Legal
Fees & Conditions
Free
initial consultations for up to one hour are offered to new clients.
If we
believe that you can resolve the matter yourself or through more efficient
or proficient resources, we will refer you appropriately.
Professional
services will be rendered at cost-effective rates. All legal options
will be advised in an economic context.
Legal
services will be performed upon a fixed fee basis, where available.
For example, many standard business agreements, such as an
independent contractor agreement, have a fixed fee of $225. You
can see my present fixed fee schedule here.
If the
amount of time or costs needed to accomplish legal services is unknown and
does not allow for a fixed fee, the hourly rate is $225 per hour with
retainer or $250 per hour without retainer, unless you take advantage of
the Corporate Counsel RetainerSM, which will result in an hourly fee of
$180 for the agreed hours per month [see below].
Hourly fees are computed on an hourly basis in five minute increments.
Regardless
of the fee basis used, whenever possible, an estimated or even maximum
fee, which will, if set, be placed within the written attorney-client
retainer agreement. Of
course, the provisions of your written attorney-client retainer agreement
will control over any inconsistent provision hereof.
Normally,
you will not be billed for photocopying, long distance telephone call
charges within the United States, word processing, faxing, mileage (within
a twenty-five mile radius of our office), or secretarial charges, as tracking
these costs adds expense. If, however, such expenses will be
extraordinary, they will be charged, as provided for in the written
attorney-client retainer agreement.
Statements
are prepared and presented monthly. Payment is due immediately.
Failure to pay statements within thirty days may result in the firm
terminating the attorney-client relationship upon written notice.
Time is
recorded and billed for those services for which billing is normally
expected, such as drafting letters, agreements, conducting negotiations,
attending meetings, etc., and also for phone calls and travel time to and
from out-of-office meetings.
Should
any travel be required beyond a ten mile radius of the office, all
travel costs, including coach air fare, reasonable hotel and food charges,
will be reimbursed by you, subject to your sole advance approval.
Ideally,
the basics of your legal matter may be elicited on the phone or email,
followed by a one hour, face-to-face consultation.
You are
entitled to an "open door policy" whereupon any brief phone call
made to this firm that concludes a matter will not be billed to you.
Brief emails of a similar nature will be treated similarly.
This feature is offered to you in an effort to create a bridge between the
lawyer and client without the constant attention to financial concerns.
Specific
Matter Retainer
An
initial retainer may be requested from you in connection with the services
to be performed on your behalf with respect to any particular matter. The
retainer shall approximate one-half the estimated cost of the matter, but
not less than $1,000, unless the total fee is expected to be less than
$1,000.
This sum
will be deposited in the Firm client trust account to be applied to fees
and costs as they are incurred. You may also be required to
replenish or add to the amount in the trust account, as deemed necessary
to cover unexpected legal services. A
regular payment history may dispense with any need for a retainer.
At the
conclusion of the matter (including your decision to terminate the
Firm’s representation at any time), any sums remaining in the client
trust account for your behalf, after a final accounting and payment of all
sums owed to others, will be returned to you immediately.
Corporate
Counsel RetainerSM
The
Corporate Counsel RetainerSM Plan allows you to have ten hours
of legal services per month at the discounted rate of $180 per hour.
You may choose to take advantage of the Corporate Counsel RetainerSM
Plan by paying an agreed monthly retainer and signing a Corporate Counsel
RetainerSM Plan Agreement. If you do not receive the
agreed hours of legal services within any month, you may either carry over
the time to future months, or you may take advantage of an audit and
upgrade of your firm’s contract forms and procedures, human resource
forms and procedures, or other legally sensitive areas. For more
details, click here.
Insurance
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 6148 of the California Business and
Professions Code, I hereby notify you that I do presently maintain Lawyers
Liability Errors and Omissions Insurance coverage from a third party
insurer or insurance underwriter.
