Law-Forums.org

[merla15]

Graduating from Law School, there are no jobs. I have four years experience under a master attorney who is retiring in old age. I wrote/filed his motions and observed numerous attorneys in court. I have the experience, the question is how to market and charge/collect for my services after I pass the bar. I can do the same job as lawyers charging much more.

I'm thinking the following:

Traffic offense: negotiable, very small fee
"Minor" Criminal Offense: $700 flat fee
Criminal Offense: $2000 flat fee
Major Criminal Offense: $3500 +150/hour if more than 100 hours spent on it

Will (married couple) $125
Durable Power of Attorney: $75
Re writing property deed: $50 (County recorder charges $28.50 extra)

Other work at $150/hour.
25% contingency if settled before trial, 30% if during or after trial.

1.) The client pays their own court fees
2.) This is what I get before my office expenses, not what I take home.
3.) You pay for representation, not "results"
You cannot buy a not guilty verdict, period.
This means I get paid mostly upfront, guilty or not guilty.

I think that's pretty reasonable, given that most attorneys around me charge between $200 and $300 an hour. Doing the math, $300 x 8 hours is $2400 a day; you'll pay at least $4000 for a criminal defense in this town with any lawyer. Go ahead, pick up the phone book.... Shop around.

Constructive questions, comments, suggestions, experiences?

[brenn15]

Graduating from Law School, there are no jobs. I have four years experience under a master attorney who is retiring in old age. I wrote/filed his motions and observed numerous attorneys in court. I have the experience, the question is how to market and charge/collect for my services after I pass the bar. I can do the same job as lawyers charging much more.

I'm thinking the following:

Traffic offense: negotiable, very small fee
"Minor" Criminal Offense: $700 flat fee
Criminal Offense: $2000 flat fee
Major Criminal Offense: $3500 +150/hour if more than 100 hours spent on it

Will (married couple) $125
Durable Power of Attorney: $75
Re writing property deed: $50 (County recorder charges $28.50 extra)

Other work at $150/hour.
25% contingency if settled before trial, 30% if during or after trial.

1.) The client pays their own court fees
2.) This is what I get before my office expenses, not what I take home.
3.) You pay for representation, not "results"
You cannot buy a not guilty verdict, period.
This means I get paid mostly upfront, guilty or not guilty.

I think that's pretty reasonable, given that most attorneys around me charge between $200 and $300 an hour. Doing the math, $300 x 8 hours is $2400 a day; you'll pay at least $4000 for a criminal defense in this town with any lawyer. Go ahead, pick up the phone book.... Shop around.

Constructive questions, comments, suggestions, experiences?

I think you have described an excellent billing system. You just need to market it and collect your fees in advance. But as a sole practitioner I think you will find it difficult to crank out eight billable hours every work day. And I am not quite sure how or whether you would charge extra for office overhead which should probably be built into your hourly rate. If you run a very small practice and have either a part-time secretary/paralegal/receptionist you would need to set aside time to do the hiring, supervision, oversight, in-office training, payroll and tax returns unless you farmed that out somehow. Without staff support you would have to do your own phone calls, office administration and intakes which could not necessarily be justified at a rate of $150 hourly. If you check with sole practitioners in your area and they are candid with you about their situation, you may find they are overjoyed if they can get as much as four or five solid billable hours in any given eight (sometimes ten) hour day.

[crom]

You have no business taking on a major criminal case until you have tried many others to verdict. I find that defense of a murder, for instance, can take well over 1000 hours over a couple years. That would mean a fee of 150,000 just to pay the rent and staff and investigations.

Many folks do wills on the cheap, as sort of a loss-leader.

My advice, find a legal secretary with vast experience working with outstanding lawyers. Recruit that person and pay more than anyone else in your county. He/she can keep you from doing something very stupid.