Q&A with Family Law Attorney Alexandra C. Johnson

For many couples, mentioning a prenuptial agreement can still sound like planning for a divorce before the wedding has even taken place.

Alexandra C. “Alex” Johnson, a family law attorney with Petrelli Previtera, LLC in Greenwood Village, Colorado, sees another side to the conversation.

Johnson believes prenups can give couples an opportunity to talk openly about money, careers, property, individual goals, and the future they expect to build together. As a younger attorney who regularly has these conversations with friends and peers, she sees attitudes toward premarital planning beginning to feel less taboo and more practical.

Before practicing family law, Johnson worked in humanitarian immigration law, including matters involving survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. That experience continues to influence the way she thinks about advocacy, communication, and helping clients maintain a voice in decisions that can shape their futures.

We spoke with Johnson about why she believes couples should reconsider some of the assumptions surrounding prenuptial agreements.

When you talk with people your age about prenups, what is the concern you hear most often?

The biggest concern is usually some version of, “If we get a prenup, doesn't that mean we think we're going to get divorced?”

I don't think it has to mean that at all.

I see it as an opportunity to talk about where each person is financially, what your individual goals are, and how you expect to work together on financial matters during your marriage. Those are real conversations couples need to have anyway.

So you don't see a prenup simply as planning for divorce?

No. I think a useful way to look at it is that you're making decisions about your future while the two of you are in a good place.

You are being supportive of each other and can have a thoughtful conversation about what you each want. If something does happen later, there is a greater chance those decisions would be made during a conflict or ultimately be affected by what the law provides.

A prenup lets a couple have more of that conversation themselves when they each want the best for each other.

Why might this be particularly relevant to young professionals?

Many young professionals have already put a tremendous amount of work into building their lives before they marry.

Someone may own a house. One partner might make significantly more than the other. Someone may have invested years in education or worked extremely hard to establish a career.

Those things matter.

And it isn't only about what someone already owns. Even couples who don’t own real property or have significant assets should be considering prenups. They should be discussing what may happen later in the marriage and the choices each person could make about work and family. What do they each want that to look like? For example, if one person stays home to care for children, then will the parties be making plans so that person is still building retirement funds? Discussing these questions before marriage gives couples the security and freedom to make big decisions during their marriage based on what they believe is best for their family, while knowing that they are still protected individually.

You have specifically mentioned women when talking about these agreements. Why?

I think it is important for women to think about protecting the work they have put into getting where they are and the work they expect to put into their careers.

But the conversation can go the other direction too. Someone may decide to become a stay-at-home parent or make a career decision that benefits the family but changes that person's individual financial position. Either way, they should ensure that their interests are protected so that they can make that decision with confidence.

Those are the kinds of issues couples should be able to talk about before marriage.

Does that make the prenup discussion broader than simply deciding who gets particular assets?

Absolutely. To me, part of its value is the conversation.

You're talking about finances and individual goals. You're talking about how you expect to work together on financial matters. You're thinking about what your lives could look like in the future.

It's a structured reason to have a discussion that might otherwise be easy to avoid.

Your career before family law involved humanitarian immigration cases. Has that changed how you approach family-law clients?

It has given me a lot of perspective on working with people who are going through extremely difficult situations.

In immigration work, I worked with people facing some of the worst circumstances in their lives, including human trafficking and domestic violence. Family-law clients may also be going through one of the most stressful experiences of their lives.

That makes communication and empathy incredibly important.

What do you want clients to experience when they work with you?

I want them to know what's going on and to feel comfortable asking questions.

I want to be someone who is communicative and reliable, who listens to what is actually important to the client, and who helps make the process less stressful by explaining what to expect.

Different clients have different priorities. For one person, the most important issue may be parenting time. For someone else, it may be protecting retirement or another financial interest.

My job starts with understanding those goals.

What do you think people should look for when choosing a family lawyer?

Someone who lets you ask questions and makes you feel that those questions are valid.

You should not feel intimidated about asking your attorney something because you're worried it sounds like a stupid question.

I also think you want someone who communicates, listens to what matters to you, and is willing to be realistic with you. An attorney can be on your side and advocate for your goals while also being honest about what is achievable.

About Alexandra C. Johnson

Alexandra C. Johnson is a family law attorney at Petrelli Previtera, LLC, serving clients from the firm's Greenwood Village, Colorado office. Her practice includes divorce, allocation of parental responsibilities, child support, modifications, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and protection orders.

Johnson earned her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Duke University. She is admitted to practice in Colorado and Washington, D.C.

Editor’s Note: This interview was prepared and edited by Allison Anderson based on a conversation with Alexandra C. Johnson, a family law attorney with Petrelli Previtera, LLC. Johnson’s responses have been edited for clarity and length. 

About the Author

Allison Anderson is a Content Strategist & Editor at Envoca Search Marketing. She works with professional service providers to develop educational, experience driven content that helps consumers better understand complex topics while building stronger, more trusted brands through authentic first person insight and thought leadership.