What I charge

My fee depends on how quickly you need the work done and what kind of work it is.

For the extensive negotiation of severance/settlement of potential legal claims before a lawsuit is filed, I charge 33% of any new money offered (I don't take a cut of what was already on the table before you hired me). I also charge a one-time, non-refundable fee of $500. This fee goes up to $1,000 if you need me to send a response to the other side very quickly (1-2 days). If nothing new is offered, you owe me nothing beyond the one-time fee.

For cases that must go all the way to being filed in court or arbitration, my fee increases to 40% of anything recovered (minus anything already on the table before I started), plus reimbursement of costs. A one-time, non-refundable fee applies to these cases as well, but you don’t need to pay a second fee if we start out trying to negotiate a settlement and then need to file a lawsuit. It’s truly a one-time fee!

Need me to look at a contract or severance agreement? My fee is $500 per document, more or less, depending on complexity.

Want advice on an on-going basis for a tricky situation at work? I can help you out and provide strategic advice for $700/hour.

Can’t you help me for free?

No.

Please seek out pro bono attorneys or the Legal Aid Society if you do not want to pay for representation. Remember, my payment would come from what I am able to recover on your behalf (the contingency fee). If negotiations end without a settlement, you would owe me nothing beyond the one-time fee. You don’t have to be rich to hire me! But I do need you to respect my time and value what I do. You would never ask a nail tech to give you a free manicure. Don’t insult me, either.

What if I want advice about an employment situation but there won’t be a settlement negotiation? I’m compensated by winning settlements to resolve legal disputes. If there’s no legal dispute that I can discern and no negotiation to be had, I won’t be able to take a portion of that settlement as payment. I’ll have to charge you an hourly fee ($700/hour), to ensure that I’m paid for my time.

How are you able to charge less than other lawyers?

I choose to charge less than others because I don’t want to feel like I’m draining people. I also don’t get chauffeured around town in a limo (some lawyers do!) and I don’t pay for staff or a luxe office space. I keep my overhead costs low.

That said, while I’m not looking to strike it rich on any one case, I need clients to respect my time. If clients choose to run my letters through ChatGPT, forcing me to translate my words back into human language, repeat irrelevant details several times, despite my warnings, or insist on long phone calls when a text really would suffice, I won’t be able to keep my fees this low. I make myself available to clients around the clock, but I still need the value of my time to be respected.