[WSBAPT] Prenuptial Agreement - Separate Counsel Requirement

Thu May 19 17:39:34 PDT 2022

  Law Office of
F.ANDREKITA SILVA
_______________________________________________________  

May 19, 2022

Neli,

I think Judge Halpert’s article spells out the criteria for a valid  
and enforceable prenup/ post nup pretty well.

As pointed out by Bo, you only need to show that the unrepresented  
party had the opportunity to be advised by independent counsel. If you  
have not already met with the couple, you should right now explain in  
writing that you can’t represent both due to a conflict of interest.  
Let them know who you believe to be your client and make sure they  
agree that is who you represent. Explain that while the unrepresented  
side only needs to have the opportunity to retain counsel, explain why  
it is in OP’s best interest ( both party’s best interest actually) to  
retain independent counsel to review and advise regarding the post nup.

Make sure there is plenty of time between your initial letter and any  
draft of the PSA, and with each communication to OP, again explaining  
that you don’t represent OP and encourage them to secure independent  
counsel.

Your PSA should, of course, also include a section for OP to swear  
that OP was advised to secure independent counsel, and that OP had the  
opportunity to secure independent counsel and elected not to do so.

andrekita
Law Office of F. Andrekita Silva
1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2000
Seattle, Washington 98101
206-224-8288
www.seattle-silvalaw.com

Quoting Boaz Weintraub <bw at weintraub-law.com>:

