Here are a few tips to help keep your legal fees in your control. We will be adding more tips throughout the year!

• • Read your engagement agreement: When you start working with a lawyer, they will have you sign an agreement about the scope of their services, fees, billing, etc.  There may be terms in the agreement that talks about how the attorney will round up their time, or that you have to pay a second retainer, or that you have to pay different rates for the paralegals.  Understand exactly what you are paying for and what your obligations under the agreement are.
    

• • • Only Send One Email: Remember, your attorneys are billing for every minute of time that they are working on your case. If you send them 3 emails in a day, at different times, with 1 sentence in each one, you are taking up more of their time, than if you had sent one email. Over time, sending just one email will save your attorney time and your money. For short, urgent questions, you may want to check in with your attorney to see if they are comfortable communicating via text message.

   

  • Write out a plan before you call your attorney: Just like an email, think through all of your questions before you call your attorney, to avoid multiple calls. It will save you time and money to deal with several issues and questions at the same time. Remember, your attorney is busy and probably has 25-60 cases they are working on at any given time. Email them (or their assistant or paralegal) to set up a time to call and get all your questions answered.