Flat Fee Family Law

This is an actual quote from another family law firm’s website: “There is no way to predict the total cost of a divorce.”

What?!?!

Would you buy a house, a car, get a haircut or pay for any other service without knowing how much the total cost is? Of course not.

So why do divorce attorneys expect you to hire them and refuse to tell you how much it will cost?

What they really are saying is: “We can’t tell you because we bill by the hour, so the longer the case takes, the more money we make.”

Edwards Family Law has implemented unique, customer friendly pricing for our legal services. The basic feature of our pricing is that we work carefully with our clients to arrive at a customized price for specific services.

Prior to commencement of representation, our clients know the full fee in advance – no surprises.

We discuss and agree on the fee during the consultation. This eliminates the extra stress that can result from not knowing how much the case will cost.

You will probably interview multiple law firms about your case, and you should. When you encounter an hourly biller, ask him or her why they cannot tell you how much the case will cost. I doubt they will have an answer that makes sense to you. Some hourly billers disparage flat fee firms, mostly because they are terrified that we have pulled the rug out from the old way of billing, which has been very profitable for them. They may try to convince you that somehow, they are worth the tens of thousands more you will pour into their firm, and that flat rate billers can’t possibly be as good or as efficient. You will have to decide that for yourself.

You should also know that we do not compromise on quality. Family Law cases must be done correctly. And to minimize the risks associated with family law cases, once your case has begun, we move expeditiously towards a settlement or trial. Unfortunately, quality and speed cost more than slow, mediocre service. We are by no means the least expensive law firm you can hire. If the absolute lowest fee is all you care about, just realize that if you hire the attorney who quotes the lowest fee, you run the risk of getting less expertise and professionalism than you and your family needs.

Out of Pocket Expenses

Most attorneys will charge for out-of-pocket expenses, which will increase your bill. When interviewing attorneys, be sure to ask if they charge for extra expenses. 9 times out of 10, they do.

• We do not charge for routine out-of-pocket expenses, which will save you money over the life of your case.

• We do not charge for mileage to get to court.

• We do not charge for long distance calls and faxes.

• We do not charge for postage, research subscription fees, courier fees or per page copy fees.

• We subscribe to a state-of-the-art server which allows every client to have 24/7 access to their case. We do not pass this cost on to our clients. It is our pleasure to provide you this service.

• We are too busy working on your case to figure out ways to nickel-and-dime you.

Award of Attorney’s Fees

Depending on the circumstances of your individual case, we may ask the Court to order the other party to reimburse you for your attorney’s fees and expenses.

Please keep in mind that it is up to the judge’s discretion whether or not to grant such an award. Therefore, in most cases, we still require that a fee be paid up front to begin a case. Thereafter, any reimbursement or award by the court will be applied to your bill as the fees are received. Any excess will be immediately refunded to you when the case is complete.

ESTIMATE YOUR LEGAL FEES