Creating a Family
Are you considering having a child with the help of a surrogate, an egg donor or a sperm donor? Are you considering helping someone to have a child by being a surrogate, or donating eggs or sperm? Do you already have frozen embryos, and are considering donating them? It is important for you to safeguard your rights and responsibilities in any of these situations. Jame Anderson can guide those seeking to build their own families through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) or adoption. Whether you are a prospective parent, a donor, or a surrogate, I can help protect your rights while helping your realize your Great Expectations.
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There are many different situations where people may need help in having a child. Here are some typical examples.
Single Persons
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Any single person, female or male, who wants to have a child and to remain single may use Assisted Reproduction Technology. For example, a single woman may choose to conceive using a sperm donor, while a single man may choose to have a child using an egg donor and a surrogate.
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Couples – Opposite Sex
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A couple may experience problems having a child if either one or both has a fertility issue, and they may seek out a sperm or ova donor. An opposite-sex couple can also have trouble conceiving if either one or both is transgender. Couples who have discovered that the intended mother cannot carry a pregnancy to term may need to use the services of a surrogate. Some people are also wiling to donate their left over embryos.
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Couples – Same Sex
Although same-sex couples may not suffer from a medical fertility issue, they are generally unable to conceive without assistance. This is sometimes referred to as social infertility. Same-sex couples of either sex are able to use Assisted Reproduction Technology. For example, a lesbian couple may choose to conceive using a sperm donor and a gay couple may choose to have a child using an egg donor and a surrogate.
ABOUT ME
JAMES ANDERSON
Lawyer
I believe that access to reproductive technology is a human rights issue that affects many Canadians. Committed to helping people create their families, I advocate for them in coping with the problems that exist in the current legal system, both inside and outside of Family Court.
Originally from Sudbury, Ontario, I have made Ottawa my home for over a decade for university and then to start my career. I received my Juris Doctor (Cum Laude) from the University of Ottawa and my Master of Arts from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in 2012. I was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2014.
Before beginning my legal career, I worked with UNESCO in Bangkok, Thailand, where I researched human rights in the context of HIV/AIDS in Southeast Asia among vulnerable high-risk populations. Following that opportunity, I worked for Citizenship and Immigration Canada for two years, where I focused on health operational policies, quality assurance, and risk management.
In both my academic and professional life, I am a strong supporter of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) rights. I have spoken at international conferences on SOGI Rights and HIV prevention and I have published several articles in peer-reviewed journals. I also run a free LGBT Information Legal Clinic, where I assist individuals with the legal name change and/or sex designation on a birth registration.
When I am not working, I enjoy traveling, especially in Asia, and love learning new languages. I am functionally bilingual, and I have conversational level Spanish and Japanese. I have also completed the annual MS Bike Ride four times so far, where my team cycled from Ottawa to Cornwall and back (about 200km round trip over two days) raising money for Multiple Sclerosis. I am also a member of the Choeur gai d’Ottawa Gay Men's Chorus.