FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
The model I have found best, is to charge a flat fee of $250 for an hour-long consultation (This is the below our standard litigation fee of $425/hour, as we are a full-service law firm) then we essentially apply that money to discount whatever our ultimate project is. Many clients find that the consultation is worth it, since there are many strange and unique instances within this world, and sometimes there are actual answers (Can I use a photograph of a painting in a certain museum?) or sometimes I can explain the likelihood of various outcomes (What will happen if I sample a song?) We do not always need to offer additional services: for example I always explain how to register a copyright by yourself. I also explain why you should never file a trademark by yourself. In my experience, a paid consultation suggests that the client means business, and that’s the kind of clients we want. This is not about me grabbing a couple of dollars upfront, we are looking for a long-term relationship with our business clients, small or large. But that begins with your commitment, which in this case can only be shown by hiring an attorney for a consult.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I first want to make sure that our clients know they’re speaking with a real human attorney. As the managing partner in the firm I’d like to speak with our new clients as much as possible, preferably to initiate contact; I even pick up the calls!! There must be some initial consultation and discussion, and then we figure out if there is something they need to hire us for (that’s not always the outcome), and then I explain the costs and the process, only then we decide to sign a retainer agreement, and get to work together!
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I’ve been practicing law for almost 20 years, having started in criminal law, which makes me very comfortable in courtrooms and with people, but then switching to intellectual property law prior to going into private practice. My personal interests has always been in literature and publishing, as well as visual arts and Theatre, To my practice has evolved into this direction, as well as into working with small businesses on various commercial issues. My partner Joshua Lurie has been a civil litigator, almost exclusively, his whole career, and has great experience in federal and state courts. We are lucky to approach all transactional work from a litigation perspective, so we see where the real problems are, and how to fix them ahead of time.