended Parents Advisors Network
Surrogates out of pocket due to restrictive laws – ABC News 24
Family lawyers critical of sperm harvesting decision – Lawyer’s Weekly, 2018
Can you own an embryo that doesn’t contain your genetics? – The Goat, 2019
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For enquiries, you can contact Sarah here.
Hi! I’m Sarah Jefford (she/her). I’m a family creation lawyer, practising in surrogacy and donor conception arrangements. I’m an IVF mum, an egg donor and a traditional surrogate, and I delivered a baby for two dads in 2018
I advocate for positive, best practice surrogacy arrangements within Australia, and provide support and education to help intended parents make informed decisions when pursuing overseas surrogacy.
