Dear Friends and Colleagues:
Welcome to the Fall issue of my Newsletter and today’s topic: “Financial Disclosure in negotiating Separation Agreements ( and marriage contracts also!): Why is it necessary?”
CLIENT TO HERSELF: “Why is my lawyer making me prepare financial disclosure when all I need is a separation agreement?”
CLIENT TO LAWYER: “I know what my husband has and he knows what I have. We’ve agreed on how we’re dividing the assets. Just draft it up so we have a legal separation agreement!”
These are comments often made by clients who have retained lawyers to assist them in negotiating a Separation Agreement. Reasons include:
- I (the client) don’t have the time or patience to do this work;
- I don’t want to pay for my lawyer’s time in doing this;
- This is just a make-work project by the lawyers (after all that’s why they’re all rich, isn’t it!); and
- I trust my spouse!
So why is financial disclosure in negotiating separation agreements (and marriage contracts also!), necessary?
For the answers and my full article please click here. If you have any trouble connecting to the complete article, please email me and I will send it to you – anne@annefreed.com
Until next time!
Anne!
Anne Freed holds a BA (Honours Sociology), JD (Juris Doctor, Law Degree), Master of Laws Degree (LL.M.) in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Advanced Training in Mediation, Arbitration and Collaborative Practice, Certification in Collaborative Practice
© Anne E. Freed, October, 2013
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