Reasonable and Competitive Fees

The fees for our legal services are competitively and reasonably priced. They are based on many factors, such as the type of case involved as well as our experience and expertise.

During your first office meeting with us, after we discuss your legal matter and provide you with a brief analysis of it, we will give you an estimate, explain our fee

"We encourage good communication in this area and believe that a free exchange of information is essential in order to enhance good attorney-client relations."        – Donald J. DeVries

arrangement options, and answer any questions you have about our fees or billing procedures. We welcome your questions during our meetings. We have found that a clear understanding of this important topic is essential to maintain a good working relationship.

Before we begin working on your legal matter, we prepare a written fee agreement with you. This agreement will include a brief description of the legal services we will perform and your fee arrangements.

For numerous reasons, we do not discuss fees over the telephone with first time callers. Except for certain types of cases, we typically charge a reasonable fee for a first office consultation.

The fees for your particular case may fall within one of the following three possibilities:

Hourly Rate

An hourly rate may apply to your matter. We discuss this with you and explain why in some cases it may be impossible to predict the total number of hours at the outset.

Fixed Fee

A fixed fee is paid partially or in full before we begin working on your matter. We use a fixed fee for predictable legal maters. For example, to prepare a basic contract or a living trust and the associated documents. Another example of a fixed fee arrangement is where the fee is set by law, as in probate cases.

Contingent Fee

Contingency fee arrangements are common in personal injury cases where you are seeking money damages. Contingency fees are calculated based on a percentage of the monetary recovery that you obtain in your case. If there is no recovery, you do not pay a fee for our services. We will discuss this with you further before we begin working on your legal matter. The percentage due from your recovery or settlement can vary. It depends on how much work we have done for you up to the point that you receive compensation.

Our Billing Philosophy

Never hesitate to ask questions about our fees or billing practices. You are, of course, entitled to know how and why you are being billed. If you ever receive a statement from us and have a question about any charges, feel free to talk it over with us. We encourage good communication in this area and believe that a free exchange of information is essential in order to enhance good attorney-client relations.