FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Depending on the kind of work, an hourly fee, no fee (contingency cases), or a fixed fee (subject to revision depending on circumstances). My current hourly rate is $325/hour--which, for an attorney with my experience and knowledge, is a very reasonable fee in the SF Bay area. In some cases, my hourly fee is negotiable.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
We can meet in person or communicate by phone, email, Facetime, etc. If a face-to-face meeting is appropriate, I will ask to meet with you at a mutually convenient location, depending on your schedule and mine. I will need your full name, address, contact information, place of employment, and some identifying information, such as a driver's license number, social security number, or passport information. If you are acting on behalf of a corporation, an LLC, or any other legal entity, I will need that information and also corroboration that your fellow owners, shareholders, etc., approve. A 1/2 hour initial consultation fee is $100. In the event I have to drive more than 10 miles to the meeting, I will charge the going IRS mileage rate in addition to the $100 fee. If we go over the 1/2 hour period, the remainder is payable immediately at the end of our first meeting by check, cash, or credit card. After we have made an appointment to meet in person or otherwise, I may ask you to bring all relevant documents to the meeting, or, in some cases, ask you to email, fax or mail relevant documents prior to the meeting. In that initial consultation, which may or may not run over 1/2 hour, I may be able to provide you my opinion of what to do, what kind of transactional work I coulkd assist you with, or, if necessary, advise you that we need additional documents and perhaps perform an investigation. In cases where in my opinion the fees and costs will exceed $1,000, I will require you to sign an "engagement letter," that is, our professional services agreement, before I can continue working on your matter. The letter will be emailed to you for your review and approval. You may call me with any questions you may have about the agreement. I may ask you to advance fees as a condition of me taking your case or transactional matter. This is commonly called a "retainer," but in reality it is an advance against fees and costs to be billed to you (if it is a billable, that is, non-contingency matter.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
See my CV/discussion on the pages in Thumbtack.