How much does hiring an attorney cost?
A. As is the case with any professional, cost vries from law firm to law firm. Lawyers cannot charge a “contingency fee” in a divorce case, so they charge either by the hour or a flat fee. Flat fees are rare, except when the case is truly “uncontested” and all terms have been agreed upon. In a flat fee case, the cost may range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars, depending on the lawyer and the complexity of the issues (transfers of real estate, retirement funds and the like). For a contested case, most lawyers require a retainer which is a up-front payment which may serve either or both of two purposes: to ensure the lawyer is available and cannot accept employment by the opposing party and to serve as an advance payment for services to be rendered. Most lawyers then bill against that retainer and ask that it be replenished when it runs low or is depleted. Retainers can range from $1,000 (or less) to $25,000 (or more), depending on the complexity of the case and the l
