What types of cases do you handle?

We handle many different types of cases including:

1. Criminal: State, Federal, DWI and Traffic.
2. Family Law: Divorce, Modification of Custody and Child Support, Registration of Foreign Judgments, Restraining Orders.
3. Constitutional Law: 2^nd Amendment and Civil Rights Cases.
4. Civil Litigation: Personal Injury, Landlord Tenant, Breach of Contract, Fraud, Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.
5. Defense Base Act
6. Estate Planning/Asset Protection/Wills/Power of Attorney
7. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act/Fair Credit Reporting Act
8. Sports and Entertainment Representation
9. Business: Incorporation, Forming LLCs, Acquisitions and Mergers

How much will it cost?

Depending on the complexity and difficulty of your case the amount of the fee will vary.  However attorneys generally bill in 3 different ways.

The first is a flat fee.  A flat fee is where the attorney quotes the client a price for a service and the attorney’s fee is limited to that agreed upon amount.  Court costs, fines and other costs may be additional but the attorney’s fee is limited to the amount in the flat fee agreement.  An example of a typical flat fee agreement would be fixing or amending a traffic ticket.

Second is an hourly basis.  An hourly fee is where the attorney and the client agree on a rate that will be paid on an hourly basis for work done on the case.  In hourly fee cases a retainer or lump sum is usually required to be paid to the attorney when the contract is signed and money is deducted from the retainer as it is earned by the attorney for doing work on the case.  When the retainer is exhausted the attorney sends a bill to the client who then sends in payment so that work can continue on the case.  The client is still responsible for court and other costs.  An example of a typical hourly fee agreement would be a divorce case where an initial retainer is paid at the signing of the employment contract and billing will continue as long as the case does.

Third is a contingency fee case.  A contingency fee is where the attorney is paid as a percentage of what they win.  In this case the more the attorney gets for the client the more the attorney gets paid for his work.  In this type of case court and other costs are typically paid from the client’s portion of the award or settlement.  A typical contingency fee case is a car accident or personal injury case.

Fee Shifting, in a few rare types of cases such as Defense Base Act or some Civil Rights suits or where allowed by statute like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the court can determine that if successful the attorney’s fee will be paid by the opposing party and the client does not pay his attorney.  This type of case is not typical and only applies in a few situations.

What does it cost to speak to an attorney?

We are more than happy to speak to you about your legal rights and to see if we can be of service to you.  We do not charge for this initial consultation however, we cannot take every case that comes to us.  It is important to know that just because you have consulted with one of our attorneys does not mean that we represent you or are your attorney.  Before any work will be done on your case you will need to sign an employment contract with an attorney from our firm.

Why should I hire an attorney?

The law is complicated, made up in part by case law, statutes, common law and procedural rules which you must be familiar with to ensure the best possible outcome in your case.  In addition you must know Federal, State, County and Municipal laws to make sure you don’t accidentally violate an area of law which you are not familiar with.  A skilled attorney knows the law, procedure, and has the advantage of experience in litigation and can successfully guide you through the legal system.  In some cases an individual may not be allowed to represent a corporation and an attorney is required by law to represent a corporations interests.  In criminal cases such as traffic tickets, often prosecutors will not speak with unrepresented parties and you must hire an attorney to have charges amended.

If you are serious about your legal issue you need an expert to help guide you through the legal system.  The cost of hiring an attorney may pale in comparison to the rights you may have unknowingly lost as a result of making an uninformed decision.