Fee Schedule + HOURLY RATE
We are a nonprofit legal services provider funded by a combination of reduced client fees and donations. While most law firms set a static hourly rate, the rate that we charge is based not upon an arbitrary number that we decide, but on the client's individual circumstances. We primarily serve folks experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment, or child abuse issues. Our hourly rate is dependent on the client's household size and income,* and is between $100 and $300.
Below is our fee schedule, followed by an example. To estimate your hourly rate:
In the far left column, find your household size (not including adults without income).
Move over to the right to find your gross annual household income (counting all sources).
Move down to find approximately what your hourly rate will be.
For example, say your household is made up of you and your two children, and your gross annual household income is $65,000:
In the “household size” column, find “3;”
Then, move over to the right until just after “$51,640” and just before “$77,460” (because your income of $65,000 is between these two numbers);
Move down to find your approximate hourly rate of $140.
*This table is for estimation purposes only. We also consider other factors, like extraordinary assets, debts, and expenses.
Trust Account / IOLTA
A trust account (also known as an IOLTA – Interest On Lawyers’ Trust Account) is a bank account that is used solely for client funds. This ensures that attorneys properly manage funds that do not belong to them.
ADVANCE FEE DEPOSIT
When a client hires us, they make a deposit into our trust account (this is called an advance fee deposit, but is also often referred to as a retainer), and we bill against that amount. Unless and until we earn this money, it belongs to the client. Any unearned funds are returned to the client when we end our work together. The advance fee deposit amount required will depend on the case and the scope of our involvement.
For cases where we are providing representation (limited or full), we require an advance fee deposit of 15-25 hours. So, if your hourly rate is $140, that would be $2,100–$3,500.
For pro se assistance, we typically require an advance fee deposit of 6-20 hours, depending on the scope of our agreement. So, if your hourly rate is $140, that would be $840–$2,800.
REQUIRED TRUST ACCOUNT BALANCE
We also require that clients maintain a specified minimum trust account balance each month, typically between 6-25 hours.
On or around the first of the month (and sometimes on or around the 15th of the month, when a case is particularly active), we bill clients for work performed during the prior month (or half month). Our invoices detail the work performed, and are automatically paid from the client’s trust account after seven days. If an invoice causes the client’s trust account balance to drop below the minimum required amount, we will also send an invoice for the client to deposit additional funds into trust.