Independent Legal Advice (ILA)

ILA is important for Separation Agreements, Cohabitation Agreements, and Marriage Agreements. Absent ILA, these agreements may not be binding in court down the road as the court . Without ILA the court may not be able to ensure that all the parties to the contract understood what they were signing and that they signed voluntarily. 

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Each party should meet with their own lawyer separately, even if they are amicable and are happy with the terms of the agreement. ILA ensures that the parties have the law explained to them separately, and how their specific agreement may differ from the strict application of the law, affect their rights or obligations. The lawyer can review the drafted agreement and advise if it was appropriately drafted, if there are important provisions missing, or language that could be improved to better reflect the intentions of the parties. Finally, ILA also ensures that the client is not being inappropriately pressured into signing the agreement.

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We can provide ILA as described and make sure you sign your agreement with confidence.