Dear Diane,

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with parents and surrogates alike.

I am working with an agency that allots a fixed amount of $1000 for me to find an attorney, have the attorney review my contract, negotiate and make changes, etc. etc. etc.

I work with attorneys and I have no confidence that as a gestational surrogate $1000 will protect my body, my finances, and my journey. I have five children, a boyfriend of four plus years with a job, I work full time... there will need to be a lot of specifics in my contract to support confidence in both me and my partner that all parties will be well protected in this journey.

I know that the function of the agency is serving the parents and I have had a very positive experience with this agency thus far. However I feel like they are putting me in a position to be legally vulnerable and not well protected. Why would they do this? $1000 for a contract just isn't enough in good lawyer land and I am not willing to throw our security to someone who won't look at each page, each line, each consideration before supporting my signature.

I inquired about it and received my first very swiftly shut door with the company which concerns me. Why all of a sudden such a closed door? Why only $1000?

Is this common? How can I approach this?

Thanks!!!