QUESTION: Do you provide a free initial consultation or otherwise offer or provide free legal advice? It seems like most things on the web are free so I assume you'll answer my simple questions for free too.
ANSWER: No, and sorry I won't. However, this is a very common false assumption. Law is my profession, and I do not provide free legal advice. I provide no advice to anyone at all unless and until they first become a client of my law firm. This requires a signed written retention agreement, and usually an advance payment.
QUESTION: How do I go about retaining your legal services?
ANSWER: Assuming you understand that we do not provide free legal advice, you can send me an E-Mail (ralphl@katzlaw.com) which concisely describes your needs or problem. (Please less than 250 words.) Do not include sensitive or confidential information. Until we agree to represent you, please call only to verify receipt of the E-Mail. If you seek our representation in a dispute, you must first identify all of the adverse parties so that we can do a conflicts check to make sure we don't represent any of them.
Please identify the amount of money which is at issue, whether you have already consulted any other attorneys about it, and if so, who they are, and why you are now contacting us about it. Finally, include your E-Mail addresses, physical address, and all of your phone numbers. We will then reply by E-Mail or fax and advise you whether we feel this is a matter or case which we can accept.
We try to respond to serious inquiries from people not just seeking free legal advice, but if for some reason you do not receive a response, this means that we cannot represent you. If we think we can, or might be able to represent you, we will contact you by phone for more information. In all cases our representation of you as attorneys will not commence, and we will not provide legal advice, until after we have entered into a written fee agreement which outlines our mutual responsibilities and commitments to each other. Also, the firm requires the payment of a retainer of between $2,500.00 and $25,000.00 before commencing representation of any new clients, depending on the complexity of the case and the amount of work involved.
QUESTION: What is a retainer?
ANSWER: A retainer is a deposit or advance payment to the firm of some of the fees and costs which the firm anticipates it will incur to represent you. The retainer is held in a trust account by the firm pursuant to a written fee agreement. The trust account is partially insured by the Florida Bar, but it does not pay interest.
The firm pays itself from out of the retainer funds only as it earns the fees or spends the costs in your behalf. The amount of the retainer requested by the firm depends upon the amount of time and costs which the firm anticipates it will spend to represent you. If it is a large assignment, the retainer will cover only a portion of the entire project. If the firm concludes its representation and has not utilized all of the retainer, you will be refunded the difference.
QUESTION: How much do you charge, and how do you charge?
ANSWER: Generally we charge on the basis of the time we expend in your behalf. In the words of Abraham Lincoln: "A lawyers time and advice is his stock in trade." Currently the standard minimum hourly rate of Ralph Losey is $300.00. On some projects the hourly rate may be higher. The rate of other attorneys in the firm ranges from $125.00 per hour to $450.00 per hour. We bill our clients monthly and on our bills we provide a very detailed description of the legal services rendered. Clients are also responsible for any costs incurred by the firm in connection with the representation, such as copying charges, expert witness fees, filing fees and court reporter fees.
QUESTION: Do you handle small claims cases, or matters where the amount in controversy is less than $75,000.00?
ANSWER: No we do not. We normally handle complex transactions and disputes and simply are not geared up to handle a high volume of small cases. We suggest that you contact the local Bar association in your county and ask them to provide you with the names of attorneys who might be willing to accept such cases.
© 1995-2003 - Ralph C. Losey, Attorney at Law
The information provided at this website (including Ralph Losey's Law Web; the web of the law firm of "Katz, Kutter, Alderman, & Bryant, P.A."; the Information Law Web; ERISA Law; Qui Tam, and the Internet Law Page) are provided solely for informational purposes and is not intended to be legal advice. The information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship, and is not a viable substitute for obtaining legal advice from a licensed attorney. The information in these webs is provided only as general information which may or may not reflect the most current legal developments. Internet viewers should not act upon this information without first seeking qualified professional counsel. This web site is not intended for those viewers in any state where the web fails to comply with all laws and ethical rules of that state. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision which should not be based upon advertising alone. Please view all of the pages in this web, and related webs, for additional information concerning the lawyers and law firm which sponsor these webs. You may also contact the lawfirm directly by email to: ralphl@katzlaw.com.