How We Bill
We believe that our clients should know up front, before representation begins, what their case will cost. We work with each client to determine what services are needed and set a price for those services. No one should pay for services they don’t need and so the Collaborative Divorce Center offers several options if you don’t want or cannot afford full representation, but just need a little help, advice, coaching, or document review.
To provide the best service at the best price, we use flat fees, value billing, and fee caps. We do not bill by the hour unless the client demands it. Here’s why:
- You can budget for your case and not be worried about receiving monthly bills that you have no way to anticipate or plan for.
- You don’t have to worry about being billed for every phone call and email to your lawyer. You can feel comfortable asking questions.
- You can control your costs by deciding what services you want or need.
- We share the risk—if we underestimate the amount of work required, that should be our problem, not yours. No matter how we price your case, we will never compromise on quality; quality and speed cost more than mediocre, inattentive and inefficient service.
Each family is unique and each matter is unique. Pam will spend time with you to fully understand your situation and the services that you need and will quote you a price for those services.
Collaborative Divorce:
With collaborative divorce, you and your spouse agree to work with a collaborative team outside of court. You won’t pay for the paper chase of discovery, depositions, and motions that drive up the cost in a more adversarial proceeding.
Streamlined Collaborative*
- A fixed number of settlement meetings with your professional team for a fixed cost. You choose how many meetings you think you will need and know the cost upfront. Meetings can be added if needed for an additional fee.
Full Collaborative*
- Unlimited meetings at a fixed cost per meeting. You only pay for as many meetings as you need to resolve your case.
Uncontested Divorce:
You and your spouse have agreed on how to divide your assets and liabilities and if there are children on a timesharing schedule and on parental responsibility.
Without Children*
With Children*
Modification of Child Support or Parenting Plan:
Child Support Only*
Modification of Custody*
Paternity:
Paternity*
Contested Divorce
You and your spouse have not agreed on the terms of your divorce and litigation is required to resolve how to divide assets and liabilities or timesharing and parental responsibility.
Litigation is unpredictable and time-consuming. The amount of work required can be greatly affected by your spouse’s counsel and things over which we have no control. For that reason, it is much more difficult to determine the cost of a contested matter.
For these reasons, we cannot quote a total flat fee for litigation. We will, however, use flat fees and fee caps for those portions of the litigation that we can. Only adversarial hearings will be billed by the hour.
Without Children*
With Children*