Building families through law

Florida’s trusted attorney for gestational surrogacy, reproductive law, and adoption.

For more than a decade, Karen Persis has helped families grow through gestational surrogacy, egg, sperm, and embryo donation, and adoption. She offers practical, compassionate counsel for one of life’s most personal journeys.

Call (407) 228-2864

Recognized for excellence in legal practice.

Martindale-Hubbell

AV PREEMINENT

Super Lawyers

Since 2020

Best Lawyers

Since 2019

AAAA

ART FELLOW


Practice area
Gestational Surrogacy
Gestational Surrogacy Agreements, Pre-Planned Adoption Agreements, and pre-birth orders under Florida Statute 742.15.
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Practice area
Egg Donation
Known and anonymous egg donor agreements for intended parents and donors under Florida law.
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Practice area
Sperm Donation
Sperm Donation Agreements for clinical and at-home insemination arrangements — known and anonymous donors.
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Practice area
Embryo Donation
Embryo donation and disposition agreements for donating couples and recipient intended parents.
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Practice area
LGBTQ+ Family Building
Second-parent adoption, co-parent adoption, and parentage judgments for same-sex families in Florida.
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Practice area
Reproductive Law Mediation
Florida Supreme Court Certified Reproductive Law Mediator services.
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Practice area
Embryo Disposition Agreements
Clear decisions about frozen embryos — in advance — covering divorce, incapacity, death, donation, and discard scenarios.
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Practice area
Parentage Orders for Gestational SurrogacyPost-birth Final Judgments of Affirmation of Parental Status for gestational surrogacy under Fla. Stat. 742.16, plus optional pre-birth declaratory judgments.
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Practice area
Adoption Law
Private domestic, stepparent, relative, adult, and second-parent adoption throughout Florida.
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Every family-building journey is different. Karen will help you identify the right legal path for your specific situation.
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Attorney Karen Persis portrait
Meet Karen

Practical. Honest. Respected. The advocate hundreds of families have trusted to help build their families.

Karen Persis practices law because she enjoys solving problems and helping people. A proud University of Florida alumna and Florida Bar member, she has built her practice around one belief: every family deserves thoughtful, personalized counsel during the most important moments of their lives.

Her practice focuses exclusively on adoption and assisted reproductive technology law — surrogacy, egg, sperm, and embryo donation, and same-sex family formation. She also serves as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator to help resolve disputes relating to reproductive technology law and adoption.

20+

Years in practice

500+

Florida families helped

13+

Years in family formation law

Common questions

Florida family building law, explained.

Honest answers to the questions clients most often ask.

For your specific situation, schedule a consultation.

Yes. Florida is a surrogacy-friendly state. Florida Statute 742.15 expressly authorizes gestational surrogacy agreements between legally married Intended Parents with at least one genetic connection to the child to be born and a Gestational Surrogate who meets the statutory requirements. For unmarried Intended Parents, single Intended Parents, or Intended Parents using donor embryos, Florida Statute 63.213 is used for the gestational surrogacy arrangement in such circumstances.

Timelines vary by adoption type. Stepparent adoptions typically take 3 months or less, depending on how quickly parties execute documents and hearing availability. Karen provides realistic timeline estimates during the initial consultation based on your unique circumstances.

Yes. Same-sex couples have full legal rights to adopt in Florida. Florida law treats same-sex married couples identically to opposite-sex married couples for adoption purposes. In your consultation, Karen will determine which type of adoption is best for your family.

Yes, it is strongly recommended. Even when the parties are known to each other, and perhaps especially when the parties are known to each other, it is important to have a meeting of the minds regarding confidentiality, future contact, and the parties’ obligations. Florida law requires clear written agreements between donors and Intended Parents to establish parentage and prevent future disputes. All parties should have independent legal counsel review and negotiate the donation agreement.

No. Florida provides a specific legal process to place Intended Parents’ names on the birth record, and it is a post-birth, post-judgment process. There is no prebirth order issued in Florida that would allow for Intended Parents’ names to be on the birth record at the hospital. Never fear: Intended Parents will have medical decision-making authority over their child upon the child’s birth, they will be allowed access to their child at the hospital, and they will leave the hospital with their baby. The court process is expedited, confidential, and does not require the Intended Parents or Gestational Surrogate to attend any hearings. An explanation of Florida’s parentage process will be provided by Karen in your consultation. 

A Preplanned Adoption Agreement, governed by Florida Statute 63.213, is the legal mechanism Florida uses for certain gestational surrogacy arrangements – unmarried Intended Parents, single Intended Parents, and Intended Parents using donor embryos. It is also used in traditional surrogacies, where the surrogate is genetically related to the child. If the surrogate is not genetically related to the child, she does not have a right to revoke her consent to the parentage process and she cannot keep the baby. In traditional surrogacy, she has a 48-hour post-birth window to change her mind and keep the child. 

Service areas

Representing families, wherever you are.

Karen represents clients around the world in family formation matters throughout Florida. Free consultations are available by phone or via secure video conference.

  • Orlando
  • Tampa
  • Miami
  • Jacksonville
  • St. Petersburg
  • Kissimmee
  • Fort Lauderdale
  • Statewide

Ready to start the conversation?

Every family building journey is personal. Schedule a free, confidential consultation to discuss your situation with Karen directly.