To come up with something that meets your needs, I carefully listen to what you want. Everyone is unique, and no two situations are exactly the same. Most clients generally prefer an approach tailored to their specific situation rather than a “cookie cutter” approach. I am dedicated to providing quality, reasonably priced, personalized service.

Service

In order to provide quality service, I work to be as organized as possible. This can include asking you to complete a short questionnaire and returning it to me so that I have essential facts before we start. I often will have a checklist at our meetings so that we do not miss important details. I use some forms too – but they are modified, sometimes substantially, so that we get things tailored for your specific situation. It is important to develop a realistic schedule.

The second thing that I do is to focus on what is really important to you. It helps if you have an idea of your goals or objectives before the initial meeting.

The third thing I do is to have some sort of a process for making good decisions. The methodology can vary from situation to situation, and from client to client. Sometimes it is coming up with the “least worst”. Whatever approach is used, however, I have found that it really helps to clearly state the problem and options before a decision is made.

Price

Different factors can go into the computation of legal fees. The most important factor in determining a fee is generally the amount of time expended. This is why it is important to come in and fully explain your situation. After a meeting, I am in a better position to provide a fee estimate based on various factors. These factors can include the complexity of the work, the time constraints involved, and additional resources that may be required. Certain things a client does can lower the amount of time, including furnishing information on forms, having some idea of what you want, and being available to discuss the matter.

Overhead is another important factor. Significant overhead costs for a lawyer can include such items as office rent, staffing, equipment and technology costs, professional liability insurance, continuing education costs, and self-funded benefits such as retirement. With advances in technology, lawyers are now able to do more work off site. My efforts to hold down overhead include the use of a virtual office concept. I have a home office, where I work much of the time. I also have meeting space and use support staff at a suburban office building.