Fees
What it costs, before you ask.
No hourly billing. Each piece of work has a price, and you see it in writing before I begin.
First call
Twenty minutes, by phone
Free
Letter of advice
Two pages, within five working days
$350
Severance agreement review
Read, explained and negotiated once
$450
Deposit recovery
Letter, follow-up and filing if needed
$450
Eviction defence
In stages, hearing included
From $1,200
Simple will
$650 for a couple
$400
Commercial lease review
Marked up, with a one-page summary
$600
Uncontested divorce
Court filing fee not included
$1,800
Stages where it is not
Anything that may go to court is priced in stages. You approve each stage before it starts, and can stop between them.
Costs passed on at cost
Court filing fees and the like are charged at what I pay for them, with the receipt.
Do I need a lawyer at all?
Often not. About a third of first calls end with me telling the caller what to write or who to ring, at no charge.
What will it cost?
You get a fee in writing before I start: one fixed fee for most work, stages for anything that may go to court. I do not bill by the hour.
How fast can you start?
First calls are usually the same or the next working day. If there is a deadline on a letter or a court date, say so and I will call you first.
What if I cannot afford it?
Tell me on the first call. I can spread a fee over several months, and if you qualify for free legal aid I will say so and tell you where to apply.
Will I deal with you or an assistant?
With me. I take the first call, write the letters and, if it comes to that, stand up in court. A paralegal helps with filing and nothing else.
Do you only work in Providence?
I act across Rhode Island and in the nearby Massachusetts courts. Meetings can be in person, by phone or by video.
Tell me what happened.
I will say where you stand.
The first call is free and takes about twenty minutes. Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 6 pm. If there is a deadline on a letter, say so first.