SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION TODAY
The purpose of the consultation is to discuss your case, get answers to your legal questions, create a roadmap for your next steps, and determine whether we would be a good fit. During the consultation you can expect solid legal advice specific to your situation. We will analyze your situation, answer questions you may have, identify possible next steps you should take, discuss potential outcomes in your case, and if applicable, review any pleadings, documents, or court orders. The consultation always remains confidential, even if you do not retain us.
We charge a reduced fee for our consultations. The fee for our standard 60 minute initial consultation is $195. Payment must be tendered prior to the consultation. If, after the consultation it seems like a good fit for you and the consulting attorney to work together, we will enter into a written fee agreement that spells out our responsibilities, and the payment of an advance deposit (i.e. “retainer”) will be required. If you require a secondary consultation, we charge our normal hourly rate for additional time.
Call our office at (530) 433-0801 or send us a message through our website.
***We reserve the right to decline representation after your initial consultation. The scheduling of a consultation does not create an attorney-client relationship. We must perform a conflict check before we can confirm your appointment. If we discover a conflict, we may not be able to meet with you. Keep in mind that we have not been hired as your attorneys and we DO NOT represent you until there has been a signed written agreement after our initial consultation and you have paid the required retainer. When scheduling a consultation using the link above, please do not provide confidential or sensitive information. Anything you provide will not be confidential or privileged unless we have agreed to represent you. If you schedule a consultation, you confirm that you have read and understand this notice.
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WHAT IS NEEDED FOR YOUR CONSULTATION
Though it is not required for you to bring anything to your initial consultation, there are times when certain documents may be helpful to get the most out of your time. For example, if you have a premarital agreement or postnuptial agreement, we will want to see it. If you wish to discuss issues of spousal or child support, it will be helpful to have copies of your pay stubs or other income information (e.g. profit and loss or schedule C if you're self-employed) along with copies of the other party's paycheck stubs for the last two months. If you have any other legal documents, pleadings, court orders or other existing case material that you would like us to review, please provide those documents in advance of your scheduled appointment.
WHY DO WE CHARGE FOR OUR CONSULTATIONS?
Many attorneys offer a “free” consultation, but primarily their goal is to get you into the door and give you a 15-minute sales pitch about why you should hire them. Most attorneys will not give you “free” legal advice at these consultations, and frequently you may not even speak with the actual attorney, but rather a paralegal or other gate keeping staff member.
Our consultations are different. Our consultations provide an opportunity for learning for you – not a sales pitch for us. Our goals are to provide you solid legal advice, answer your questions, give you estimations of possible outcomes based on various scenarios and the facts you provide, and help you formulate a possible plan for moving forward. During our consultations, we will let you know if our services are unlikely to advance your case, and we often offer alternatives that may not be profitable to us but may better serve you than engaging in litigation. We understand that family law matters are extremely fact specific, which is why it is important that you get to know the attorney and the attorney understands the details of your case before giving advice. Our consultations are an opportunity to determine whether we will have a good working relationship because most legal matters require several months or sometimes years to resolve.
APPOINTMENT ONLY
All consultations are by appointment only. Consultations are being conducted by telephone, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and in person.