Dr Michael Wells-Greco organised and, together with Professor Rita D’Alton-Harrison, presented at a workshop on 6 June 2023 for legal practitioners and PhD students on the Law Commissions’ surrogacy reform proposals.

Hosted by law firm Charles Russell Speechlys, the workshop considered the recommendations made by the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission (‘the Commissions’) in their final report.

Speaking alongside Sam King KC (4PB) and Spencer Clarke (Law Commission of England and Wales), Professor Rita D’Alton-Harrison considered the international dimension and questioned whether a selection of the proposed safeguards go far enough and whether the new pathway would necessarily lead to an increase in domestic surrogacy arrangements. Dr Michael Wells-Greco noted the ongoing work of the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the European Commission’s proposed draft regulation aimed at harmonising at the EU level the rules of private international law relating to parenthood. Michael further noted that the proposed new pathway for surrogacy will not address the realities of limping legal parentage in cross-border cases (a domestic case can easily become international). International cooperation by way of a bi or multi-lateral approach is needed.

The workshop is part of a series of forums Dr Michael Wells-Greco is organising in 2023-2025 as part of his ongoing research into the private international law aspects of legal parentage and the conclusions of the Working Group of the HCCH Parentage/Surrogacy Project.