Our Rates

Alissa typically provides prospective clients with a complimentary initial consultation. This is your opportunity to meet Alissa and have Alissa review your legal matter. During the initial consultation, Alissa will typically give you a brief explanation of the relevant law and spell out what steps she will take to represent you. At this time she will also discuss her legal fees to represent you should you chose to retain KOHLHOFF LAW P.C.

 Below is a representative sample of our fees:

Fixed Amount Fees. If the legal matter is routine, Alissa will usually quote a fixed amount for handling the matter. An example would be drafting a Will or Trust. Full payment is expected when the document(s) are finished, but, in some cases, she may require a deposit to begin work on the preparation of the documents. Fixed fees do not include expenses she may be required to incur on your behalf such as filing fees and recording fees.

Hourly Fees. For more complicated matters, or where it is difficult to predict the amount of time needed to complete the representation, Alissa will usually charge based on the amount of time spent on the representation. An example would be representing an Executor in the administration of an estate. Alissa’s current hourly rate is $250/hour. When working on an hourly representation, Alissa will charge for all time spent on meetings, legal research, correspondence, negotiations, telephone conferences and all other time spent on the representation. Invoices are mailed monthly and payment is expected monthly (unless another arrangement is agreed upon). Hourly fees do not include expenses she may be required to incur on your behalf such as filing fees and recording fees.

Contingency Fee. In some matters, you will not pay any attorney fees unless Alissa recovers compensation for you. Your attorney fees will be a fixed percentage of the amount recovered plus the expenses of doing your case.

Retainers. In some cases, Alissa will request a retainer, which is a prepayment for services to be rendered. The retainer is placed in Kohlhoff Law P.C.’s trust account and is charged only as the legal services are provided. If the retainer amount is used up, Alissa may request an additional retainer. If not, she will continue with monthly invoicing for services rendered.

Fee Agreements. So that there are no misunderstandings regarding legal fees, Alissa requests that the client signs a fee agreement. These types of agreements spell out the rights and responsibilities of both the attorney and the client so that there are no misunderstandings.

Factors Considered When Determining Legal Fees. A lawyer’s fee is based on a variety of factors which include:

• The time and effort required, the novelty or difficulty of the issue, and the skills requisite to perform the legal task properly;
• The fees customarily charged in the area for similar legal services;
• The likelihood that accepting a particular case may preclude the attorney from other employment opportunities;
• The amount involved and the results obtained; The time limitations imposed by the client or by the circumstances;
• The nature and length of the professional relationship with the client; and
• The expertise, reputation, and ability of the lawyer performing the services.