Initial Consultation Fee
We charge $325.00 for a 60 minute Initial Consultation. Jennifer’s hourly rate is $325.00. Payment of fees are required at the time of the Initial Consultation. We accept cash, check, MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express. If your Initial Consultation is longer than 60 minutes, the additional time is charged at the attorney’s hourly rate. If your Initial Consultation is less than 60 minutes, we will adjust the fees accordingly.
If your initial consultation is by phone or video (Zoom), we will email you our Intake Form for you to complete prior to our appointment. If your initial consultation is in person, we will email you our Intake Form for you to complete and return to us prior to our appointment.
We recommend that you provide us us with any documents related to your case in advance
It is helpful to have documents reviewed by the attorney in advance of your Initial Consultation — to save you time and money. Please ask us when you schedule your appointment if you should email your documents before your first meeting with us. In any event, please have any documents related to your case available to you for the Initial Consultation. If needed, Jennifer will discuss the documents with you. She will also give you a “road map” for what to expect during the case, and answer any questions that you may have.
Retainers
The office operates on a retainer basis. A retainer must be paid before any work will be started on your case. An initial retainer is placed in an escrow (trust) account and paid out as fees are earned. The amount of the retainer will be determined at your Initial Consultation based on the nature and difficulty of your case. Our typical retainer for a family law matter is $6,500. If you hire the Firm for Unbundled Services, the retainer is $1,600. You will not receive any interest on the amount of the unused retainer. Any interest earned on your retainer is used by the Colorado Lawyers Trust Account Foundation (COLTAF) for legal aid in the State of Colorado.
Do you take cases on a contingency fee basis?
No. The Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure prevent us from taking the types of cases we handle (family law) on a contingent fee basis.
Why do you charge for an initial consultation?
When you have an Initial Consultation with us, you will be receiving legal advice and we believe that our legal advice and time is worth charging for. If you come to see us for an Initial Consultation, even if you do not hire the Firm, we are forever precluded from representing someone whose interests are opposite or conflict with yours.
Do you take credit cards?
Yes. In an effort to better serve our clients and simplify your billing experience, our firm offers credit card acceptance. We accept MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express credit cards for your Initial Consultation, retainers or payments on your account. We use LawPay for credit card payments. Clients can use a computer, tablet, or mobile device to make payments. Under the current Fee Agreement, any unpaid balance collects interest at the rate of 18% percent per year so putting your payments on a lower interest credit card will save you money.
What if I don’t use my full retainer?
The retainer is used to pay your bill as it is earned and if you do not use your entire retainer, it will be refunded to you, usually with your last bill. You will not receive any interest on the amount of the unused retainer. The interest goes towards providing indigent legal services in Colorado. Under the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct, your retainer is kept in a Colorado Lawyer Trust Account Foundation (COLTAF) bank account.
Can you quote how much a case will cost?
That is difficult to do. Quotes are often incorrect because the case is more complicated or contentious than the client originally thought. We bill regularly and keep clients informed about any extra costs before they are incurred. Extra costs may be incurred for other services that are obtained such as transcripts, investigators, and evaluators. We understand that this is often a difficult time for you and we try to keep your costs down.