If you’re considering surrogacy in South Carolina, congratulations — by coming to this page, you are one step closer to reaching your goal!
However, South Carolina surrogacy can be complicated, so it’s important to have experienced professionals by your side every step of the way. The Palmetto Surrogacy team at Thompson Dove Law Group is here to help.
When you contact our surrogacy professionals, they can answer all of your questions, refer you to any additional professionals you need and, when you’re ready, help you start your surrogacy journey in South Carolina. We know gestational surrogacy can be confusing — so let us help.
We encourage prospective surrogates and intended parents to reach out to our team anytime by calling 864-573-5533, selecting option 2 or contacting us online. In the meantime, you can learn more about every surrogacy professional you’ll need for your journey below — and how our team will fulfill many of these duties.
Do You Need a Surrogacy Agency in South Carolina?
Before you can get any further in your South Carolina surrogacy journey, ask yourself this question: Do I want to work with an agency, a program through a law firm, or do I want to complete an independent surrogacy?
Intended parents and gestational carriers always have the right to choose which surrogacy path works for them.
If you’re interested in a South Carolina surrogacy agency, don’t forget about the Palmetto Surrogacy program at Thompson Dove Law Group has a similar approach. Our full-service surrogacy program offers many of the same advantages of any surrogacy agency in the area, while additionally having the benefit of an experienced South Carolina surrogacy attorney by your side every step of the way (more on that below).
While Palmetto Surrogacy is a program through our law firm and is not considered a South Carolina surrogacy “agency,” our surrogacy program includes the same services:
- Pre-screening to ensure your eligibility for surrogacy
- Matching services to find you the intended parents or gestational carrier who meet your criteria
- References to trusted additional professionals (such as fertility clinics or surrogacy lawyers)
- Emotional and practical support through every step of your surrogacy
- Communication and coordination with additional professionals
- Social work support services for gestational carriers
- And more
But, why should you choose to work with Palmetto Surrogacy rather than a surrogacy agency in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, surrogacy agencies are not licensed entities as many may think, like that of a licensed child placing agency. There is no governing body that approves a surrogacy “agency.” The attorneys involved with the Palmetto Surrogacy program at Thompson Dove Law Group, however, are licensed and regulated by the State Bar of South Carolina and are, therefore, required to follow all ethical guidelines of the governing Bar. Additionally, Palmetto Surrogacy is the only program in South Carolina with a licensed social worker on staff to provide guidance and support throughout your journey.
Our team understands that everyone’s goals and preferences for surrogacy will be different. That’s why we are happy to tailor our program services based on what you need. When you choose Palmetto Surrogacy, you get flexibility that other surrogacy agencies in South Carolina may not offer.
Because our team includes members of our law firm, you can also rest assured that:
- Your surrogacy professionals are experienced with South Carolina laws and legal processes.
- Your professionals can easily coordinate between themselves, rather than outsourcing legal guidance.
- You will receive a majority of the services you need from one professional and under one fee schedule.
Want to learn more about our full-service surrogacy program? Contact our team today.
Let Jim Thompson Be Your Surrogacy Attorney in South Carolina
Not sure a South Carolina surrogacy agency or full-service program is right for you? That’s okay — even if you choose to complete an independent surrogacy, attorney Jim Thompson can help you.
Every surrogacy requires the guidance of two separate lawyers. These lawyers are responsible for protecting the intended parents’ and the surrogate’s rights and interests during the process. For those who choose to work with Palmetto Surrogacy, Jim Thompson represents the intended parents while the gestational carrier will have a separate attorney who provides legal representation to her throughout the process. All legal services are paid for by the intended family. For non-program cases, Jim Thompson is available to provide legal representation to either the intended parents or gestational carrier.
If you need a surrogacy lawyer in South Carolina, attorney Jim Thompson can help. He has guided many intended parents and gestational carriers through South Carolina surrogacy laws, and he can do the same for you.
Jim will work with you to gain a better understanding of your journey ahead. Depending on your needs, he will:
- Evaluate your surrogacy plan for legal issues and complications
- Draft or review and finalize your surrogacy contract
- Establish intended parents’ parental rights and terminating the gestational carrier’s presumed parental rights
- Can provide other legal counsel throughout your surrogacy journey
More than anything else, remember this — You must always work with a South Carolina surrogacy attorney if you plan for the child to be born in South Carolina. An experienced lawyer like Jim Thompson can guide you through the complicated issues and legal procedures required in South Carolina.
Your Options for Surrogacy Clinics in South Carolina
There is another professional you must work with if you want to be a surrogate or intended parent. A fertility/surrogacy clinic in South Carolina (or another state nearby) is always required to complete the medical process of surrogacy.
As you know, conceiving through gestational surrogacy is much more complicated than through the traditional method of conception. It requires intricate medical procedures — such as in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer — that only an experienced reproductive endocrinologist can complete.
If you are an intended parent considering surrogacy in South Carolina, you may already have a surrogacy clinic in mind. Perhaps you’ve worked with a local clinic to undergo previous infertility treatments. In most cases, you will be able to work with the same clinic for your upcoming surrogacy medical process. (If you’re a gestational carrier, you will work with the intended parents’ clinic of choice — all expenses paid).
If you don’t have a surrogacy clinic in South Carolina in mind yet, here are a few local options to consider:
- Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group
- Coastal Fertility Specialists
- Fertility Center of the Carolinas
Choosing the right surrogacy professionals for your journey is a big decision and not one to be made overnight. We encourage all intended parents and gestational carriers to fully do their research on their own goals and a professional’s services to make the right choice for them.
Think Thompson Dove Law Group, or our Palmetto Surrogacy program specifically, might be a good bet? Give us a call anytime at 864-573-5533, selecting option 2 or use the chat widget.
Download Our Free Guide
Are you curious about surrogacy? We’ve created a guide that answers the most frequently asked questions, like “How much do surrogates make?” “What is the age limit for surrogacy?” and “How can I become a surrogate.”
Learn everything you need to know about becoming a surrogate and how to supplement your current income by as much as $6,000 per month.

Do You Live In South Carolina?
If you live in the state of South Carolina and would like to be a surrogate (gestational carrier) for a couple struggling with fertility, click here to take a 3-minute quiz to see if you qualify to be a surrogate with Palmetto Surrogacy. Surrogates are in high demand. We would love to get you started on this fulfilling journey.