The only situation where we give legal advice over the phone is if you are holding a telephone conference for a consultation with our attorney or are a current client. We do not provide free legal advice over the phone, no exceptions.

Appointments are scheduled for one hour and that generally provides enough time to address any questions or concerns. There is a cost associated with consultations, please call our office for more information.

How complex the issues are and how agreeable or disagreeable the parties are determines how much time and work a case requires – which determines the ultimate cost of the case. Your retainer is given at the end of your initial consultation after you speak with our attorney, we do not quote retainer costs without a consultation.

During an initial office consultation with an attorney, and after the attorney has an understanding of the nature of the case, they will advise you as to the required “retainer” amount. Work on your case begins after the retainer is paid and your intake forms are completed. Retainer fees are placed in the attorney’s trust account, additional deposits are sometimes required prior to a significant hearing and/or trial. A Fee Agreement is signed by the client at the time the retainer is paid, which sets forth the financial terms of the arrangement. Retainers are used to pay the month to month fees and costs of the case. If the cost of the case exceeds the retainer fee paid at the start of our involvement, it is the expectation that any unpaid fees will be brought current on a month to month basis.

We are not licensed to practice law in the state of Oregon. Our heavy case load and the additional cost to the client limits our ability to travel outside of Cowlitz, Clark, and Wahkiakum Counties. This is reviewed on a case by case basis.