What are your retainer fees? If that’s not a generic question, I don’t know what is! I know there’s a lot of confusion out there about how attorneys bill and what we charge for. I also know that there’s often a general feeling that we’re not all that willing to give straight answers. In law school, the joke was always that the answer to every single question is “It depends.” Today, I’m going to explain to you what goes in to setting retainer fees, and the different types of cases that we … [Read more...]
Ballpark Divorce Case Costs
On Wednesday, we talked about ballpark costs in a custody case. Today, we’re going to talk about ballpark costs in a divorce. Luckily for you, estimating costs in a divorce is slightly easier than in a custody case. After all, with divorce, there’s a finish line – when you get divorced. (Custody cases aren’t like that; custody, visitation, and child support can be modified over and over again, provided that there has been a material change in circumstances, until the child turns 18.) There … [Read more...]
Can someone sit in on my consultation with me?
Yesterday, I got a call from a very grouchy man. It’s not too often I have calls from men, since we represent women only, and we can’t schedule appointments for any men at all. This man, though, was angry because he was calling to pay for a consultation with one of our attorneys for his friend, and he wanted to be allowed to sit in. Our receptionist tried to explain but was ultimately unsuccessful, so I had to step in. “We’ll have to get her permission first,” I told him, re-emphasizing what our … [Read more...]
How much does Virginia divorce cost and how long will it take?
Everyone has the same basic questions at the beginning of the divorce process. Everyone wants to know how much their case will cost (an exact figure, if possible), and exactly how long it will take to get them from start to finish. I get it. I’ve been through things like this before. I’ve had times where thinking about waiting any time at all to reach my end goal seems unbearable, and I’ve certainly have some sleepless nights where I wondered about all kinds of unforeseen costs that could … [Read more...]
