Laurie Israel is a nationally known prenuptial agreement attorney and mediator
A nationally known prenuptial agreement attorney and mediator, Laurie Israel began her practice of law as a tax lawyer over 35 years ago. She works as an attorney, consultant and mediator, concentrating her practice on prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She is admitted to the bar in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is also admitted to practice in Federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States. Laurie is a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Attorney®. Laurie is one of the initial practitioners and developers of the field of marital mediation, the practice of using mediation to help couples solve marital problems and improve their marriages and also works with people wishing to enter into postnuptial agreements.
Laurie has served on the boards of the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation and the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council. She has written for, and been interviewed in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine’s “The Cut,” and other publications. She is a frequent presenter on the topic of prenups in podcasts. (See Media page.)
Over the years, her practice of estate planning and divorce led her to an interest and concentration in prenuptial agreements. She has become one of the preeminent national experts on prenuptial agreements, and has been a presenter at conferences on the topic of prenuptial agreements and mediating prenuptial agreements nationwide. She believes that mediating prenups as a first step is generally the best way to help couples mutually address the terms of a prenup and how they may affect each of the parties in the future and the well-being of their upcoming marriage.
Laurie has written a comprehensive book on prenups, “The Generous Prenup: How to Support Your Marriage and Avoid the Pitfalls” (Amazon). This book was written with the lay person in mind, but is also used by attorneys and mediators as a comprehensive and fair-minded guide to this often thorny topic.
Laurie began her involvement in the area of prenups as a representative for clients negotiating their agreements. She has experienced first-hand how couples can harm each other during the negotiation process in a way not easily to be forgotten. Laurie believes that if not dealt with in an equitable manner, the content and process of prenups can do irreparable damage to a couple embarking on marriage. The message in her book “The Generous Prenup” is that prenups are not to be taken lightly and should be used only when absolutely necessary, and when both parties are comfortable with the entire process and the resulting prenup. She believes the professionals involved should be keenly aware of the issue of fairness to both parties and should consider the ultimate health of the ensuing marriage.
To read more writings by Laurie Israel and prenuptial agreements, visit
Laurie now confines her practice to prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She helps people by mediating and consulting about prenups all over the country, as well as representing clients in Massachusetts.
To contact Laurie Israel, email her at laurie@laurieisrael.com, or use the contact page.