contact us

Ellen Essig is a nationally recognized pioneer in surrogacy and assisted reproduction technology (ART) law. She began practicing in 1986—at the very inception of modern surrogacy in the United States—and has spent nearly 40 years helping shape the legal foundation of the field.

From the earliest surrogacy arrangements to today’s complex, global family-building pathways, Ellen has been a leading force in developing and refining the legal structures that make collaborative reproduction possible. She is widely regarded as part of the first generation of attorneys who built this practice area from the ground up.

Ellen represents intended parents, gestational carriers, and gamete donors in sophisticated surrogacy and fertility arrangements across the United States and internationally. Her clients include individuals and couples of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and family structures. Many come to her during some of the most important and sensitive moments of their lives, relying on her for clarity, protection, and trusted legal guidance.

Known for her precision, foresight, and steady leadership, Ellen is sought out for complex cases where experience truly matters. She is not only a practitioner in this field—she is one of the attorneys who helped define it.

Ellen is the founding and managing partner of Essig & Evans LLC, now The Family Law & Fertility Law Group, a practice dedicated to advancing modern family formation through surrogacy and reproductive law.

Experience Overview

Ellen brings unmatched depth of experience in surrogacy and reproductive law, having practiced in the field since its inception. She has been actively involved in shaping the legal, contractual, and ethical frameworks that govern modern surrogacy arrangements.

Her work includes high-stakes, multi-party agreements, cross-border family-building matters, and complex parentage issues requiring careful legal coordination across jurisdictions. Ellen is frequently called upon for matters where the legal landscape is uncertain or evolving, and her guidance is valued for its clarity, foresight, and practical application.

Ellen is widely regarded as one of the foundational attorneys in U.S. surrogacy law, with a career that spans the full evolution of the field. Her work continues to influence how modern surrogacy agreements are structured and how families are formed across jurisdictions today.

Notable Case Results

  • Co-counsel in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court marriage equality case that contributed to the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage.
  • Represented hundreds of intended parents, gestational carriers, and donors in successful surrogacy and ART arrangements.
  • Guided early surrogacy cases during the formative years of the field, helping establish practical legal frameworks still used today.

Community Involvement

  • Chase College of Law (NKU) Board of Visitors 2023-present
  • Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio Board Member 2019-2025
  • Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio Budget & Finance Committee 2019-present
  • Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region Foundation 2026- present
  • Vintage Club Budget & Finance Committee since 2024-present