Stephanie M. Brinkley
Since founding Brinkley Law Firm in 2011, attorney Stephanie Brinkley has helped families grow and expand by navigating them through the legal challenges surrounding Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) and Adoption. As an attorney who focuses on family building options, Ms. Brinkley stays informed of the cutting-edge procedures of advanced medical science, as well as ever-evolving laws regarding egg, embryo and sperm donation; surrogacy; adoption; and family law. With greater frequency, Stephanie is consulted to advise families transitioning divorce after creating children through third party reproduction. Parental disputes arising from genetic relationships (or lack thereof), misapplication of medical consent forms, and ownership rights of unused embryos are rising among divorce litigants.
Married to a former Air Force Officer and Virginia Military Institute Alum, Ms. Brinkley is aware of the unique challenges for civilian and military families in transition. When clients pursue divorce, or any litigation directly affecting the family, Ms. Brinkley remains passionate about promoting family values and the interests of children. She advocates for her clients while being mindful of the impact of litigation upon children. Ms. Brinkley applies a holistic approach to help her family formation and divorce clients move forward, making the best choices now and in the future.
A frequent guest speaker, Ms. Brinkley has lectured at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City, as well as in South Carolina, where she has presented before local and state bar associations on the complexities of third-party reproduction and family law. She has been featured on television news programs on family law issues, and her advice and legal expertise is often sought from litigants and attorneys alike. She is also the co-author of Developing a Successful Assisted Reproduction Technology Law Practice, written with colleague Richard B. Vaughn, which is published by the American Bar Association.
In 2019, Brinkley Law Firm was expanded to include Collaborative Divorce Law, a non-litigious avenue for parties to dissolve a marriage and address collateral issues with no court dates, a predictable time table, and reduced legal fees. While the parties work in a “team approach” with their attorneys and each other, they are able to control the timetable, influence the outcome best for their family, and avoid secondary damage to their minor children.
Memberships Include:
- American Bar Association, Chair, ART Committee – Section of Family Law
- Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA), Fellow
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- South Carolina Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- South Carolina Women Lawyers Association
- South Carolina State Bar
- Charleston County Bar Association
- Greenville County Bar Association
- International Fertility Law Group, Inc., Of Counsel for South Carolina
- Resolve: The National Infertility Association, Professional Member
- Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy (SEEDS), Professional Member
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Professional Member
- South Carolina Family Law American Inn of Court
