Legal Guidance for Every Path to Parenthood
At The Cooley Law Firm, family isn’t just what we practice—it’s what we believe in.
Whether you are growing your family through adoption, surrogacy, assisted reproduction, confirmatory parentage, or marriage, we guide you through each legal step with clarity, compassion, and care.
Building a family should be joyful—not confusing.
Nevada law offers clear, modern pathways to create and protect families, and we help families of every shape and story navigate those laws with confidence.
Your Path to Parenthood in Nevada
No two families are the same. We help you choose the legal path that fits your family.
Adoption
We represent clients in all types of Nevada adoptions, including:
Agency Adoptions -Â Adoptions through licensed child-placing agencies
Identified Adoptions - Birth parents and adoptive parents who have already found each other
Dependency Adoptions - Helping foster and relative caregivers provide permanent homes
Close-Family Adoptions - For stepparents, adult siblings, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, and uncles
Confirmatory Adoptions - For parents who are already legal parents and want added protection in Nevada
Re-Adoptions - For families whose adoption was finalized in another country
Adult Adoptions - Honoring lifelong family bonds—at any age
Surrogacy and Assisted Reproduction
Nevada is one of the most supportive states in the nation for family building through ART.
We assist with:
Gestational carrier agreements
Egg, sperm, and embryo donation agreements
Pre-birth and post-birth parentage orders
Confirmatory adoptions for added protection
Compliance with NRS Chapter 126
Our goal is simple: clear parentage, secure families, and peace of mind.
Marriage: The First Step in Building a Family?
For many couples, family begins with marriage.
Attorney Shelly Booth Cooley is both an experienced family-building attorney and a licensed Nevada marriage officiant. She offers ceremonies that are warm, personal, and legally sound.
Whether you are planning:
A simple legal ceremony
An intimate elopement
A private union before starting your family
Your marriage will be meaningful—and fully compliant with Nevada law.
Marriage Services Include:
Civil and secular ceremonies
Marriage license signing and filing
Short ceremony scripts for elopements or private weddings
Guidance on name changes, prenuptial agreements, and next legal steps
Your marriage is the foundation of your family story.
We are honored to help you begin it.
Why Choose The Cooley Law Firm
Comprehensive Experience
Decades of experience in Nevada adoption, surrogacy, and parentage law.
Legislative Leadership
Direct involvement in drafting and passing AB 227, Nevada’s modern family-building law.
Compassionate Guidance
Every client and every child is treated with dignity and care.
Efficient, Respectful Process
We streamline every step—from agreements and petitions to judgments and amended birth certificates.
Love Makes a Family. The Law Protects It.