Initial Consultations at the Firm

When you call the office for an initial consultation, please be prepared to give your full name and landlord's name. This gives me the chance to run a quick conflicts check. At least once a year, I receive call from both the landlord and tenant. In those rare instances, the second call will have to terminated. 

After those preliminaries are done, you can summarize the problem. Because the initial call is 5-10 minutes, I will interrupt with key questions that will help me assist you before time runs out. 

This is key because follow up calls are charged. For 2024, charges for follow up meetings are as follows:

Call - $175 for 30 minutes

Zoom - $185 for 30 minutes

Office - $200 for 30 minutes

If you want me to review a lease to see if you have a case, the charge to review the document is $200 (flat fee) for residential leases and $350/hr for commercial leases

My hourly rate for most cases is at least $400/hr.

I offer flat fees for basic tasks and Magistrate Court cases. Flat fee cases must be paid up front.

 

Giving an Attorney a Referral Does Not Mean You are Involved in the Case.

It is great when any business owner gets a referral from a past client or customer. In a normal retail setting, it is natural to get updates on the person's satisfaction with the services or product.

However, in the legal and medical field, just stay out of the relationship. Once you refer someone, you have no right to receive updates from the professional. Of course, you can always ask the customer about the medical service and status, but stay away from the attorney-client case if it is in litigation.

Attorney-Client Privilege and Work Product

The law protects communications between attorneys and clients so the clients can freely discuss cases, and the lawyers can freely give advice, collect information, and formulate strategies. However, the privilege can be waived by the client when he insists on (1) bringing in third parties on phone calls and meetings; (2) disclosing conversations or strategies on social media; or (3) discussing advice with friends and family. During discovery, opposing counsel can find out the identity of those individuals who had to stick their noses in litigation. This could be disastrous because once the privileged is waived, opposing counsel can learn strategies and topics of communication. 

Settlements

The nosy friend or family member could be a disaster to your settlement. Settlements are often confidential. This means the parties are prohibited from discussing the terms of the settlement. A persistent and intrusive person may push you in disclosing the terms. If your opponent learns of the settlement violation, you may be ordered to return the settlement and pay attorney's fees. If the person wants to know what happened, tell him it's been resolved and shut down the topic.

REFUNDS FOR UNPROCESSED WORK --- JUST ASK FOR IT

The McGill Law Firm is busy with calls, meetings, hearings, and trials.  When a client wants to go to another attorney because of delays, just say, I want a refund for my unprocessed work.  Some folks get so dramatic about a simple request.  Think of it as returning a blanket at Target.  The only difference is services already performed are taken out of the refund.   You really don't even have to tell me why you want a refund for your unused retainer.

I have about a 10% quit or fire rate (either I fire the client for many reasons or the client fires me because they can't wait).  Those slots are quickly filled (within the week) with other people who need legal advice and representation.   Most of those new clients have just received notice of a potential eviction.  Therefore, as much as I would love to have 100% completion rate, it's just not realistic.  Delays happen all the time, including having a 5 minute screening call turn into a 30 minute screening call; preventing an eviction with a trial in a week; a morning trial that turns into an all day affair; or a motion that takes much longer to complete. 

I get those same calls from people who are impatient with their current attorneys.  If you want to call me because your landlord-tenant attorney is moving too slowly, you may be calling the wrong attorney.  If you are impatient with an attorney with a paralegal and legal assistant because he's not getting to your case fast enough, you will be impatient with this solo attorney. 
 

New Attorney Fees Coming for all Landlord-Tenant Matters Effective May 15, 2016

Effective May 15, 2016, the Firm will change most of its fees and pricing structures for landlord-tenant matters.

Phone Consultations - 10 minute free screening
Initial Consultations - $75/hr. - $250/hr.
Follow Up Consultations - $300/hr.

Prepare and File Dispossessory Affidavits (Residential Electronic Filing) - $400.00 plus filing fees and service
Prepare and File Dispossessory Affidavits (Residential Paper Filing) -- $500.00 plus filing fees
Prepare and File Dispossessory Answer (Residential Electronic Filing) - $400.00
Prepare and File Dispossessory Answer (Residential Paper Filing) - $500.00
Prepare and File Dispossessory Counterclaim (Residential) - $250.00 plus 35% of recovery

Prepare and File Commercial Dispossessory Affidavit or Answer/Counterclaim - $330/hr. plus filing fees and service

Interview Clients and Witnesses - $300/hr.
Other Communications (phone, fax, text) - $250/hr.

Travel time - $150/hr.

Prepare for Hearing - $300/hr.
Draft Settlement Agreement, Amend Documents, Draft Writs, or Draft Other Court Document - $300/hr.

Subpoenas - $150/hr. plus filing fees and service

All other filings not listed (Residential and Commercial)- $300/hr.

Client is responsible for all expenses (copies, mileage, witness fees, service, parking, subpoenas)

Estimated payments for the case are due upon return of the contract.