Pre and Post-Nuptial Agreements Attorney in Portland, Oregon

What is your experience in preparing premarital agreements?

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well relationship agreements would
include what we used to refer to as
cohabitation agreements domestic
Partnerships premarital agreements would
be the ones that I done the most and I
probably done more premarital agreements
than any lawyer in Oregon I used to do
all of the premarital agreements for
this firm and we the largest family law
firm in Oregon in fact for quite a while
we were the second largest firm doing
family law in the country but we’ve
since uh I think seven or eight years
ago been doing estate planning as well
so I’ve done hundreds of them I’ve
spoken on continuing education on
premarital agreements in this state
around the country including in
Australia and England and so forth on
the subject and with a lawyer in in
Oregon who is really terrific Josh kades
we started a new way of doing them
called collaborative premarital
agreements where instead of I talk to my
client I my client talks to me I talk to
the other lawyer the other lawyer talks
to his client and then you do this ring
around the road Rosie thing which we
decided look that’s really inefficient
this is really the party should be
driving the bus they’re getting married
for God’s sake so let’s get everybody in
the same room and do it in a
collaborative way everybody gets copies
of the all the emails and drafts and so
forth and that’s become very popular not
just in Oregon but in many other
jurisdictions around the world so I’ve
done a ton of premarital agreements I’ve
also spoken about them in the sense that
you know there was a study in I think it
was Southern California that’s suggested
you’re 22% less likely to get divorced
if you have a premarital agreement it
might be because people that do
premarital agreements tend to be more
cautious sophisticated but the mental
health folks say no the reason is
discussing money and how parties in the
relationship control money is the last
Taboo in our culture people are Happ to
talk about happy to talk about sexual
practices are we going to have kids how
do we deal with in-laws where we going
to live but talking about money is
really hard sof and off the table and if
you think about it for a second
premarital agreement the discussion
about premarital agreement is really in
a way kind of like premarital counseling
not that we’re mental health
professionals lawyers that do this but
you’re really forcing people to confront
the issue and that you know we I tell
the clients I said look you guys every
marriage will end your marriage is going
to end my marriage is going to end the
other lawyer marriage is going to end by
death or divorce
so it’s up to you to decide what you
want to happen under those
eventualities and the thing that’s
tricky is that depending on where it
ends where you die where you get
divorced different rules apply the law
of Washington is very different from
Oregon very different from California
very different from Texas Etc extremely
different from for example Great Britain
so if you want to take control you need
to have an agreement that essentially
says look we don’t want the law of
wherever we die or get divorce to apply
these are the rules this is the program
that we want to apply and um people
typically think you know I’d sort of
like to have that control over my
life

Contact William J. Howe III

(503) 227-1515

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Portland, OR family law attorney Bill Howe talks about his experience in preparing premarital agreements. In his legal practice, he has focused significantly on relationship agreements, encompassing cohabitation agreements, domestic partnerships, and premarital agreements. With an impressive track record, he has handled a substantial number of premarital agreements, potentially surpassing the work of any other lawyer in Oregon. Initially gaining recognition for his contributions to premarital agreements within the largest family law firm in Oregon, he expanded his expertise to include estate planning approximately seven or eight years ago.

Having amassed considerable experience, he introduced a collaborative approach to premarital agreements in partnership with accomplished lawyer Josh Kades. This innovative method involves convening all parties in the same room, fostering a collaborative environment for efficient discussions and agreement finalization. This approach has gained popularity not only in Oregon but also in various jurisdictions worldwide.

Beyond his practical work, he has shared his knowledge on premarital agreements through speaking engagements at continuing education events. His presentations have reached international forums, including in Australia and England. Reflecting on the significance of premarital agreements, he cites a study suggesting a 22% lower likelihood of divorce for couples with such agreements. He attributes this not only to the cautious and sophisticated nature of those opting for premarital agreements but also to the crucial role these agreements play in initiating discussions about money—a topic often considered a societal taboo.

In his counseling approach with clients, he emphasizes the inevitability of marriages coming to an end, either by death or divorce. This acknowledgment prompts couples to consider and determine the outcomes they desire under these circumstances. He underscores the complexity of legal variations across jurisdictions, urging clients to take control by outlining specific rules and programs in their agreements, transcending the diverse laws governing divorce and inheritance. Ultimately, his goal is to empower clients with the tools to assert control over the outcomes of their marriages based on their preferences and circumstances.

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