San Diego Lawyer Consultation Fees

All potential new clients are entitled to a free consultation: this can be done over the telephone or in person. It usually is for no more than a half hour. Where else can you get no San Diego lawyer consultation fees?

Andy Cook bills by the hour.

If you want to hire Andy Cook, you will be asked to make a down payment. Some people call this a “retainer”, but that is not an accurate term. A better word is “deposit” because if the money paid is not used up, the unused portion is refunded.

The amount of the deposit will depend on a number of factors, including the complexity of your case and your employment status. Andy Cook bills by the hour and draws against the deposit until it is used up. The hourly rate depends on whether or not you have legal insurance or have been referred by a referral panel. If your deposit is used up, you will be billed for additional fees and costs on a monthly basis. All information about your deposit is in a fee agreement which both you and Mr. Cook will sign.

Andy Cook accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover Card, as well as cash and money orders and cashier’s checks. If you owe money beyond the initial deposit, personal checks are accepted as well. Andy Cook does not charge, and he is not allowed to charge, a surcharge or finance fee simply because you use a credit card.

If you are unable to make it to our office, we can send you a fee agreement by mail, fax, or e-mail. In such situations, you may normally pay by credit card online by going to the home page of this website. Or, of course, you can simply mail in a check instead, provided that it is a cashier’s check or money order.

Our fee agreement provides that other people besides you may pay for our initial deposit, or subsequent amounts due. Obviously, if Andy Cook accepts payment from a third party via credit card, that third party must sign a special written authorization that can be emailed to you or that person or both, for signature by the third party; or, in certain cases, the third person may use this website and make a payment online.

Whatever your method of payment, our goal at the Law Offices of Andy Cook is to keep the cost of legal services under control. Thats why we offer no San Diego lawyer consultation fees for new clients.