FAIR FLAT FEES

You wouldn’t buy a house, a car, go on a vacation, or even out to dinner without knowing what you are going to pay for the service, right? We sure wouldn’t. So, we don’t ask our clients to write us a blank check for our services, either.

So, why do other attorneys expect you to hire them and refuse to tell you how much it will cost? What they really are saying is: “We can’t tell you because we bill by the hour, so the longer the case takes, the more money we make.”

We’re different, and so is our business model. By working carefully with our clients to arrive at a custom price for specific services, so you’ll know the full fee before we get started – no surprises. We discuss and agree on the fee during the consultation. This eliminates the extra stress that can result from not knowing how much the case will cost.

You will probably interview multiple law firms about your case, and you should. When you encounter a lawyer who is still using hourly billing, ask him or her why they cannot tell you how much the case will cost. Does their answer make sense to you? We’ve found that flat fees encourage efficiency, encourage client and lawyer communication, and align the interests of the client and his or her lawyer. Ask yourself this: is the lawyer who bills hourly worth the thousands more you will pour into their firm? You will have to decide that for yourself.

Quality costs.
To be clear, we do not compromise on quality. Probate and guardianship cases must be done correctly. Once your case has begun, we move expeditiously towards a conclusion of your case. Unfortunately, quality and speed cost more than slow, mediocre service. We are by no means the least expensive law firm you can hire. If the absolute lowest fee is all you care about, we get it. But understand: if you hire the attorney who quotes the lowest fee, you run the risk of getting less expertise and professionalism than what you and your family needs.

Out of Pocket Expenses
Most attorneys will charge for out-of-pocket expenses, which will increase your bill. When interviewing attorneys, be sure to ask if they charge for extra expenses. 9 times out of 10, they do.

But again, our firm is different:

• We do not charge for routine out-of-pocket expenses, which will save you money over the life of your case.
• We do not charge for mileage to get to court.
• We do not charge for long distance calls and faxes.
• We do not charge for research subscription fees.
• We do not charge for per page copy fees, excluding court copy fees.
• We are too busy working on your case to figure out ways to nickel-and-dime you.

Who pays the fees?
In non-litigated cases: In both estate and guardianship cases, there is a high likelihood that the costs of our legal services can be reimbursed from the estate or the assets of the incapacitated person. The law recognizes that you are undertaking a legal case to handle someone else’s affairs because they cannot, so the law permits you to recoup your costs of getting the estate open or a guardian appointed.

In litigated cases: depending on the circumstances of your individual case, we may ask the judge to order the other party to reimburse you for your attorney’s fees and expenses. It is up to the judge’s discretion whether or not to grant such an award.

Therefore, in most cases, we still require that a fee be paid upfront to begin a case. Thereafter, any reimbursement or award by the court will be applied to your bill as the fees are received. Any excess will be immediately refunded to you when the case is complete.