Are flat fee agreements available in family law proceedings?
A. Yes, and this can be a good solution, but with some risks. Flat Fee agreements limit the lawyer’s compensation to a fixed total sum. This may shift the burden of shouldering extra time costs of litigation to the lawyer, while limiting your obligation. Costs may or may not be part of the flat fee. In modification proceedings or amicable dissolutions they may be an excellent way to place a ceiling on what you pay. We accept flat fee agreements in appropriate cases. The problem with flat free agreements is this: If you settle or change your mind after signing the retainer agreement, you are out the fee regardless. If the case requires less time than the lawyer expects, they may earn the equivalent of a higher hourly rate. Another concern is that if a lawyer decides she made a bad bargain, she may not be motivated at some point to continue to do what was promised. However, an ethical attorney who accepts the flat fee retainer will always complete the task with the same level of skill an
