If you contact DVG Law Partner and Attorney Michael Brown, please know there is no initial charge. Any fee options later presented would be value-based and win-win oriented. We try to reduce or eliminate clients’ out-of-pocket expenses and we usually assume financial risk– e.g. we commonly perform contingency legal work for which we are not guaranteed any payment and are only paid a percentage of money recovered from the opponent if the case succeeds. Our willingness to share risk, via such fee arrangements, demonstrates our belief our client’s case will have a positive outcome.
Common fee options are discussed below.
Contingency Fees
DVG represents many clients on a contingency fee basis, where legal fees are paid only if the case is successful and results in our client receiving a financial recovery from the opposing party. The contingency fees to DVG are then paid as a percentage of the recovered money. For example, some clients who contact DVG have already received a financial offer (e.g. severance- or settlement- offer) from the opposing party. DVG will typically agree to not apply any contingency fee to that offered amount, and to only apply the contingency fee/percentage to additional payment we help the client negotiate or win. DVG’s contingency arrangements with clients are transparent. We agree in advance with our clients about a specific contingency percentage and arrangement that we both feel are fair and reasonable.
Hourly Fees
Some clients (a minority) decide to retain DVG on an hourly fee basis. Usually, a client elects hourly-fee representation after DVG had offered contingency option(s) as well, but the client believed he or she would wind up with a better financial outcome by paying hourly fees and assuming related financial risk. For example, say a client paid an attorney $2,000 in hourly fees for a negotiation that would up achieving a $45,000 settlement/financial recovery. In that scenario, the hourly-fee option — with $2,000 in hourly fees paid (making the $45,000 settlement worth $43,000 gross when those fees are considered)– would be a better financial result for the client than had he originally elected a 33.33% contingency arrangement that, as applied to $45,000, would have resulted in a $15,000 legal fee and a $30,000 client recovery. Of course, if a client elects an hourly fee arrangement, he or she takes on the risk, however small or big, that the hourly fees paid could turn out to be not worthwhile, or even a loss, as compared to the ultimate result. DVG discusses, in initial communications with potential clients, our best assessment of a likely range of possible outcomes. However, no attorney can guarantee a specific outcome. Financial risk must be assumed by the attorney, the client, or both.
Hybrid Fees
Some clients retain DVG on a hybrid fee basis, which involves a mix of: (a) a reduced contingency fee, at a far lower percentage than market-rates that attorneys typically use; and (2) an hourly-fee or flat fee, also at a rate or amount far less than standard legal market value. This hybrid arrangement shares financial risk between DVG and our clients, and sometimes results in better financial outcomes for clients than the pure contingency or hourly options above.
DVG Usually Offers Multiple Options for Clients to Choose From
If you contact DVG Law Partner and Attorney Michael Brown about potential representation, we will evaluate your matter at no charge. If we think we can assist you, we will offer one or more fee options above for you to consider. For many potential clients we think we can assist, we offer all three options above. The nature of some matters can reduce options. For example, a person who has been sued is a defendant, and not in a position to receive a financial recovery to which any contingency fee could be applied. However, DVG would try– in that instance or any other– to find options that could help the person best obtain a good outcome, best reduce his or her potential out-of-pocket costs, and best try to align DVG’s receipt of legal fees with a positive outcome under the circumstances at issue.
Please Contact Us to Learn More
Please contact us if you have any questions about your legal matter or potential fee options.