One of the first questions most people ask, when they find themselves needing an attorney, is how much will it cost? Hoffman Law does not post its rates online, as these vary by many factors. However, for those looking for some general data as to attorney hourly costs, we recommend visiting these links, both of which provide useful data on attorney hourly costs:

LAFFEY MATRIX:

http://www.laffeymatrix.com/see.html

USAO MATRIX:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/file/796471/download

A retainer is paid to a law firm, when that firm will be charging you or your business, for legal work, on an hourly basis. The retainer is "billed against," by the law firm, as the firm performs work on your case. Most law firms do not bill you and wait to be paid. Instead, they bill you and are immediately paid, from your retainer, which they are already holding. This allows the law firm to focus on the practice of law, rather than on bill collecting. When a law firm works on a retainer, that firm will notify the client when the retainer is close to depleted so that the client can pay an additional retainer.

A flat fee works very differently. There are different types of flat fee arrangements, but - in general - when a client pays a flat fee, the flat fee is all the client will ever pay, except for incidentals and filing fees. In other words, the flat fee covers all of the hourly work the law firm performs. You will still have to pay for copying, filing fees, expert witnesses (if used), and other non-labor costs, but at least you know - up front - how much the general cost will be.

A flat fee cost structure may sound like a better deal, but this is not always the case. The problem is, with most cases, it is very difficult for the firm to ascertain how much time a particular case will take. When a client pays with a retainer and is billed hourly, the client will end up paying less, if the matter is resolved quickly. On the other hand, if a case takes considerable more time than the average similar case, the client with the flat fee payment arrangement will end up paying less.

Flat fee payment arrangments are generally only offered by law firms, in certain areas of law. For example, our firm offers a flat fee payment structure for most criminal law matters, nominee trusts, single-hearing representation (such as LAR family law matters), and in a few other areas. Ask your attorney how long he or she thinks your matter will take. They will usually give you an educated guess, and this may help you determine which fee structure you wish to go with.

Finally, there is a contingency fee arrangement, which is generally only offered in personal injury cases. Our firm also takes personal injury matters on a contingency basis. With a contingency fee arrangement, you pay nothing up front, and - in fact - you will never pay anything, if the law firm is unable to collect on your behalf. However, when the law firm does collect either a settlement or judgment on your behalf, the law firm takes an agreed upon percentage off of the top, along with costs - which include filing fees, copying and printer costs, postage, travel, and any other out-of-pocket costs the law firm incurred in taking your case.

Our firm takes payment in the form of a check, cash, and online services such as Paypal. We do not currently take payment via credit card, but you can generally go to any bank to receive a cash advance, from most credit cards.

The filing of a lawsuit begins with the filing of what is called a "complaint." The important thing to understand is that the filing of a lawsuit, or the filing of a complaint, is only the very, very beginning of the litigation. To prepare a complaint, an attorney must have detailed knowledge of all of the facts involved, in the matter. Although one complaint may look like another, to a lay person, in fact each complaint represents considerable time and effort by the attorney, who must customize and tailor each complaint and claims made therein to the particular case at hand.

Once the complaint is filed, it must then be served on the opposing party. This generally requires hiring the local sheriff department of the county where the opposing party resides, to serve the complaint. The other side files what is called an answer. Once this is filed, the "motion war" begins. The motion war is what we call the period of time from the filing of the complaint, until trial. There are often motions to dismiss, motions to compel, and motions for summary judgment. Each of these represents a different legal theory and goal, and some can be the size of an encyclopedia. Once the "motion war" is finished, or while it still rages, discovery begins. Discovery is the gathering of evidence, from the opposing party. Discovery can include iterrogatories and/or depositions. On top of these steps, there are continual court hearings to attend, where the judge rules on motions and determines where the case is at. Finally, the trial arrives, often years later.

The important thing to realize is that one doesn't just "file a lawsuit" and then go to trial. Litigation is a very involved process that never stops, from the time the lawsuit is filed, until it is over and the jury or judge has rendered a decision. Litigation requires many hours, on the part of the firm and the attorney(s) involved. Thus, if you are seeking out counsel to "file a lawsuit," you must bear in mind that there will be many fees involved, beyond the cost of simply filing the complaint. The more educated you are about how the legal process works, the more you will be in a position to discuss these various steps and the corresponding cost involved.

