Questions about attorney’s fees is quite high on the list of questions that we are asked daily whenever someone calls our office inquiring about our legal services. There is very little legal insurance coverage offered to cover the expenses of a lawsuit or a transactional case. In fact, most people do not even think about the cost of legal coverage until they are served with legal papers or need to apply for a benefit. The end result of this is that the average person ends up paying attorney’s fees and costs out-of-pocket.
The standard traditional law office requires the payment of a retainer before undertaking representation. However, at Fletcher Law Office, we find this arrangement unpredictable and offer flat fee pricing to our clients instead. A retainer is a sum of money set aside against which the attorney will bill hours for work performed during a specific period of time, usually monthly. A $10,000 retainer is a normal ask to start a case. Even after paying the standard retainer, you have no idea how much the case will cost. In one month, you could have used up 50% of the retainer and if it drops below a certain amount, you may be asked to “replenish” it, which could be another $5,000, depending on the agreement. These type of surprises make planning difficult and could put you in a financial bind.
The flat fee model offers transparent pricing and predictability. You know how much your case will cost at the outset. Even the most litigious cases are broken down in phases so that you can follow along and pay according to the schedule.