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Consultation Terms

Today, there are so many options for people to get legal information for free: websites, services, online archives, and message boards for every imaginable legal issue.  By the time you realize you have a serious tax, family, or estate matter, you likely know you need to engage an attorney.

There are attorneys that offer “free initial consultations” for their services; however, please know that these free consultations are often 1) not performed by an attorney, and 2) do not provide any legal advice or guidance for your case. They are commonly an intake procedure, and a means to gather information about you to use in future marketing.

Additionally, many free consultations are spent with either a firm representative praising the firm and their pedigree or the potential client convincing themselves and the attorney that there is a case to be made. Little time is spent on legal advice, and most of the time is spent sizing up the value of the case. This may be appropriate in contingency cases, like personal injury, but in our areas of practice, it does not make sense. Our clients need an attorney and appreciate the importance of good counsel.

At the conclusion of our initial meeting, you will have a better legal understanding of your situation, legal explanations of the matter and your rights, and our opinions on your case. At this time we can decide to establish a continued relationship with a retainer to cover future hours of legal work by our firm.

We do not offer “free” consultations or legal services.

Experienced Legal Advice

At Mendes Law, we help you with complex legal matters affecting your family. Our credentials and experience go to work for you beginning with the initial consultation. When you meet with Mendes Law for an initial meeting regarding your case, we will:

• • Provide you legal advice and guidance specific to your case
  • Review your matter in detail
  • Review documents
  • Do our best to answer your questions
  • Provide valuable legal advice.

Initial Consultation

Meeting a potential client carries the same responsibilities as meeting a retained client. It takes our time, opportunity costs, has legal and ethical obligations, and can impact our meeting with other parties related to your case. It is a professional consultation, and a “free consultation” is analogous to if you met with a doctor but did not want to pay for medical advice.

Should you hire our firm for your case, actual rates may differ. We will know better once we talk.

Our rates are in line with other Bay Area firms the size and experience of Mendes Weed, LLP. These are the flat fee costs.  All consults are an hour.  If they are less than an hour, clients still pay the flat rate (which is reduced).  If they go over, the consult is billed at the attorney’s hourly rate.