Frequently Asked Questions
Conventional law practices typically focus on a specific area of law and ordinarily require a client to submit a sizable retainer upfront against which legal services are billed, or pay the entire fee upfront. Additionally, if the law firm charges an hourly fee, a client does not know how much they’ve spent on legal services until they receive a monthly statement showing the amount of the retainer that’s already been used. And, when the retainer is exhausted the client must deposit more with the firm before any additional work will be performed. That type of arrangement tends to be more transactional than relational. There’s not much trust between you and the lawyer in that approach.
The My Lawyer Friend™ program involves a trust-based relationship between you and your lawyer friend. You trust your lawyer friend to provide thoughtful and thorough life and legal counsel, perform work on a 1/10 hr. (6 minute) incremental basis, and keep accurate track of that time. Your lawyer friend trusts you to pay on a bi-weekly basis for services that have already been provided.
We know of no other legal representation arrangement that allows you to pay for legal services AFTER those services have been provided. Nor do we know of a law practice that provides bi-weekly billing information to keep clients apprised as to their financial status with the firm.
Here are some frequently asked questions about how the My Lawyer Friend™ program works:
What exactly does the initial payment of $100 cover?
MLF: The initial deposit of $100 along with the Engagement Agreement creates our attorney/client relationship. The initial payment is non-refundable and covers the costs associated with administrative work necessary to address questions you may have about the logistics involved in a My Lawyer Friend™ relationship, and the processing of preliminary documents and information necessary to facilitate our relationship. The $100 is applied to your account and will be reflected on you statement as a credit. So, effectively, you are receiving one hour of free legal services by joining the My Lawyer Friend™ program. Since the My Lawyer Friend™ approach to legal representation is relationally focused and designed to facilitate a longterm relationship, the $100 of free legal and life services is part of our good faith investment in our relationship.
How is payment for work done after the initial $100 deposit is used up handled?
MLF: All work performed is billed at $100/hr. in 1/10 hr. (6 minute) increments. Payment may be made here.
How often will I be invoiced for work completed?
MLF: Invoices will be emailed to you bi-weekly (twice a month), and Statements are emailed monthly.
What kind of matters are handled by the My Lawyer Friend™ program?
MLF: The My Lawyer Friend™ program is designed to provide fast and friendly access to your lawyer friend whenever you need to address life and legal concerns. Some of those might include:
The creation of a formal business entity;
The management of an organization;
All types of agreements and contracts using the Dynamic Agreement™ approach;
The sale or purchase of a home or business;
Agreed to Family Law matters such as divorce, child custody, premarital agreements, post marital agreements;
Non-trial traffic tickets;
Criminal law matter counsel;
Personal injury matter counsel;
Intellectual property concerns such as Trademark and Copyright;
Estate Planning such as Wills, Durable Power of Attorney, Medical Power of Attorney, and Trusts;
Interpersonal relationship matters such as decision-making and conflict;
Referral to other lawyers and professionals who your lawyer friend thinks would be a good match for you and your life situation;
Acting as a liaison between you and the professional to whom you were referred by your lawyer friend;
Any life matter or concern for which you just need a friend to listen and offer another perspective.
What kind of phone, video conference, in-person meeting, or email correspondence will I be charged for?
MLF: The My Lawyer Friend™ program is designed to give you ready access to a lawyer friend at an affordable rate that does not require prepayment. The services provided through the My Lawyer Friend™ program include any matter or concern regardless if legal counsel is needed. So, just about any matter for which you desire legal and life counsel and work is covered in the My Lawyer Friend™ program billing rate.
What happens if I can’t pay the bi-weekly invoice amount?
MLF: We understand life can sometimes throw us curve balls. The My Lawyer Friend™ program emphasizes the friendship aspect of our relationship. If you’re unable to pay the entirety of the invoice amount, let us know and we will do our best to work with you like any good friend would. More than likely, together, we can come up with a means of addressing both of our needs, maintain our relationship, and grow and learn as a result of the experience.
Can I retain the services of My Lawyer Friend™ using the conventional means of paying a retainer and having my lawyer friend bill against that retainer?
MLF: If you prefer to engage your lawyer friend in a conventional manner, you may deposit as much money as you like using the payment feature on the My Lawyer Friend™ website and notify your lawyer friend in writing via email that you would like to be notified when the retainer is exhausted so you can deposit more money. You will then receive a monthly statement indicating the balance on your retainer account.
If you have any other questions about how the My Lawyer Friend™ program works, please reference the My Lawyer Friend™ website and our Engagement Agreement.
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