Every attorney will ask you to come into the office for an initial consultation - but do you really know what happens during an initial consultation? I can't speak for other attorneys, but I can tell you what we do here.
Most people aren't really sure what their options are when it comes to resolving family law matters. If you haven't gone through something like this before, then there's really no reason why you should know - that's why we're here.
I wanted to write you a quick thank you note for taking the time to help me understand my situation. I desperately needed some advice and you answered every one of my questions. You really put me at ease about taking the next step.
Julie Dobson, Austin
What is the cost?
We do charge for consultations. Most good family law attorneys that I know do also. Unfortunately, if we gave free consultations, we would spend all day meeting with people that only want free advice. If we didn't charge something for the initial consultation, we wouldn't have any time left over to devote to our clients.
We offer a reduced rate of $150 for the first hour. The length of the consultation really depends on how many questions you have. Most consultations can be handled in about an hour.
We offer what we call a Guaranteed Initial Consultation. We can't guarantee the outcome of your case, but we can guarantee our consultations. If you don't feel that you've gotten your money's worth after your consultation… just tell one of us before you leave and you don't have to pay for it.
What have you got to lose?
So what happens during the initial consultation?
The first thing I have to do is listen. You'll need to give me an overview of your situation and tell me what your specific concerns are, what's happened so far (if anything) and what you want to try and accomplish. I'll probably have several questions along the way, so it will be more of a conversation.
Next, based on what you've told me, I'll explain your options to you and what rights and obligations you might have with each one. In most cases I can make a recommendation based on my experience as to which of the particular options may make the most sense for your situation.
Finally, I will explain how my office operates and tell you what your next steps are if you decide to hire us to represent you.
In many of the consultations I do, I have some materials that I can send you home with you that may explain one or more of your alternatives to you in more detail. There's always a lot of information exchanged during our first meeting and I've found that it makes sense to give you something you can review later.
Schedule Your Initial Consultation
We provided the form below so you can easily request an initial consultation. This form will send a message straight to our office and we'll get back to you quickly with a confirmation. If you prefer, you can call our office at (512) 481-0330 to schedule an appointment.
Our regular office hours are 9-5 Monday through Friday. We normally do not make appointments in the evening or on the weekends. However, we will try to work with you if you have special circumstances.
If you have general questions about divorce, make sure you take a look at the Divorce Frequently Asked Questions before your consultation. We may have already answered one of your questions on the website.