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What
does The Clinebell Law
Firm offer its
clients?
Our commitment to you as
a valued client is that
we will faithfully
pursue your goals
according to the
following standards: (1)
To provide excellence
and service in the
practice of law, based
upon our over 30 years
of experience; (2) To
keep you informed,
through frequent updates
on the progress of your
matter via e-mail and
telephone or, if you
prefer, in person; (3)
To return all telephone
calls and e-mail
communication promptly;
(4) To provide written fee agreements and estimates of fees and costs; (5) To protect and defend wisely and aggressively your interests;
(6) To provide wise and compassionate counsel, with a careful understanding of your needs and interests.
During my
representation, will I
be able to contact
timely my lawyer at The
Clinebell Law Firm?
Communication with your
lawyer and a comfort
level with your lawyer
are absolutely critical
to the attorney-client
relationship. If you are
in litigation, you will
have questions and
concerns -- some of
which may come up after
hours. If you are a
"transactional" client,
you also will have
questions and concerns
-- and time-sensitive
issues to discuss.
Our commitment to you as
our valued client will
include timely and easy
access to and
communication with your
lawyer. Clients who
retain the firm receive
a mobile phone number --
providing direct access
and communication with
the lawyer primarily
responsible for the
matter.
In a litigation
matter, will a fee
deposit be required?
Litigation attorneys who
know what they are doing
and understand the
process always require
an initial deposit
toward attorney fees,
and often several
deposits thereafter
through the life of the
case. The deposits,
which amount to credit
balances, are paid by
the client to the firm
trust account; with
payments made from the
trust account after
presentation of monthly
invoice. If the case or
the representation ends
and the client has a
credit balance on
account, that balance is
refunded
immediately.
There are several
reasons for such
deposits. First, there
is always a flurry of
activity at the
beginning of a case,
requiring substantial
time and energy devoted
to the matter.
Second, once an attorney
appears as attorney "of
record", he or she can
only withdraw with
either client permission
or after a "motion" to
withdraw made to the
Court -- requiring both
written papers and a
personal appearance at
the Courthouse.
Third, the litigation
process can be expensive
and, to some extent,
unpredictable. The cost
is in part dictated by
the activity or
inactivity of the
opposing side. For
example, an opposing
side that conducts a lot
of discovery (e.g.
depositions, document
requests,
interrogatories,
requests for admission)
will force the
expenditure of fees
that, generally, are
impossible to avoid.
For all of these
reasons, a minimum
deposit, before work
begins, is required.
Remember that the
deposit is an advance
toward attorney fees --
not a fixed fee or
estimate of total fees.
If you have any
questions, feel free to
ask. We work with our
clients to make the
necessary fees
affordable; including
splitting up the time of
payment of minimum
retainer, payments over
time, and on occasion a
fixed or capped fee.
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