5 ms·

$10k is a massive exaggeration. Many lawyers can be retained for $500, and if you can show that affording that is untenable they will work out a payment plan fo

$10k is a massive exaggeration. Many lawyers can be retained for $500, and if you can show that affording that is untenable they will work out a payment plan for your court appointed lawyer.

mindslight 1y ago
$500 is two hours of time for a very low hourly rate. You might luck into finding an attorney that is chummy with the right policy/prosecutor to clear something like this up that quick, but I doubt it. $10k has been the standard retainer for a few other legal issues I've dealt with lately, and I doubt most criminal defense attorneys are going to want less if they foresee any chance of the case dragging out. > they will work out a payment plan for your court appointed lawyer Have you actually been there and done anything like this? From what I've seen, the reality is much much much different than the marketing.
- BizarroLand 1y ago
  It's been a minute, but I've retained a lawyer in the past. The $500 was just to have a conversation and to lay out the plan of attack if needed. Fortunately, it didn't go anywhere after that and the whole matter was dropped, but I didn't have to roll in with $10k just to get started.
  - mindslight 1y ago
    $500 makes sense for a few hours conversation. Once they start talking to people on your behalf, writing letters, etc, that same hourly rate applies but its other people running up your clock. As you were discussing a plan of action, did that attorney give you any idea what costs you were looking at if the situation started to require serious work on their part?
    - BizarroLand 1y ago
      It was a simple criminal matter, dismissed for lack of evidence and I was innocent besides. I work with lawyers now and the highest paid lawyer I know charges $1,200/hr. The associates charge $350/hr. $10k is still insane unless you're getting a named partner to run your case or if you're in for a serious crime.
      - mindslight 1y ago
        Maybe criminal matters are much less time-intensive than I am used to? $350/hr matches my experience. I just figured attorneys would expect to use at least 20-30 hours on a criminal case, the same way they expect to use at least that much time on straightforward civil matters.
        BizarroLand 1y ago
        Maybe it's a terminology thing. To me, a retainer is just the amount of money you pay upfront to retain the services of the lawyer, and it does not cover the entire anticipated fee of the lawyers' services. If you go through a trial with a personal lawyer for anything more complicated than, say, a DUI, you would be lucky to only spend $10,000 no matter how short the trial is, but either way the balance of the bill would be due either during the course of the trial to cover expenses or after the trial once all matters have settled.

$10k is a massive exaggeration. Many lawyers can be retained for $500, and if you can show that affording that is untenable they will work out a payment plan for your court appointed lawyer.

mindslight 1y ago

$500 is two hours of time for a very low hourly rate. You might luck into finding an attorney that is chummy with the right policy/prosecutor to clear something like this up that quick, but I doubt it. $10k has been the standard retainer for a few other legal issues I've dealt with lately, and I doubt most criminal defense attorneys are going to want less if they foresee any chance of the case dragging out. > they will work out a payment plan for your court appointed lawyer Have you actually been there and done anything like this? From what I've seen, the reality is much much much different than the marketing.

BizarroLand 1y ago
It's been a minute, but I've retained a lawyer in the past. The $500 was just to have a conversation and to lay out the plan of attack if needed. Fortunately, it didn't go anywhere after that and the whole matter was dropped, but I didn't have to roll in with $10k just to get started.
- mindslight 1y ago
  $500 makes sense for a few hours conversation. Once they start talking to people on your behalf, writing letters, etc, that same hourly rate applies but its other people running up your clock. As you were discussing a plan of action, did that attorney give you any idea what costs you were looking at if the situation started to require serious work on their part?
  - BizarroLand 1y ago
    It was a simple criminal matter, dismissed for lack of evidence and I was innocent besides. I work with lawyers now and the highest paid lawyer I know charges $1,200/hr. The associates charge $350/hr. $10k is still insane unless you're getting a named partner to run your case or if you're in for a serious crime.
    - mindslight 1y ago
      Maybe criminal matters are much less time-intensive than I am used to? $350/hr matches my experience. I just figured attorneys would expect to use at least 20-30 hours on a criminal case, the same way they expect to use at least that much time on straightforward civil matters.
      - BizarroLand 1y ago
        Maybe it's a terminology thing. To me, a retainer is just the amount of money you pay upfront to retain the services of the lawyer, and it does not cover the entire anticipated fee of the lawyers' services. If you go through a trial with a personal lawyer for anything more complicated than, say, a DUI, you would be lucky to only spend $10,000 no matter how short the trial is, but either way the balance of the bill would be due either during the course of the trial to cover expenses or after the trial once all matters have settled.