As noted earlier, Mr. Shields has been engaged in the private practice of law in Pennsylvania since 1972.  He received his B.S. degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1968 cum laude and his J.D. degree in 1972 from the Duquesne University School of Law where he served as Associate Editor of the Law Review and where he obtained Order of the Barrister and was awarded numerous awards.  Mr. Shields also received an M.A. degree in theology from Duquesne University in 1994.

Mr. Shields is licensed to practice law before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Superior Court and all Pennsylvania County Courts.  Additionally, he has been admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Attorney Shields is an appointed member of the Adoption Rules Committee of the Orphans’ Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, the former Chair and present member of the Adoption Committee of the Allegheny County Bar Association, and a founding member and officer of the Pennsylvania Academy of Adoption Attorneys.

Since 1997, Mr. Shields has represented numerous intended parents and gestational and traditional surrogates in connection with surrogacy arrangements.

He has lectured to many other attorneys and judges concerning Surrogacy and the Law of Pennsylvania as a lecturer selected by the well respected Pennsylvania Bar Institute, which is the continuing education arm of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

Additionally, Attorney Shields is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Mr. Shields has represented intended parents and surrogates residing throughout Western Pennsylvania, as well as intended parents who reside in other states and outside of the United States where there is some Western Pennsylvania connection involved in their surrogacy arrangement.

Moreover, Attorney Shields has obtained Court Decrees establishing legal parentage of children conceived through the use of assisted reproductive technology through the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Assisted Conception Birth Registration procedure and/or through the initiation of adoption proceedings in the Courts of Common Pleas located in the following Western Pennsylvania Counties:  Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland.

Although both offices are highly accessible and conveniently located, most matters involving drafting of contracts or obtaining Court Decrees establishing parentage can be handled exclusively through use of the telephone, mail, telefax and e-mail without the client ever having to personally meet with Mr. Shields at his office.

Although the members of Attorney Shields’ staff are highly trained and are motivated to apply their skill and knowledge to meet each client’s needs, Mr. Shields recognizes the need for him to develop a personal trusting relationship with each of his clients in view of the often sensitive nature of his practice.

 Therefore, each client can rest assured that any and all documents will be personally drafted by Attorney Shields and all office and telephone conferences and correspondence will personally involve Mr. Shields.