The principal issue that needs to initially be determined prior to hiring an attorney is the scope and degree of your particular and individual needs. Different cases require different levels of expertise.

At RFLG we pride ourselves in accurately assessing your needs at the time of an initial consultation, which is done for a modest fee (between $50 and $200), and always includes at least one follow-up conference by telephone without charge.

We find that generally it is necessary to have two, or possibly three, consultations in order to accurately assess your needs and determine what type of lawyer you require and what qualifications will be necessary.

Merely because a case is not complex does not mean it is unimportant. Additionally, merely because a case is not complex does not mean you do not need legal representation. We pride ourselves, in addition to having litigators with a great deal of experience, to also possessing highly competent associate counsel who have been mentored by this law firm, graduated with distinction and honors from law school, and who have been taught in the same high standards as the senior attorneys.

These associate attorneys can competently and proficiently represent you for relatively the same cost as many other non-specialist lawyers with less expertise and training in family law. Most clients who consult with us retain our firm because we can place them in a position of having the type of attorney he or she needs, regardless of the complexity of the case.

At RFLG, we believe that after retaining the attorney the initial meeting is of critical importance. You should expect to obtain information about the divorce process, the law, and the application of the law to your unique facts. Thus, it is important for you to prepare for the conference in a way that maximizes its value to you and provides you with sufficient information to make decisions. The following steps, taken before your appointment, will enhance the value of the time spent with your lawyer:

1. Prepare a list of questions, concerns, hypothetical scenarios, etc. This could be viewed as a partial agenda for the meeting. You may have preconceived ideas about the process and the law. Please allow us to confirm your ideas, or to correct them.

2. Bring a previously prepared financial statement or prepare a simple, handwritten list of your assets and debts. The assets could include such things as business interests, partnerships, investments, bank accounts, real estate, vehicles, collectibles, life insurance, club memberships, retirement plans, etc. The debts could include mortgages, lines of credit, credit card debts, pending lawsuits, student loans, personal loans, or any other debt of which you are aware.

3. Prepare a written summary of any “story” that you want to relate to the lawyer. Topics might include your date of separation, child custody matters, matters relating to potential separate property, domestic violence, business interests, etc. Our advice may impact your decision-making process about the divorce. For the advice to be of maximum value to you, we need as much relevant information as possible in a concise form. Often this will include your relating one or more “stories” or fact scenarios to the lawyer. If you prepare these summaries in advance in written form, (a) you will be less likely to forget important details, (b) we will not misunderstand the facts, and (c) the time spent conveying the information will be a small fraction of the time that would have been required if you told the story orally, and your lawyer took notes.

4. If you have been served with any court pleadings that contain statements that you disagree with, prepare a very detailed statement explaining the facts as you believe them to be. Your statement should address the issues in the same order as set forth in the pleading. Your statement should be rich in facts, dates, places, witnesses, circumstances, etc.

5. Prepare a statement of your goals and objectives. What are your thoughts regarding settlement?

6. It is often advisable to bring another person with you for emotional support and to take very good notes. You will find that under this very stressful time, having someone to assist you in considering everything that was discussed after the fact to be beneficial.

7. After your initial consultation and before actually retaining RFLG, there will probably be residual questions that can be answered quickly and simply over the telephone.

8. Start a binder, including every document in your case from the very first time you talk to an attorney. Index the binder and keep it current. One binder should be the legal pleadings only once a divorce action is filed, and the other binder should be everything else. The more organized you are, the more you can assist your attorney in representing you.

When you come in for a consultation at RFLG, we will give you an attorney fee contract to take home and read in detail. It will state a specific retainer amount, hourly rate, and any other specific terms and conditions. At the time you decide to actually hire RFLG, there will be a specific amount you will need to advance against future legal fees. There will also be an amount you will need to advance as it relates to anticipated legal costs. A specific fee quote will be given to you for both fees and costs during the consultation. Everyone would like to know the exact cost of a divorce. Any firm who suggests that they can tell you that should be avoided.

The true fact is that divorce is unpredictable; therefore, attorneys’ fees are unpredictable. The attorney, in quoting a retainer for fees and costs, is giving an estimate based upon their expertise and not a guarantee as to the total fees that will be incurred. Court costs are attached giving representative costs for various filing fees and other services that must be paid for by the client. Attached are representative fees for court reporters, psychologists, and forensic accountants. This information is provided to give an idea of some of the approximate costs of litigation, not to suggest a specific or guaranteed fee. Specific fee quotes can only be given after an initial consultation in which the attorney is generally aware of the facts of the case.