This is the next post in my series discussing how Las Vegas fathers can hire effective counsel to assist with divorce or child custody issues on a budget. My last post pointed out warning signs to look out for when hiring a “discount” legal service. In this article I will explain why hiring an attorney to represent one in an ‘unbundled’ capacity can save on legal costs.
Traditionally the legal field has billed clients by the hour and through the use of large retainers. One has a consultation with an attorney, and the attorney takes on the client’s case, working on it from beginning to end. When an attorney bills by the hour the client may be billed for services that they cannot afford or that their case may have been able to do without. Attorneys do not necessarily do this to purposefully milk the client for more money; the truth is that many attorneys will put whatever work into a case they believe is needed whether the client can afford it or not.
An attorney who works ‘unbundled’ operates under a different billing system. In this case, the attorney makes an agreement with a client to provide representation for a very specific part of the case. For example, if a father is scheduled to appear at an initial custody hearing then he may hire an attorney to represent him for the hearing. The attorney will charge a flat fee to make the Court appearance. Prior to the appearance the father may discuss with the attorney his goals and financial limitations. He may tell the attorney in advance that he does not have money to go to trial or, if he wishes to go to trial, that he does not have the money to pay for discovery. Or in another scenario it is possible that a father has represented himself at an initial hearing and requires an attorney to represent him at trial even though he cannot pay for discovery.
The advantages of hiring an attorney to represent one in an unbundled capacity is that you know exactly how much the bill will be. Unbundled attorneys are often more sensitive to one’s financial limitations, and help you decide what legal services are ‘worth’ hiring counsel for. Most importantly, once your case is over, you will not have an outstanding legal bill to take care of, and you may focus on your family.
If you are a Las Vegas father with limited financial resources, you may still be able to afford counsel to assist you in your divorce or child custody case. Contact our office today for a consultation. Kari Molnar works in an unbundled capacity, charges flat fees, and provides effective legal service.