FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
For criminal cases, I generally charge a flat fee for preliminary hearings. Payment for preliminary hearings is due in full before walking into court. If clients desire to continue using my firm beyond the preliminary hearing, the costs for proceeding forward vary widely depending upon the complexity of the case. Because no two cases are the same,I generally cannot provide a good-faith estimate of legal fees until I dig into the case. For civil litigation cases, I bill at an hourly rate of $350/hr. Generally, retainers in excess of $3,000 are requested up front, but not always.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
First, new clients are directly connected to me when they call. My staff doesn't screen calls. Here, there's a direct line of communication to me to discuss your issue and to set up an appointment. For your first appointment, unlike a lot of attorneys, I don't offer a free consultation. It's $150 for 30 minutes. Come by, bring your documents, get comfortable, and tell me your problem. We'll have a thorough meeting, let you know your options, and we'll discuss how to get you to a solution. If you like what you hear, then your $150 consultation fee is put towards the overall quoted fee.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Lawyers are researchers and writers. The bulk of what we do happens behind the scenes in front of a computer. From college, where I was primed and conditioned to read and write a lot, to law school, where I was trained to read and write "like a lawyer," I've acquired the skills and the know-how to effectively and persuasively communicate your position. Concerning education, I am a cum laude graduate of Allegheny College and a magna cum laude graduate of Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where I graduated 5th in my class. While in law school, I was a member of the Law Review and of the National Moot Coot team. I was legally trained in a school that emphasized practical legal education--that is, a school that emphasized doing the work instead of the theory. Throughout law school, I always worked. I clerked in private practice; I served as a student public defender; and I worked for a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. Since entering private practice, I've put this training and experience to work for my clients. I've successfully handled dozens of appeals in Pennsylvania's appellate courts, and I've successfully tried cases to verdict in front of juries and judges throughout Pennsylvania, including on charges for first-degree murder and the most serious sex offenses. In sum, I have the education and training to help you solve your legal problem.