Contingency Fee - Many cases can be handled on a contingency fee basis, which means the attorney is paid only if recovery is made.  A contingency fee agreement allows clients to obtain legal representation even if they have no money to pay an attorney upfront.  Additionally, case expenses such as filing fees, deposition fees, investigator fees, and expert witness fees may be advanced in a contingency fee case.  Many factors are taken into consideration when determining whether or not a case can be taken on a contingency fee basis:

• The amount of time the attorney spends working on the case;
• The complexity of the case;
• The probability of making a recovery; and
• The expenses associated with the case.

Please be sure to ask whether or not your case can be handled on a contingency fee basis.      

Fixed Fee Family Law Services - What is the difference between hourly billing and flat fees?  Well, lawyers who bill on an hourly basis usually charge in 6 minute increments.  Every month a bill is mailed out detailing the amount of time spent on your case and how much the time will cost you.  Most of the time you will have no idea how much money you will spend on your case because when you ask the question, "how much more is this going to cost?" the typical response from a lawyer who charges by the hour will be, "it depends on how much more time is required."  Such billing arrangements are unpredictable and reward inefficiency.  You never really know how much your divorce, custody, or support issue will cost until it is resolved.  The longer it takes the attorney to complete a task, the more you will be charged.

A fixed-fee, or flat-fee, agreement, on the other hand, provides a sensible alternative to hourly billing.  Payment is made for the work accomplished, not the time spent on each individual task.  Fixed fees can be charged for any family law matter and the fee agreement can be tailored to your specific case.  The Law Office of Melinda J. Parks practices family law on a fixed-fee basis.  If you are interested in such a fee arrangement, please submit your contact information for a free consultation of your case.  In the meantime, consider the following factors when deciding whether to hire a lawyer who charges by the hour for family law matters or one who charges on a fixed fee basis:

Five Reasons To Choose A Fixed-Fee Family Lawyer

1.  Fixed fees let you know the cost in advance.  The cost of a lawyer is a factor most people have to consider.  With a fixed fee agreement, you will know exactly how much money you will spend on your family law matter.  Although no lawyer can guarantee the outcome of your case, with a fixed fee agreement, at least you can be guaranteed of the cost.
2. Fixed fees promote efficiency.  There will be no need to look at your watch while you're on the phone with your lawyer or while you're in an office meeting.  With a fixed fee agreement, you and your lawyer are on equal footing.  After all, you have more to worry about during this difficult time than a ticking clock. 
3. Fixed fees encourage efficient use of time-saving technology.  Today, more can be done faster and easier with the use of the most current technology.  The premium that fixed fees place on efficiency encourages the use of these new technologies.  For example, clients of this office have a free extranet service that gives them 24/7 access to all of their documents and case information.  If you want to know the status of your case, there is no need to worry about an hourly fee being charged for you to talk with me.  You can simply check the status instantly from any internet connection. 
4. Fixed fees encourage communication between client and attorney.  With a fixed fee agreement, there is no need to worry about how much it will cost to speak with your attorney.  this results in the free exchange of ideas and information, which can reduce surprises and result in better legal representation and outcomes. 
5. Fixed fees means no monthly billing!  With a fixed fee agreement, there is never a need to review, check or have uncomfortable discussions regarding your monthly bill with your attorney.  There is no need to question if a task really took so long to complete and no reason to wonder how much more you will have to spend on your case.  As a result, you and your lawyer can concentrate on what really matters - getting a fair and equitable outcome in your case.