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Frequently Asked
Questions
1. Why do you offer free consulations in
personal injury cases but charge in others?
Because personal injury
cases are handled on contingency (attorney fees are paid from the
recovery), the initial consultation is without cost to you.
However, other matters
are billed through varying methods, and the initial consultation fee is
payment for the attorney time spent and legal information you will
receive during the consultation.
Although some attorneys
and law frims advertise a “free” consultation, the reality is this time
will be paid, through their fees when you agree to hire that
attorney. In addition, the goal of
a “free” consultation is to sign you as a client, because all firms need
paying clients to survive. (no one
can stay in business by providing free consultations all day)
We prefer a paid
consultation because it gives us the freedom to give you information and
advice (even if that advice is that you don’t need to hire an attorney!)
without worrying about signing a client to make up for all the “free”
consultations we have provied.
2. How much is my matter going to cost?
The total cost of
representation varies just as every case will be different and require
different lengths of time to resolve.
Our normal attorney rate is $250 per hour. This applies to litigation, family law
matters and contract drafting and disputes. The number of hours required for your
particular case can be estimated
at the initial consultation, but can only be determined as the case
progresses. We can discuss a
number of options to control the fee in your case.
Estate planning is value
priced, meaning you will be quoted a total fee amount after your initial
consultation. Although some firms
have a one-price-fits-all approach to estate planning, your estate,
assets and disbursement wishes are unique. In our practice we will spend the time
with you to learn about your desires and draft the appropriate documents.
Personal Injury cases are
typically handled on contingency for attorney fees, based on a
progressive amount of the award depending on how your case is
resolved. We can discuss this
during our initial consultation.
3.
How much am I going to have to pay to start the representation?
Since total fee amounts
vary, so will the initial payment.
Generally speaking, estate planning matters require an initial
payment of 1/3 of the total fee to begin the process. Matters involving court filings
(litigation, family law disputes) include substantial court costs and
preparation time, and you should expect to pay several thousand dollars
($3,000-$7,500) as an initial
deposit for future services. As
this money is used to pay for services and costs associated with your
case, additional payments may be required.
As with overall fee
arrangements, these amounts may vary and can only be set after we learn
the details of your case.
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