Consultation Process
When deciding who will represent you during your divorce or custody case or just want advice regarding an estate planning issue, arranging an initial consultation is essential. Not only will you need to be sure they have the experience and successful case record, but you may have a lot of questions around areas of cost and communication availability. At the Law Offices of Thomas Stahl, we want to provide you with a brief overview of our consultation process to know what to expect when you sit down to discuss your legal matter with one of our seasoned attorneys.
What is a Consultation?
When you first meet with one of our attorneys, this is through a consultation where you have an opportunity to get to know our Firm and discuss the details of your case. During this meeting, you can expect to go over basic information, including:
- How state law can impact your case
- Ask questions about your legal situation
- Receive a suggested strategy should you choose us to go forward with your case
Though we charge a nominal consultation fee as most family law firms do, these consultations usually last about an hour and can give you ample guidance to decide what your next steps should be. Our attorney will also give you a thorough explanation of our fees, how they are charged, and why our quality of service justifies the cost of representing your best interests.
Our Fee Options
At The Law Offices of Thomas Stahl, our Firm charges attorney fees in two primary ways:
Billable Hours
Because most of our work is related to family law issues like divorce or custody negotiations, it is impossible to set a definitive amount of time it takes to accomplish these tasks. Additionally, unlike personal injury cases that would end in a significant monetary award, family law and probate issues do not seek economic damages.
You also have to consider that the amount of work can vary greatly from case to case. For example, a no-fault divorce takes a lot less time, paperwork, and negotiation effort than an at-fault divorce that will end up going to trial.
Flat Rate Billing
Typically, you can expect us to provide you with a flat-rate fee for many aspects of estate planning services, including:
- Wills
- advanced directives
- powers of attorney
- other estate planning related transactional services
This billing method is hugely convenient for legal services that have a predetermined amount of time to complete.