Prenups and the Elephant in the Room: A Handbook for the Prenup Process

"Prenups and the Elephant in the Room: A Handbook for the Prenup Process" is a practical, informative guide to negotiating a prenup. It provides a user-friendly framework for how the process of arriving at a prenup works—from the beginning considerations and conversations to the final product. The book provides guidance on determining whether a prenup is a wise choice, reasons to have a prenup, and how to have productive negotiations. It also addresses common misconceptions. The underlying premise of the book is that the negotiations for a prenuptial agreement present an opportunity to begin marriage with a clear sense of each other’s values and priorities. The goal of the book is to help make the user’s own process more productive and meaningful.

DEBORAH HOPE WAYNE, ESQ. is a collaborative attorney and mediator who has helped a diverse clientele negotiate prenuptial and matrimonial agreements without court intervention for more than 25 years. Her dedication to finding better ways to resolve conflict inspired her to codevelop one of the first law school programs on collaborative practice in the United States. She is currently an Adjunct Professor of Collaborative Law at Pace University School of Law where she has taught for the past eight years. She has presented on prenuptial agreements and conflict resolution for various local, state, and national organizations and institutions. She is on the Board of Directors of the New York State Council for Divorce Mediation and previously served on the Board of Directors of the New York State Association of Collaborative Professionals where she is still involved in training and peer support and development. Ms. Wayne practices in Purchase, New York, and New York City.