Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect from hiring your firm?
There are three primary duties you can expect from our attorneys in your case. They include: duty of loyalty, duty of care, and duty of accounting.
Duty of Loyalty
You have hired us, therefore we are YOUR attorney. Therefore, we will be open and honest about what courses of action are in your best interests based on the particulars of your case, as well as what is required under the law. Additionally, if there is a potential conflict of interest that could arise by our representation, we will discuss this upon knowledge of it.
Duty of Care
We meet with you at the outset of your case to discuss objectives and strategy, in order to assess the needs of your case. At this point we are obligated to provide reasonable care in all decisions we make to accomplish those objectives and execute the strategy we agreed upon. We are dedicated to working on your case and using our abilities to accomplish the objectives agreed upon at the outset of your case.
Duty of Accounting
We will keep accurate accounting of our billing and your payments. You will receive monthly statements and can inquire further about your financial standing if you would like. We maintain a separate account where all property and funds are deposited and until earned or distributed.
What are my obligations as a client?
To honor all terms under the Legal Services agreement, including but not limited to: timely communication, cooperation, compensation and complete honesty and trust.
How often will I get to speak to an attorney?
Communication between attorney and client is necessary in order to provide effective legal representation. We will need to contact you whenever an assignment is needed to be completed in furtherance of achieving our objectives. In addition to the communication initiated by our office, clients may call or email to set up an appointment in-person or by phone. All communications between attorney and client are billed to the client.
Who will attend court hearings with me?
That depends on the attorney the client requests, the availability of that attorney, and the client's desire to pay the requested attorney hourly rate.
How do I know what services my agreement will cover?
During your initial consultation, the legal personnel going through your legal service agreement with you will cover your case and the applicable estimated fee schedule. You will receive a copy of your legal service agreement, which will spell out the scope of our representation, as well as a copy of our estimated fee schedule, so you have an idea of what your case is estimated to cost.
Can you guarantee an outcome in a case?
No. We are ethically prohibited from guaranteeing an outcome in any case. We can discuss our experiences in other cases, but those experiences should not be considered a prediction of your case's outcome.
What reasons will cause my attorney to quit my case?
Doing any of the following:
What if I want a new attorney?
You are entitled to be represented by any attorney or firm you wish. If you want a new attorney, simply contact our office for a final invoice and request a substitution of attorney. We will do our best to facilitate a smooth transition of your case to yourself or another firm.
There are three primary duties you can expect from our attorneys in your case. They include: duty of loyalty, duty of care, and duty of accounting.
Duty of Loyalty
You have hired us, therefore we are YOUR attorney. Therefore, we will be open and honest about what courses of action are in your best interests based on the particulars of your case, as well as what is required under the law. Additionally, if there is a potential conflict of interest that could arise by our representation, we will discuss this upon knowledge of it.
Duty of Care
We meet with you at the outset of your case to discuss objectives and strategy, in order to assess the needs of your case. At this point we are obligated to provide reasonable care in all decisions we make to accomplish those objectives and execute the strategy we agreed upon. We are dedicated to working on your case and using our abilities to accomplish the objectives agreed upon at the outset of your case.
Duty of Accounting
We will keep accurate accounting of our billing and your payments. You will receive monthly statements and can inquire further about your financial standing if you would like. We maintain a separate account where all property and funds are deposited and until earned or distributed.
What are my obligations as a client?
To honor all terms under the Legal Services agreement, including but not limited to: timely communication, cooperation, compensation and complete honesty and trust.
How often will I get to speak to an attorney?
Communication between attorney and client is necessary in order to provide effective legal representation. We will need to contact you whenever an assignment is needed to be completed in furtherance of achieving our objectives. In addition to the communication initiated by our office, clients may call or email to set up an appointment in-person or by phone. All communications between attorney and client are billed to the client.
Who will attend court hearings with me?
That depends on the attorney the client requests, the availability of that attorney, and the client's desire to pay the requested attorney hourly rate.
How do I know what services my agreement will cover?
During your initial consultation, the legal personnel going through your legal service agreement with you will cover your case and the applicable estimated fee schedule. You will receive a copy of your legal service agreement, which will spell out the scope of our representation, as well as a copy of our estimated fee schedule, so you have an idea of what your case is estimated to cost.
Can you guarantee an outcome in a case?
No. We are ethically prohibited from guaranteeing an outcome in any case. We can discuss our experiences in other cases, but those experiences should not be considered a prediction of your case's outcome.
What reasons will cause my attorney to quit my case?
Doing any of the following:
- Lie,
- Fail to pay,
- Fail to cooperate,
- Fail to effectively communicate,
- Disrespect law office personnel, or
- Request unethical or illegal behavior from law office staff
What if I want a new attorney?
You are entitled to be represented by any attorney or firm you wish. If you want a new attorney, simply contact our office for a final invoice and request a substitution of attorney. We will do our best to facilitate a smooth transition of your case to yourself or another firm.
