Sample Flat Fee Agreement

Professionals offer their time and expertise. In many situations, the hours and costs required to help a client resolve a legal issue or need may not be accurately determined or estimated during the initial interview. In these cases, the time spent by the lawyer on the case is charged per hour in increments of 1/10 of an hour. Hourly fee retention agreements are generally required in contentious divorce cases, custody cases, litigation or potential litigation before the courts or boards of directors. The law firm requires the payment of an advance at the beginning of a client`s representation. In some cases, after an initial interview, we are able to determine the approximate number of hours and costs associated with providing the legal services requested by the client. In such cases, instead of charging professional services by the hour, we may offer a fixed or “fixed” fee to cover all services and costs in the mandate contract. These fees will be paid in whole or in part when the mandate agreement is signed. Some examples of types of services that can be offered on a lump sum basis include in-laws adoptions, uncontested divorces, defending a serious traffic offense or other offense, making a simple will, power of attorney, advanced medical policy or marriage contract, or writing a letter on behalf of a client.

This is the amount of money that the law firm requires a client to pay to the law firm as a down payment (down payment) for the cost of the legal services to be provided. The deposit belongs to the client and is held in an escrow account until the money is earned by the law firm. Any amount not used to pay for legal services and fees paid on behalf of the Client will be refunded to the Client. Some law firms may charge fees ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. Our upfront fees are usually in the range of $500 to $2,500, as we trust our clients to pay their bills on time. We require some form of anticipated fees in all areas except personal injury (see “What is a `contingency fee agreement` below). It is a legal contract between the law firm and the client that defines the terms of the legal services to be provided and how the client is billed for the services. A signed agreement is required before our law firm is considered a representative of the client. In the absence of a court order, both parents have the same right to custody of their minor children and to decisions on behalf of their children. The parties could agree on the treatment of custody and access prior to the court hearing and have their agreement reached in the form of a consent order. Alternatively, each party could file a Lite Relief pendant application and ask the court to issue an injunction for custody and visitation to remain in effect until the court makes a final decision. Once an inter vivos trust is designed and signed, to be effective, it must be funded by transferring title to real property, financial accounts and other property in the name of the trust.

An inter vivos trust is a trust that was established during your lifetime as opposed to your death. In an inter vivos trust, you usually designate yourself (or your spouse and yourself) as the original trustee and a trusted family member or friend (often the one you call the executor according to your will) as the successor trustee. As in a will, you determine the beneficiaries who will receive your property after your death. As a general rule, an inter vivos trust is revocable. In a debt-based divorce, the party authorized to move must prove that the other spouse committed misconduct that is considered one of the grounds for debt-based divorce recognized in Virginia. Virginia recognizes three main reasons for seeking a divorce based on error: adultery, cruelty, and desertion/abandonment. You will need a third party over the age of 18 who can verify the date of the start of the separation, if the spouse intended that day that the separation is permanent and that the separation has been continuous and uninterrupted since. The third party may provide this information by testimony, affidavit or live testimony in court. The third witness should be someone who has visited your residence several times since your separation. A divorce is considered uncontested if the parties have clarified all outstanding issues related to their marriage. Typically, the settlement terms agreed upon by the parties are set out in a Property Settlement Agreement (PSA), which can be drafted before or after the couple`s physical separation. A PPE is a legal contract that can cover a variety of issues such as division of property and debts, custody and custody of children, spousal and child benefits, insurance, taxes, etc.

Virginia is a state of equitable distribution, which means that the court divides matrimonial property in a way it deems fair and equitable. The court is not in a position to divide the separate property of each spouse. The court considers a number of factors in determining how matrimonial property should be allocated and divided. These factors are set forth in Virginia Code 20-107.3. .