How to Save Thousands in Attorney Fees for a Typical Colorado Divorce Case
Your attorney should provide you with a fixed fee for each step in your divorce or other family law case.
A fixed fee gives your attorney some incentive to be efficient and cost-effective.
An hourly-rate fee agreement is merely an opportunity for your attorney to make more money by dragging the case out. The longer it takes, the more money the attorney makes. The typical divorce case costs thousands more than it should whenever the attorney is authorized to bill an unlimited number of hours.
However, if you want to tie up your attorney on a daily basis, then you may be paying on an hourly basis. At least until you get the first month or two of attorney fee bills for thousands of dollars and you see what the cost is.
I have seen opposing counsel charge $11,000 by the time of the first status conference even though he had done nothing so far. In contrast, my fee at that time was $700, which included the initial disclosures and the status conference.
Do the best you can to mediate or settle your case without going to a court trial.
Our Attorney Fees for a Typical Colorado Divorce Case
Our attorney fees are $210/hour for attorney time, $90/hour for paralegal time, and $45/hour for clerk time.
Retainers are usually in the $1,500 to $2,500 range, depending on the expected out-of-pocket expenses such as court filing fees, etc.
The retainer amount also depends on the complexity of the case and the disputed issues. The likelihood of an early settlement is an important factor.
An additional retain will be required before any contested hearing.
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