Family Legal Plan Planmember Guidebook
Index | Section
1 | Section
2 | Section
3 | Section
4 | Section
5
Part One - Section 3
GUARANTEED DISCOUNTS AND HOURLY RATES
The following are special privileges
that your plan member attorney can provide in addition
to those discussed in Section 2.
You and your attorney will discuss which of these options is applicable
to your situation. The plan member is responsible to the attorney for all
expenses incurred, including legal fees, filing fees, costs, and legal
bills of family members using the plan.
These special privileges are:
GUARANTEED LOW HOURLY RATES
GUARANTEED DISCOUNTED CONTINGENCY FEE PERCENTAGES
GUARANTEED LOW FIXED FEES
You may be required to pay a retainer in advance of any filing fees, attorney
fees, or other costs. Also, you may be billed for costs such as photocopying,
postage, long distance toll charges, travel expenses, etc. Once retained,
your plan attorney can provide you with full legal representation including
office work, in-court appearances, investigation, research, drafting, negotiation,
appeals, etc.
Please read this section carefully.
GUARANTEED LOW HOURLY RATE
After the initial no cost consultation, you and your
attorney may decide that further legal work or representation
may be required. If this is the case, you and your attorney
may agree to handle the matter at an hourly rate. Family
Plan members are privileged to have a guaranteed low hourly
fee not to exceed $75 per hour. The attorney can often
estimate how many hours any given case may take. All costs
and filing fees are additional.
If services have already been incurred on the guaranteed
low fixed fee schedule outlined in this section, a matter
may thereafter become too complex than originally anticipated.
If a matter is no longer qualified under the guaranteed
low fixed fee schedule, you may switch to the hourly rate
of no more than $75 for attorney services.
For example, a simple uncontested divorce may suddenly become a contested
nightmare. If the attorney had already worked for many hours on the divorce,
you would pay the guaranteed low fixed rate in the schedule of $210 as
agreed and then no more than $75 per hour for the remainder of the work
needed to resolve the matter. Of course, you and your attorney must be
in full agreement of these fees.
GUARANTEED DISCOUNTED CONTINGENCY FEE
PERCENTAGES
Attorneys often work on a contingency fee basis in matters dealing with
personal injury damages and collections. In these cases as well as others,
the attorney agrees to be paid a percentage of the recovery or award rather
than a set rate or hourly fee.
In some cases, contingency fee maximums are set by state law. In these
matters, your fee will be the lower of either 10% less than the maximum
fee set by state law or the attorney's usual fee. For example, if your
state has a fee maximum of 30%, you would pay the lower of either 27% or
the attorney's usual fee. If the attorney would normally charge 25%, you
would pay this percentage because it is the lower rate.
Where state law does not set maximum levels for contingency fees, your
guaranteed discounted rate will not exceed 29% if settled before trial,
36% if awarded during or after trial, or 40% if settled or awarded after
an appellate brief is prepared.
Guaranteed Low Fixed Fees - On the
following selected services, the Legal Club Plan member
Attorneys have agreed to charge the following guaranteed
low fixed fees. Please read the definitions section of
this guidebook carefully to see whether your legal problem
will qualify for the guaranteed low fixed fees. These prices
are for the legal fees only and do not include any applicable
filing fees or costs.
| Legal Service* |
Privilege Rate |
| Traffic Ticket Defense |
$ 89.00 |
| Bankruptcy Chapter 7 |
$250.00 |
| Name Change |
$155.00 |
| Will (with Simple Minor Trust) |
$170.00 |
| Non-Support (Spouse/Child) |
$239.00 |
| Divorce (Simple) |
$210.00 |
| Corporation (Regular) |
$239.00 |
| Non-Commercial Real Estate |
$175.00 |
(The fees listed above
do not include additional filing fees, costs, or
administrative expenses. They are only for legal
services rendered.)
*
See section 4 for
details and definitions. |
If your problem does not qualify for the fixed fee rate,
you and your attorney can agree to the guaranteed low hourly
fee. Your attorney can even estimate the amount of hours
it will take to resolve your problem.
Criminal law matters are usually handled by attorneys at fixed rates. The
rates quoted to members by participating attorneys vary due to the differing
facts and circumstances of each case. The attorneys base these fixed fees
upon an estimate of how many hours of work and expenses that any given
case may consume in conjunction with the low hourly plan rate. Retainer
fees may also vary depending upon the severity of the case at hand and
the jurisdiction where the case is located.
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