Fees
How every matter is billed, on one page
No hourly rates. Each matter runs on one of these, agreed in writing before we start.
A first look
For a complaint you've been served, a demand letter, or a deal that is going wrong. The first look has a set fee, quoted when you book, and it is credited in full if you start the case within 30 days.
Book a first lookA partner reads the papers and the contract
A 90-minute meeting, at the office or by video
A written note on options, risks and a budget
A demand letter
A flat fee for a letter from a partner setting out your claim. A lawsuit, if the letter doesn't settle it, is a separate matter.
Ask about a demand letterThe letter, drafted and signed by a partner
One round of replies with the other side
A case in court or arbitration
One monthly fee, set in writing before we start. The size of the case sets it, and it doesn't change while the case runs. Stop at the end of any month, on 30 days' notice.
Ask about a caseEvery hour from our lawyers and paralegal
Pleadings, motions, discovery and depositions
Mediation: the statement, the preparation and the day
A written status report each month
Trial days
Quoted in writing once the court sets a date. How long the trial runs moves the fee.
Ask about trialTwo lawyers at the table
Witness and exhibit preparation that day
Court filing and service fees, deposition transcripts, and expert and mediator fees are costs. We bill them at what they cost us, without a markup, and ask before spending any large amount.
A monthly fee next to an hourly bill
| Hourly billing | Monthly fee | |
|---|---|---|
| When you know the cost | Hourly billingWhen the invoice comes | Monthly feeBefore you sign |
| A long phone call | Hourly billingBilled in tenths of an hour | Monthly feeInside the fee |
| The other side files a motion | Hourly billingA larger invoice | Monthly feeSame monthly fee |
| Stopping | Hourly billingPay for work in progress | Monthly feeEnd of any month |
| What each invoice shows | Hourly billingTime entries by the tenth | Monthly feeThe fee, costs and a status report |
Fee questions
Why a monthly fee instead of hourly?
So you can plan for the case like any other cost of the business, and so a phone call to your lawyer is never a decision about money.
Do you ever charge more than the monthly fee?
Only for costs paid to others and for trial days, both explained before they happen. The fee itself doesn't change during the case.
Is there a retainer up front?
The first month's fee is paid when you sign. There is no separate deposit to keep topped up.
Do you take cases on contingency?
No. Every matter runs on one of the arrangements on this page.
Not sure which one fits?
Start with a first look. If a lawsuit isn't worth its cost, the written note will say so.