> The opportunity to obtain independent counsel is the minimum  
> requirement under the second prong of the prenup test for procedural  
> fairness. See attached article. 
>     
>    However, to ensure enforceability, each party should be  
> represented by independent counsel. There's no reason to risk  
> enforceability, or a possible malpractice claim or complaint later,  
> by not insisting the other party obtain independent counsel.   
>     
>        BOAZ "BO" WEINTRAUB  | JD, LL.M. 
>
>      Weintraub Law Office, PLLC 
>
>      T _(425) 374-4045[1]_ |  F _(425) 274-7019[2]_ 
>
>      www.weintraub-law.com[3]  |  bw at weintraub-law.com
>
>      Bellevue Office: 14205 S.E. 36th Street, Suite 100, Bellevue, WA 98006 
>
>      Bothell Office: 19125  Northcreek Parkway, Suite 120, Bothell,  
> Washington  98011
>
>      
>     IMPORTANT/CONFIDENTIAL: This e-mail and any attachments may  
> contain confidential information protected by the attorney-client  
> privilege or other privileges, and intended for use only by the  
> intended recipient(s). If you have received this e-mail in error,  
> please do not read, reproduce or distribute the contents, but  
> rather, please immediately notify the sender, delete the e-mail and  
> destroy all copies of the e-mail and any attachments. Unless  
> otherwise expressly stated herein, any advice contained in this  
> e-mail (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be  
> used, and cannot be used, for purposes of avoiding tax penalties  
> that may be imposed on any taxpayer.
>     Thank you.
>
>        On Thu, May 19, 2022 at 10:20 AM G. Geoffrey Gibbs  
> <ggibbs at andersonhunterlaw.com> wrote:
>
>> My two cents worth – you cannot ethically represent both parties  
>> (which you knew).  There is not a per se requirement that both  
>> parties have legal counsel but the chances of the PreNup being  
>> sustained are better if they do.  The development of case law in  
>> this area has changed significantly since In Re Matson.   The  
>> current two prong test for upholding (or not) prenuptials should be  
>> reviewed and kept in mind.
>>
>>        ___ ___
>>
>>
>>
>>   ________
>>
>>             ____G. GEOFFREY GIBBS____
>>   ____ANDERSON HUNTER LAW FIRM____
>>   ____2707 Colby Avenue #1001 | Everett, WA  98201____
>>   ____P.  (425) 252-5161 | F.  (425) 258-3345 | ____
>>
>>             ______ggibbs at andersonhunterlaw[4]______
>>   ____www.andersonhunterlaw.com[5]____
>>   ____This email message may contain confidential and privileged  
>> information.  Any unauthorized use is prohibited.  If you are not  
>> the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email  
>> and destroy all copies of the original message.  To comply with IRS  
>> regulations, we advise you that any discussion of Federal tax  
>> issues in this e-mail is not intended or written to be used, and  
>> cannot be used by you, (a) to avoid any penalties imposed under the  
>> Internal Revenue Code or (b) to promote, market or recommend to  
>> another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.  We do  
>> not accept service of any kind by e-mail unless expressly  
>> authorized in writing by the attorney of record.  E-mail  
>> communications are not intended to create contracts or CR 2A  
>> agreements.  All such agreements must be signed by the attorney of  
>> record.  Thank you.____
>>
>>         _____ _____
>>
>>        _______ _______
>>
>>          ________FROM: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com  
>> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> ON BEHALF OF Neli Espe, J.D. -  
>> Olympic Legal
>> SENT: Thursday, May 19, 2022 9:57 AM
>> TO: wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com
>> SUBJECT: [WSBAPT] Prenuptial Agreement - Separate Counsel  
>> Requirement________
>>
>>        ___________ ___________
>>
>>        ____________Dear Listmates, ____________
>>
>>         _______________ _______________
>>
>>
>>         ________________I have always drafted Prenuptial Agreements  
>> representing one party to the pending marriage with the other party  
>> being represented by his/her own counsel. ________________
>>
>>
>>         ___________________ ___________________
>>
>>
>>         ____________________Now, I have a couple who have lived  
>> together for many years and the PNC insists that the other party  
>> does not want to engage independent counsel.____________________
>>
>>
>>         _______________________ _______________________
>>
>>
>>         ________________________I cannot find the authority for  
>> this requirement. Every way you look at it, ethically and legally  
>> (potential challenge), this is the best approach, but is there  
>> authority requiring it?________________________
>>
>>
>>         ___________________________ ___________________________
>>
>>
>>         ____________________________Thanks,____________________________
>>
>>
>>         _______________________________ _______________________________
>>
>>
>>         ________________________________Neli________________________________
>>
>>
>>           
>> _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
>>
>>
>>          ____________________________________   NELI ESPE,  
>> J.D., OLYMPIC LEGAL ____________________________________
>>
>>
>>          ______________________________________               
>>   360.630.3635______________________________________
>>
>>
>>          ________________________________________2114 Commercial  
>> Ave., Anacortes________________________________________
>>
>>
>>          __________________________________________           
>>   olympiclegal.com[6]__________________________________________
>>
>>
>>          ____________________________________________     Estate &  
>> Business Planning ____________________________________________
>>
>> ___***Disclaimer: Please note that RPPT listserv participation is  
>> not restricted to practicing attorneys and may include  
>> non-practicing attorneys, law students, professionals working in  
>> related fields, and others.***
>> _______________________________________________
>> WSBAPT mailing list
>> WSBAPT at lists.wsbarppt.com
>> http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbapt___
>
>     
> ___-- ___
>                           
>         
>
>          

Links:
------
[1] tel:%28425%29%20374-4045
[2] tel:%28425%29%20274-7019
[3] http://www.weintraub-law.com/
[4] https://www.facebook.com/AndersonHunterLaw/
[5] http://www.andersonhunterlaw.com
[6]  
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Folympiclegal.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cggibbs%40andersonhunterlaw.com%7C0653ead3c577484dd1df08da39b8c8a3%7Ccfd348433b124bd6850ebd6b59fd6f90%7C0%7C0%7C637885763476705143%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C2000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=iue8QiSJ1neC8mQzCQ0Ej7PNKyc0TDJVRlEyx5HPrSs%3D&reserved=0
  andrekita
Law Office of F. Andrekita Silva
1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2000
Seattle, Washington 98101
206-224-8288
www.seattle-silvalaw.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/wsbapt/attachments/20220519/87c14d57/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 26052 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/wsbapt/attachments/20220519/87c14d57/image001.png>