Here at DLO, we take a different approach to fees for our small business & family law clients than most firms, and we do so for two primary reasons:
- We know that predictability can make or break start ups. Business is unpredictable, right? Especially in the world of start-ups, large or unforeseen costs can derail the success of the best collective or idea. Legal fees for minor issues or simple drafting projects can quickly outpace employee salaries and rent – costs that are often the most significant expenses new businesses face. We do as much work at flat fee rates as we can, and we take pride in making paying legal fees as straightforward and simple as possible.
- We want to build relationships, not a fortune. If you’ve done business with DLO, you already know that we aren’t like other firms in so many ways – from our paperless office, to our community involvement, all the way to the way we partner with our clients on projects large and small. We’re here to be your advisors and partners, and help you grow your business sustainably, and that means we keep a close eye on our own sustainability. We try to bid work fairly, at prices that most businesses and families can afford.
So that explains how we approach fees the way we do, but you might still be wondering what does that mean for you?
- We try to explain our work up front. The fees for most kinds of work we handle are listed right on our website. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another firm that tells you how much services will cost before you’ve even talked to an attorney. If we don’t have a cost on our website, we will provide one for you during our initial consultation. Once businesses have grown to the point where they need ongoing corporate work from us, we often convert to hourly rates instead of flat fee rates – by then, everyone is comfortable and typically knows what to expect. We want to be the best partner to your business we can and we believe that means being transparent with you.
- Our small size saves you money. In most large firms, responding to client requests, performing legal work, and sending out bills involves many people, and multiple departments. Hefty administrative processes involve costs that need to be met somehow, and often involve higher billing rates and longer periods of time to complete work. Our team is small and very efficient, and uses technology to meet your needs. We’re always looking for ways to save our clients money through flat fee agreements and limited-scope project work. Unlike what you may find at most big firms, our partners stay close to your matter to ensure we’re meeting your needs and incurring fees transparently.
- We aim to be excellent at what we do, and not to bite off more than we can chew. Part of staying at the top of our game means we don’t handle every single kind of matter or issue, and we don’t take every single client that wants to work with us. For example, even with the best planning, sometimes issues end up in court. When that happens, we make sure we send you to colleagues that can be as efficient at litigation as we are at contract drafting.
- Most of our clients receive assistance from more than one person at DLO – whether that’s from our founder, an associate, a paralegal, or an administrative assistant, you can be assured that we are always striving to be efficient with your fees and timely with solutions.
Whether you’re new to DLO, or an old friend, feel free to ask any one of us about the cost of your legal services. As one of our firm’s heroes (who also was a fan of the color green!) once said, “We all do better when we all do better.” – Paul Wellstone