Pricing Philosophy & Fee Structure
Clients deserve clarity and directness when it comes to legal fees.
Where possible, I offer flat fees so you know exactly what you will pay. For matters that require open-ended work, I bill hourly with full transparency.
Payments can be made by most major payment methods using the link at the top of the page.
Hourly Billing
$210 per hour
- Billed in 1/10th of an hour (6-minute increments)
- Each invoice entry includes a clear description of the work performed
- No charges for routine administrative costs such as photocopies, postage, or local travel (I won’t nickel and dime you)
- Only substantial or extraordinary expenses are passed through at cost
Hourly billing is typically used for contested family law matters and ongoing civil disputes, where flat fees would be impossible to estimate in good faith.
Lawyers are required to keep client funds separate from their own. To do this, we use a special bank account called a trust account. When a matter is billed hourly an advance fee deposit is collected from the client and deposited to the firm’s trust account. For family law matters, this is typically in the $2000 – $4000 range. As work is performed on your case, you will receive an accounting of how your funds are used, and payment will be withdrawn from the trust account. Any unused balance will be returned to you at the end of representation.
Flat Fee Legal Services
Flat fees are available for defined and predictable matters. These fees reflect ordinary cases of their kind. If your matter involves unusual complexity I will discuss any adjustment with you before work begins.
|
Service |
Fee |
|
Prenuptial Agreement drafting or review |
$800 flat fee |
|
Traffic Infraction (No Collision) |
$225 flat fee |
|
Traffic Infraction (Collision Involved) |
$325 flat fee |
|
Civil Protection Order prosecution or defense (including renewal defense) |
$1,800 flat fee |
Prenuptial Agreements: The flat fee includes drafting, legal review, and one to two reasonable rounds of revision. Corporate holdings, trusts, international assets, or complex estate structures may require custom pricing.
Family Law
Most family law matters – divorce, parenting plans, support issues – are unpredictable in scope and heavily influenced by the other party and the court. For that reason, these matters are billed hourly at $210 per hour.
Evictions / Unlawful Detainer Actions (Landlord Representation)
Evictions can resolve early or proceed through several procedural stages. To ensure fairness, I charge per stage, rather than one large fee, so you only pay for the steps your case actually requires.
|
Stage |
Description |
Fee |
|
#1: Notice |
Draft and serve Pay/Vacate or other notice |
$150+ approximate $125 service/mailing |
|
#2: Filing the Lawsuit |
Draft and file Unlawful Detainer lawsuit |
$700 + approximate $85 in service costs + filing fee of $135 if uncontested or $247 if contested |
|
#3: Settlement or Motion |
Negotiated agreement or court motion |
$300 + $30 ex parte filing fee |
|
#4: Court Hearing |
Representation at show cause or trial |
$300 |
|
#5: Sheriff’s Writ |
Coordination with Sheriff |
$150 + $100 to $175 in Sheriff’s fees to return writ |
|
#6: Physical Eviction |
Movers and locksmith |
Handled directly by client |
Total in a worst-case scenario where at no stage does the holdover tenant leave willingly: $1600 in legal fees + ~$600 total in court costs, process server, and Sheriff fees
Estimates & Jurisdiction
The fees listed are intended for ordinary matters. If your case involves exceptional complexity, urgency, or risk, I will tell you before additional costs are incurred