BUSINESS
FORMATION & ADVICE
If you own or want to start a business, it is important to establish
a relationship with an attorney who can give you sound advice.
A proper set up corporation well drafted contracted could literally
save you thousands of dollars.
There are several types of business structures. Some like sole
proprietorships are inexpensive and simple. Others, like corporations,
limited liability companies, are more complex but offer special
protection for the owners. Which form you choose depends on
what type of business you have and tax considerations.
It is also crucial if there is more than one owner to have written
agreement between the parties and shareholders. In my experience
many businesses turn into problems when the partners cannot
agree about how to divide the work and profits. Putting the
agreement between the partners in writing can prevent a lot
of problems in the future.
I charge $75.00 for an initial consultation on setting up a
business. I charge $600.00 including filing fee to incorporate
a business. I also charge $600.00 to set up a limited liability
company (LLC). However, there is an extra cost to publish notice
of the LLC in the newspaper.
(TOP)
FAMILY
LAW/DIVORCE/CHILD CUSTODY/CHILD SUPPORT
I represent clients in all kinds of cases concerning children
or marriage.
I have years of experience handling divorce, child custody,
and child support matters. I have served as a law guardian
(attorney representing the children) in literally hundreds
of cases. I have extensive experience as a former Assistant
Niagara County Social Services Attorney in child support matters.
At our first appointment, I will personally sit down with
you and go over your personal and family history. You will
need to bring all papers that have anything to do with your
case. Be prepared to spend to spend at least an hour.
I will ask you to pay a retainer before I begin work
on your case. The amount of the retainer depends on the complexity
of your case. The retainer is a deposit against legal fees
and out-of-pocket expenses. I will charge you at a rate of
$200.00 per hour.
(TOP)
LITIGATION
I represent clients in all kinds of civil matters including
personal injury matters. If you have a dispute with someone,
try to work it out first without a lawyer. If you can't resolve
the dispute yourself, you may have to go to court.
Getting involved in litigation should always be a last resort.
It's expensive and stressful. It is important to have an attorney
you can trust on your side. For personally injury cases, I
charge a contingency fee of one-third of the amount collected.
This means I do not get paid if you do not collect. You will
still be responsible to pay for all out-of-pocket disbursements.
For non-personal injury cases I will ask you to pay a retainer
before I begin work on your case. The amount of the retainer
depends on the complexity of your case. The retainer is a
deposit against legal fees and out-of-pocket expenses. I will
charge you at a rate of $200.00 per hour.
(TOP)
REAL
ESTATE
I help clients buy and sell commercial and residential real
estate. When you decide to buy or sell property, it is important
to consult an attorney as early as possible. Often, the most
important part of any deal is negotiating the purchase contract.
If you are using a real estate agent, the agent will help
you prepare the purchase contract. However, your attorney
has three business days to look the contact over and cancel
it if it does not protect your rights. If you are not using
a real estate agent, an attorney can prepare the agreement
for you.
Once I am hired to represent a client, a real estate transaction,
I review the purchase contract with the client. If everything
looks fair, I approve the contract. If something in the contract
is unfair, I talk the issue over with my client. If the client
agrees, I will either cancel the contract or negotiate with
the other side to make the contract fair. After the contract
has been approved, I make sure all the title issues are resolved
and get the deal ready to close. I then review all the documents
to make sure they are correct. Then, either my paralegal or
I will attend the closing with you.
I charge a $500.00 flat fee for residential real estate closings.
I charge an hourly rate of $200.00 for commercial real estate
transactions. There is also a $25.00 miscellaneous disbursement
fee to cover copies, faxes, postage, etc. This includes reviewing
and approving the contract, resolving all title issues, prepare
or review all closing papers, and attending the closing. There
is a extra fee for preparing the contract, preparing the extra
agreements and attending closings outside of Niagara County.
(TOP)
TRAFFIC MATTERS
I represent many clients in town and city courts for traffic tickets. The worst thing you could do is put off dealing with a ticket. Not answering a ticket for failure to pay a fine can suspend your license to drive and cause you a lot of trouble.
It is also a bad idea to send the ticket into court with the guilty box checked. That can result in points on your license, which can drive up your insurance rates.
In most cases I can appear in court and reduce the points or get or eliminate them all together. A small fee can save you from hundreds of dollars in insurance premiums.
I charge a flat rate for traffic infractions form $100.00 to $250.00 depending on the court. Misdemeanors such as driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation are more.
I will ask you to pay a retainer before I begin work on your case. The amount of the retainer depends on the complexity of your case. The retainer is a deposit against legal fees and disbursements. I will charge you at a rate of $175.00 per hour. However, I never charge to talk to a client over the telephone.
(TOP)
WILLS
AND ESTATE PLANNING
Everybody should have a Will and a Health Care Proxy.
Having these documents taken care of can save your family
heartache and thousands of dollars. It is one of the most
important services I can give a client.
I charge $200.00 for a will package. This includes a Will,
Health Care Proxy and Durable General Power of Attorney for
a couple. If a client has a net worth (including life insurance
and other death benefits) of over $1 million, then it will
cost more to structure your estate to minimize estate taxes.
Put simply, a Will is just a legal document that states where
you want your property to go after you die. I do not recommend
using "do it yourself" kits. This is because a Will
is not valid unless it is signed in exactly the correct way.
It's not rocket science, but it is no good if it isn't done
properly. A Will can also be used to designate who will take
care of your minor children after your death. A Will also
designates who will serve as your executor. An executor is
a person who is responsible for managing your assets and paying
your debts. Finally, a Will can be used to set up a trust
for young beneficiaries to make sure their gift is spent responsibly.
A Health Care Proxy tells your doctor, hospital and other
medical professionals who will make your health care decisions
if your are unable to do so. You can also state if you want
treatment withheld in certain situations. Having a Health
Care Proxy eliminates confusion if you become sick or injured
and cannot make your own medical decisions.
A Durable General Power of Attorney is an essential part of
many, but not all, estate plans. A Power of Attorney allows
you to designate another person to conduct business for you.
A Power of Attorney is "durable" when it continues
to work even if you become mentally incompetent. A Power of
Attorney is "general" when it covers all aspects
of a person's personal and business life instead of one specific
transaction. It is useful to have a Durable General Power
of Attorney to allow your spouse, child or other trusted person
to manage your affairs if you become too sick or confused
to manage your own affairs. It allows your family to manage
your affairs without asking a court to declare you incompetent.
This could save you thousands of dollars.
|
