Law Office of Christopher Dort Fee Schedule for 2020
Limited Pro Bono Services Available:
Attorney Christopher Dort provides a limited number of free hours to persons who cannot afford to hire a private attorney, and who have issues that are within the attorney's core competence. We also provide free answers to many routine or common legal questions. If you feel you have a qualified need for some limited free legal help, please email cdort[at]dortlaw.com with a description of the problem. Please be sure to include the location or court of the issue, and any documents that you feel make help explain the issue.
Veterans Disability Claims Assistance:
Law Office of Christopher Dort can provide assistance in starting a new VA Disability Claim to qualified veterans on a limited basis for free. This is a limited scope pro bono service, and we have a limited capacity. We will provide qualified referrals to other VA attorneys if needed.
We also provide assistance to qualified disabled veterans who want to appeal a disability rating or decision. There are strict deadlines for filing an appeal. We have a limited capacity for this service, but can provide qualified assistance in referrals if needed. The fees for appeals assistance are based upon recovery (if any) and based upon the fee schedule(s) approved by the VA for such work. All fees for appeal services are collected only after the veteran is paid, and subject to approval by the VA.
Contingency Fee Cases:
The most common fee arrangement for Plaintiff's side civil litigation is a contingency fee, based upon the amount of recovery. We currently charge a minimum of 20% contingency on civil cases, with a maximum of 25% for minor's claims and 40% of adult claims in cases where specialized knowledge is required, or where a high level of attorney paid advance costs is needed, or a heightened risk of loss to the attorney, such as is the case in bio toxin illness cases. In these contingency fee cases, the attorney does not get paid for legal services if there is no recovery to the client(s).
Flat Fee For Criminal Case Litigation:
For most criminal cases, the Law Office of Christopher Dort charges a flat fee based upon the amount of work required, the severity of the case, and the difficulty of working with the client. In cases where jail visits are required, the flat fee generally tends to be higher than in cases where no jail visits are required. Misdemeanors generally have lower flat fees than felony cases. Criminal case fees may include work on a jury trial, and are generally all inclusive (subject to a fee agreement), but do not include work on any appeal or post judgment matter.
Our flat fees for misdemeanors can be as low as $3,000; for felony matters, the flat fee arrangements start at $4,000.
Hourly Rate for Professional Services is $375 for 2020:
We rarely accept work on an hourly basis, but there are some occasions where it is necessary. In those situations our published hourly rate for Attorney Services in Civil or Criminal Litigation with 20+ years of litigation experience is $375 per professional hour. A professional hour is measured in .1 hour increments, and applied to only professional services requiring the attorney's attention. This professional time rate does not apply to driving time, trips to the post office, or other activities that do not require licensed attorney work.
Every case is different, and these are just guidelines for your review and consideration. All fees are negotiable. Payment plans are available for qualified situations and are reviewed on a case by case basis.
Questions? Please email cdort@dortlaw.com We are happy to answer your questions about fees or your situation.