We charge for initial consultations because we use those meetings for substantive progress on your case. We will offer advice, suggest strategies, and otherwise start assisting you right away.

You certainly may, however, there will likely be situations in which we suggest any person who has accompanied you should step out of the meeting. That is because the presence of a person who is not our client typically means otherwise confidential information may not be confidential.
We also prefer if you will be bringing someone with you that you let us know ahead of time.

Family law cases are difficult and sometimes expensive. When we commit to work diligently for you to obtain a suitable and acceptable outcome, we get a commitment from you to pay our fees. Part of that commitment is to help us have funds on hand so that when your bill becomes due, those funds can be transferred over. We do not earn any of your trust deposit without performing work.

We cannot. The Rules of Professional Conduct that govern ethical conduct by attorneys have declared contingent fees to be unethical in family law cases in all but the most unusual situations.

Billing is approximately monthly. In certain unusual situations, an additional billing cycle may occur during a month.

We cannot. That would create an unsolvable conflict of interests. Even in cases in which parties believe that they both what the same thing and “this will be easy,” we cannot do so.

Yes. We are experienced in assisting with preparing clients for mediation, and we often attend mediation sessions with clients. Our firm is considered “mediation friendly.”

Though it is more uncommon, some clients elect to resolve their dispute through arbitration. We represent parties in arbitration, too.

“Collaborative law” is a specific defined term. We do not practice collaborative law under the model by which we agree not to represent you if litigation should become necessary or inevitable, because we feel it is unfair for you to have to agree in advance to re-educate a new attorney about your case should settlement efforts fail. That does not mean, however, that we will not work with you toward a negotiated resolution, and we never start litigation without it being your choice.

Not at all! Settlement is the best outcome in the great majority of cases. Settlement often has both a lower economic cost and emotional cost, and we owe it to you to discuss mutually agreed outcomes any time they appear possible. Sometimes settlement becomes possible only after certain facts are fully explored. Further, we are continually evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of your case and will discuss settlement from time to time.

A lawyer who states with certainty how a judge will rule is unwise. In a courtroom situation, some results are more probable than others. We cannot guarantee any particular result, but we can promise diligence and persistence in helping you pursue your legitimate goals.