At Hoffman Law we work with you, every step of the way, and discuss with you all costs you are likely to incur, up front, so that a frank discussion can ensue. If you are in a position where you need to file a claim or have had a claim filed against you, call us today!

Our firm does offer payment arrangments, in certain cases, for clients who need a little bit of time to get their funds together. For those clients who need it, we will work with you, as much as we can, to see if a feasible payment arrangement can be made - one that will work for you, in your particular situation.

In criminal matters, the state will appoint a public defender to you, through CPCS, if you meet the income requirements. While most people do not want a public defender, many of the public defenders take their jobs very seriously. In fact, CPCS is made up largely of private practitioners, who take cases for the organization. In these cases, the client ends up with a private attorney.

Of course, it doesn't always work out well. If you don't meet the minimum income requirements, you will have to hire your own counsel. Also, even if you do meet the income requirements, you have no choice over which attorney is assigned to represent you.

In civil matters, there are a number of programs. There is the "Lawyer for a Day" program, where attorneys provide limited counsel to members of the public who are unable to hire counsel. This help is very limited though, in that the attorney does not actually represent you or even go into court with you. Instead, they can answer your questions and offer you some general guidance as to how you should proceed, with your case.

Finally, most law firms and/or attorneys do a limited amount of pro bono work, each year. Hoffman Law does this as well. Occasionally, we take cases, on a pro bono basis. This means that the client does not pay. It is a form of charity and a way to give back to the community. If you are in dire straits, reside in the state of Massachusetts, and sorely need legal representation, you are welcome to to contact us via email, with a description of your situation, to see if we are able to take your case on a pro bono basis.

Representing yourself is almost never a good idea. This is true no matter how well you may speak publicly, or - indeed - even if you are an attorney. There is an old saying that "an attorney who represents himself, has a fool for a client." This is true in many ways. Having someone else, other than yourself, get up and vigorously defend you allows you to peacefully sit back and maintain your composure. This ALWAYS comes across better to the judge and jury. On the other hand, when a person gets up and defends himself or herself, that person is almost always emotionally vested in the situation, and this impairs his or her ability to provide a defense.

In fact, the more eloquent a speaker may be, the more a judge or jury may tend to interpret that ability as arrogance. Winning a case is not about dazzling the jury or judge. In fact, any attempts to do this, often result in the opposite outcome.

In the end, it is certainly possible to represent yourself successfully, at smaller hearings, such as when dealing with a minor traffic or speeding ticket. Anything more substantial than this, and we can unequivocally say you will fair much better if you hire an attorney. Even wise attorneys hire other attorneys to represent them, when needed, rather than representing themselves.

   

Our firm serves the entire Greater Boston & Greater Worcester Areas. The firm began in Boxborough, Massachusetts, but later the office was moved to Marlborough, Massachusetts, very near the Massachusetts District Court. We currently have cases and clients all over the Greater Boston & Greater Worcester Areas. If you live anywhere in Massachusetts, we are willing to discuss taking your case. Call us today to see if we can serve you!

A general practice law firm takes cases in more than just one legal area. Hoffman Law is a general practice law firm. Our goal is to create lasting relationships, with our clients, and to continue to act as counsel for our clients, throughout the remainder of their lives. This model gives us a very unique outlook. Most of our clients return for legal help with other matters unrelated to their initial case. If you have a legal issue, give us a call, even if you aren't sure if it something we would typically handle. If we are unable to take your case, we are still able to offer you a referral, in most cases.

Yes, we make home visits, when necessary, particularly for our elderly and disabled clients. If you have special needs, simply talk to us about it, when you call. Also, our office is fully wheelchair accessible, for your convenience.

Unfortunately, in the New England area, we currently only serve Massachusetts. We do take cases in New York. In the future, we hope to begin to take cases in both Rhode Island and New Hampshire, but cannot at this time.

Our firm offers private investigative services, business consultation, and public relations services.

Yes! Private investigations is a critical part of any litigation and most criminal cases. We provide these services, on an hourly basis. You may wish to avail yourself of our private investigation services, even if you do not currently have a legal case pending, with our firm. We have a number of investigators at our disposal. Call today if you are in need of a private investigator.

If you don't see the practice area of law you're in need of, then give us a call. We may still take your case. If not, we can still offer you a referral, in most cases.