Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 200
•
Trim: 5¾ x 9
978-1-5381-3491-7 • Hardback • April 2020 • $36.00 • (£30.00)
CARLA SPIVACK is Oxford Research Professor of Law at Oklahoma City University School of Law, where she has taught about wills, trusts and estates, family law and property for ten years. Before joining the faculty, Spivack practiced civil litigation at Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft, a New York law firm, and clerked for the Hon Robert G. Flanders, Jr. of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island. Spivack is a leading voice in the movement to educate women about the pitfalls in the law and to advocate for legal change in the area of women and family wealth.Her articles about gender issues and property law have been published in the top ranked law reviews, and the best-selling casebooks read by law students cite her work in detail. She is a frequent speaker on women and the law at universities and laws schools around the country. She lives in Oklahoma City, OK.
Introduction
1 The Legal Pitfalls of Living Together
2 The Truth about Prenuptial Agreements
3 How Divorce Leaves Women Out in the Cold
4 The Role of the Law in Perpetuating Domestic Abuse
5 Caregiving’s Cost to Women
6 Disinherited—the Fate of the Surviving Spouse
Notes
Bibliography
Spivack, a law professor at Oklahoma City University, offers this outstanding guide to help women navigate the many complexities of property ownership that are closely linked to such life events as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. The book delves into crucial topics, such as prenuptial agreements, alimony, life insurance, and estate planning, in clear and engaging terms, cleverly avoiding the use of legalese or intimidating technical language. For example, the finer points of contract law (e.g., when is an oral agreement considered binding?) are defined and discussed in simple terms using relatable scenarios. Real life property dispute cases are cited throughout, lending extra support to the professor’s assertions regarding a woman’s need to plan and prepare for every foreseeable eventuality. The scope and depth of this guide are impressive, and readers will find it accessible and informative. Highly recommended for public libraries.
— Booklist
In The Smart Woman’s Guide to Property Law, Professor Spivack provides just what the title promises. The book is a thoughtful primer, complete with practical suggestions, on just how women can protect themselves and their property from legal pitfalls as they move through their lives - and relationships.
— Naomi Cahn, Harold H. Green Professor, George Washington University Law School