Fixed-Fee Legal

Fixed-fee? I thought lawyers charged by the minute…

Fixed-fee legal services are just that…a pre-determined legal service provided to a client for a set, static, unchanging fee. For some legal services, fixed fee makes a lot of sense. For others, it is horribly inefficient.

Why fixed fee?

Understandably, most people are concerned about the cost of a lawyer charging fees at an hourly rate with the final bill remaining a mystery until it shows up in the mailbox. This traditional hourly rate legal services model keeps a lot of people from hiring an attorney. My firm currently offers two fixed-fee legal services…check it out:

Fixed Fee Legal Services for Entrepreneurs

Your business deserves every chance of success. New Venture Services is designed to assist both entrepreneurs and owners of operating businesses to address fundamental legal issues in a cost conscience manner. Whether it’s determining which business entity to utilize; recommending and drafting a key contract; or simply advising on any number of other important legal considerations; New Venture Services can be an asset to you and your business.

Entrepreneurs and small business owners alike must often make tough choices when it comes to investing in their businesses. Should you focus on marketing or product development? Will your supplier give you thirty day terms? Making these choices often requires sacrifice, and often, professional services like legal and accounting are the first casualties.

Before forgoing formal legal services, business owners and entrepreneurs should first try to appreciate the gravity of the legal issues facing them. In many circumstances, there may be no real danger to avoiding legal services. On the other hand, there are many other circumstances where formal legal services could be the difference between success and failure, no matter the merits of the business product or model.

A few examples make the picture easier to see:

  • Your business derives serious economic value from some sort of confidential information (proprietary software you invented or are developing or a customer/leads list you worked hard to create). If an employee leaves, can you be sure that he or shee can’t take this confidential information with him or her?
  • You organized your business as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) and you’ve been operating for a few years when one day you’re served with a lawsuit. Not only is your business a named defendant, but you are too. Have you operated your business in such a way so that the liability shield of the LLC will protect you in the suit?

If you’re interested in learning more about how you might benefit from New Venture Services, click here.

Fixed Fee Estate Plans

Estate plan? I’m not Donald Trump…

An estate plan is a collection of documents intended to assure that your wishes are carried out when you no longer have control because of your death or disability. The documents comprising your estate plan may vary, depending on your circumstances, but generally they include:

  • Revocable Living Trust
  • Pour-Over Will
  • Power of Attorney for Property
  • Power of Attorney for Healthcare
  • Living Will
  • HIPAA Authorization

These documents have the potential to help you avoid probate, minimize death taxes, assure the proper distribution of your assets to your family at your death, make periods of disability easier for you and your family, carry out your end of life wishes and provide for your minor children.

As you can tell, it’s not just the wealthy that need an estate plan. Depending on your circumstances, it might be advisable to have the full house estate plan as described. You might also be just as well off with something less complicated.

In any event, you can obtain estate planning services from my firm at a very reasonable, fixed fee. If you’re interested in learning more, click here .