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ELEMENTS OF LEGAL FEES

The great majority of services performed by your attorney (unlike a doctor or dentist) will be performed when you are not present. Often clients are unaware that the advice given to them in a few minutes or in the two or three page document drafted for them is the product of many hours of study and work done by the attorney. Time is the basic unit for determining the amount of legal fees; and the basic charge per hour for legal services depends upon a number of variable factors, including office expense and overhead, the difficulty and nature of the problem involved, and the benefit to the client.

CONTINGENT FEES

Attorneys are permitted to accept certain cases where their compensation will be paid only from the recovery made in the case. If there is no recovery, the attorney gets no fee. Clients must pay all expenses, whether they win or lose. A monthly billing of these expenses will be mailed until the conclusion of the case. In the event you are unable to pay these costs each month, a 1% per month interest charge will be added to your account.

In some cases, this office will agree to represent a client and the fee will be hanfled on a contingency basis. For example, in a personal injury case, the legal fee may be determined as a percentage of the amount of damages awarded to the client. In any case handled on a contingency basis, a contract will be drawn up and executed stipulating the exact percentages, conditions, etc.

HOURLY FEE ARRANGEMENT

Unless otherwise specified, the charge for work done by this office will be based on a standard hourly rate. Thus, the actual amount of the fee will be determined by the amount of time required to handle the specific matter. We can only provide a general estimate of the total fees and costs which will be involved. However, we will keep you informed concerning the amount of time spent by providing a monthly billing. If it should appear at any time that our original estimate of fees and costs should be substantially revised, we will so notify the client immediately.

FIXED FEE BASE

Some matters are of such a nature that the amount of time spent on them is approximately the same in each case. Because we already have substantial experience with these matters, we can do them on a fixed fee basis.

Hourly fee for legal services, including conferences, briefings, depositions, research, negotiations, etc. ........$125.00 - $160.00

MINIMUM FEE ARRANGEMENTS

Some types of work are done on an hourly basis with a minimum charge. The following is a list of this type of work and the minimum fees:

Bankruptcies - Chapter 7 ..................	$520.00
Traffic Tickets (Spokane County)........	$300.00
Criminal Cases.................................	$750.00
DWI Cases.......................................	$1,750.00

PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES

All fees are due and payable at the time legal services are rendered. In the case of matters which extend over a long period of time, billing will be on a monthly basis for the fees incurred to date. If you are unable to pay the total balance when due, financing can be arranged.

RETAINERS

When your attorney agrees to represent you in an action, he is undertaking a substantial responsibility. He holds himself out to judges, other attorneys and professional persons as your representative, and he has to be ready at any time to do what is required of him as your representative. Depending upon the type of case you have, you may be required to pay a retainer immediately in consideration of the attorney's accepting this responsibility. This retainer will count against the total bill for the work which is done for you.

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