Katie Cox, Principal of The Family Village
Katie Cox is a surrogacy, donor conception and IVF lawyer based on the Gold Coast. She was admitted as a solicitor in 2007 and advises intended parents, surrogates and donors across Australia.
Her son Vinnie was born through surrogacy in 2022. Katie knows this path from the inside, as well as from the law.
Katie Cox
LLB (Hons), BBus (Acc), GDipLegPrac
Katie began her career in family law. She then practised almost exclusively in commercial and estate litigation for 15 years, running complex disputes, negotiations and court work. She now brings that experience to fertility and family creation law after her own personal experience with surrogacy.
Katie acts as a surrogacy lawyer for surrogates and intended parents, advises on parentage orders, donor agreements, IVF legal issues and adoption. She works with clients in every Australian state and territory in addition to international surrogacy. She also helps IVF and ART clinics keep their procedures in line with the law in each state.
In 2025, Katie made a formal submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s review of surrogacy laws, drawing on both her practice and her own surrogacy journey. Read Katie’s submission on the ALRC website.
Qualifications and memberships
- Bachelor of Laws with Honours, LLB (Hons)
- Bachelor of Business, Accounting major, BBus (Acc)
- Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, GDipLegPrac
- Admitted Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland (2007)
- Admitted Solicitor of the High Court of Australia
- Member, Queensland Law Society
- Member, Family Law Section, Law Council of Australia
Find Katie online:
Katie’s Writing
Katie writes about the law, her own surrogacy journey and the changes she wants to see in surrogacy law across Australia.
Sperm Donation Does Not Require Sex
A Warning for Women Considering Private Sperm Donors A disturbing Gold Coast court case has highlighted why women considering private sperm donation need to understand their rights, the process of sperm donation – which does not require sex – and the importance of protecting themselves. A recent case reported by the Gold Coast Bulletin has raised serious concerns about the risks associated with private sperm donation arrangements. According to the report, Gold Coast doctor Jason Movshovich pleaded guilty to secretly recording a sexual encounter with a woman he met through an online sperm donation group and attempting to record three other encounters. The women were seeking assistance to conceive a child. The court was reportedly told that the doctor made the recordings because he feared allegations of rape might subsequently be made against him. Whatever explanation was offered, the circumstances raise … Read more
Surrogacy Compensation and the ALRC Review
Clear guidance for families during a period of legal review Australia’s surrogacy laws are currently under review, with particular attention being given to how surrogacy expenses and compensation are regulated. For many intended parents and surrogates, increased media coverage has raised understandable questions, especially about whether the law is changing and what this means for families planning or undertaking surrogacy. This page explains: It is intended to provide clear, practical guidance at a time when headlines may not always reflect the legal reality. What the ALRC Is Reviewing The ALRC is examining whether Australia’s existing surrogacy framework remains appropriate and effective, including how the law approaches surrogacy expenses and compensation. In particular, the review is considering: The review reflects the fact that family creation pathways have evolved significantly, while the law has often struggled to keep pace with lived experience. … Read more
Medicare Rebates, IVF & Surrogacy (and inequality).
The landscape of fertility care in Australia has shifted significantly with a landmark policy change by the federal government. After sustained advocacy and expert input, the Albanese Government has officially adopted an expanded definition of infertility—marking a pivotal step towards ensuring more inclusive and equitable access to Medicare rebates for assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including IVF and IUI. This blog examines the historical definition of infertility under Medicare, the newly adopted expanded definition, who it now includes, and who still remains excluded from the benefits of publicly funded fertility support. The Historical Definition of Infertility: A Heteronormative Standard Traditionally, access to Medicare rebates for fertility treatment in Australia hinged on a narrow, clinical definition of infertility. The standard required patients to demonstrate an inability to conceive after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected heterosexual intercourse. This requirement reflected the … Read more
Adventures of obtaining a passport for Vinnie
Precious Vinnie was born through an altruistic gestational surrogacy arrangement in Queensland. His arrival marked the joyful culmination of a long and meaningful journey shared between our family and our incredible surrogate, Sally. My husband and I, alongside our everyday roles—also run a not-for-profit Kyokushin Karate association on the Gold Coast. While the heart of our dojo lies in martial arts, it has grown into something far greater. We are proud to foster a community space focused on empowerment, discipline, and inclusion. Through our organisation, we provide self-defence training to women and seniors, deliver anti-bullying programs, and ensure underprivileged children have opportunities to thrive through martial arts. Sally’s children are part of our dojo family, and our bond deepened as we embarked on the surrogacy journey together. A Baby on Board to Japan Shortly after receiving our positive pregnancy test, … Read more
