Erin Steiner

Erin Steiner has had an illustrious career in the law. She formerly ran the law practice known as Steiner Legal, where she worked on a variety of cases with a focus on Family Law, Employment Law and Wills & Estates matters. In 2019, in the case of Masson & Pasons & Anors, Erin’s firm established for the first time in Australian History that a sperm donor may in some circumstances be considered the legal parent of a child.

Erin has appeared as an advocate on behalf of clients before the Australian Human Rights Commission, Fair Work Australia, the Local Court (Criminal), the Federal Magistrates Court (Family) and the Family Court of Australia.

Prior to entering private practice, Erin was a member of the NSW Police Force for 18 years. Erin worked in various positions in the NSW Police Force including 10 years in plain clothes and as a qualified Detective. She was the officer in charge of major investigations including matters such as murder, manslaughter, sexual assaults, drug investigations and other serious indictable offences.

As a Detective, Erin Steiner gained valuable experience in managing Local, District and Supreme Court cases. Such extensive experience provided her with skills beyond that of many solicitors particularly in areas such as brief preparation, interviewing techniques, evidence gathering and conflict resolution. These skills provide her clients with an added advantage in dealing with their case. 

Erin’s philosophy is to approach each case with a view to avoiding costly and uncertain litigation and she adopts a conciliatory approach to each case and strives to encourage parties to reach a mutually agreed outcome.

Accreditations and Associations

• Associate Diploma of Policing

• Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Investigations)

• Bachelor of Policing (Investigations)

• Bachelor of Laws

• Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice

• Masters in Applied Law – Family Law

• Masters in Applied Law – Wills and Estates

• Member of the Law Society of New South Wales

Publications

• The Heartbreaking Reality of IVF Mix-Ups

• Surrogacy in Australia

  • The Legal Process of Surrogacy in NSW

  • Altruistic vs Commercial Surrogacy: What’s Legal in Australia

  • Who Are the Legal Parents in a Surrogacy Arrangement

  • How Courts Decide Parentage Orders in NSW Surrogacy Cases

  • What Happens If a Surrogacy Arrangement Breaks Down

  • International Surrogacy: What Australian Parents Need to Know