Work Guidelines at Cutchin Law Firm
Overall Philosophy
It has been my observation that people are always nervous when they enter an attorney’s office. I suspect it is because they do not have any idea of what is going to happen and how they will be treated. Also, they are used to the TV shows depicting attorney offices as stuffy and full of brass and mahogany.
From the beginning, my philosophy has been different. As a result, we try very hard to have a friendly, welcoming environment for our clients. There is no brass or mahogany – the color scheme is very relaxing, and the tables are glass-topped with comfortable chairs.
You are our top priority
When you enter, the first thing we do is offer you coffee or a soft drink and ask if there is anything you need. All appointments are scheduled so you do not have to wait when you come in. You are our top priority, and we do everything we can to let you know that.
While you are meeting with me or any of my staff, we do not allow the meeting to be interrupted with phone calls to us. All phone calls are returned only when we are not meeting with anyone.
Initial consultation at no charge
The initial consultation we have with each client is always at no cost to the client. A client must feel comfortable with and trust the attorney, and the initial consultation is a meeting in which you decide you want to hire me. Also, I think attorneys should only charge when they are able to help a client. The initial consultation, therefore, is a time to listen to you and see what your situation and needs are. If at all possible, during that meeting I will tell you whether or not I will be able to assist you, what your alternatives are as I see them, and what my fee will be for you.
Fee Structure
I do not believe in, and in fact I despise, hourly billing. Except in unusual circumstances, I think there is too much of a chance of the client being overbilled. If at all possible, all of my fees are flat fees for a certain scope of legal work. I do not charge extra for faxes, phone calls, etc. Our clients seem to be content knowing exactly what their investment will be, and they fully understand the work we will be doing for them. Click here for examples of our fees.
Education
We know that most non-lawyers do not, and cannot without an explanation, understand the complex transactions they discuss with us. For this reason, before I allow any of my clients to make a decision about what I am going to do for them and before I allow them to sign any documents, I discuss the matter with them. In this discussion, I speak to them in plain English (as opposed to legalese) and I answer all their questions before we move forward with the transaction.
Please click here to contact us for more information.