Fees & Costs

Fees & Costs

The cost of legal services for a divorce, family law or criminal defense matter can vary significantly based on the circumstances and the complexity of the matter.  There are actions that you can do to reduce your attorney fees and costs. Please see “6 Ways to Control Attorney Fees and Costs.”

  • Nature of the case

  • Complexity of legal issues

  • Hours invested by attorney and staff

  • Opposing party or opposing counsel’s actions

  • Ability to reach reasonable and fair settlements or plea agreements

  • Attorney’s fee structure

HOW WE BILL:

Flat Rate Billing:  5280 Law Group offers flat rate billing for most criminal matters and a select few family law matters.  Flat rate billing means that there is a fixed amount that constitutes complete payment for the performance of the agreed upon services.  There is no hourly rate or itemized billing, but rather the costs are determined per service provided. This rate must be paid in advance.  In order to determine if you qualify for flat rate billing for your family law matter we would request that you set an initial consultation with one of our skilled attorneys.

Hourly Fee Billing:  In a few select criminal cases and most family law matters, 5280 Law Group is working and billing at their respective hourly raters.  Hourly rates vary by attorney and are billed in increments of 1/6 of an hour.  We provide a monthly bill that itemizes all costs and expenses for the month.

Retainers:  A retainer is a fee paid upfront by the client to secure the services of an attorney.   A retainer may or may not be sufficient to cover all necessary costs and expenses in each matter. If after the work is completed, there is additional money remaining in the retainer, the client would be entitled to a refund.  5280 Law Group requires any client in active litigation to maintain a retainer balance of $4,000.

*General Initial Retainer Rates:

  • $1000+: for flat rate criminal case review

  • $5,000+: for flat rate straightforward divorce representation, excluding trial

  • $5500+: for representation for a criminal misdemeanor matter.

  • $8,000+: for representation for a criminal felony matter.

  • $7,500+:  for traditional representation for a non-emergency Family Law matter.  This includes both pre-decree and post-decree matters.

  • $8,500+:  for cases in which a contested hearing is scheduled to occur or will likely occur, within 120 days of retention.

  • $10,000+: for an appeal, whether bringing or defending in Colorado Court of Appeals or Colorado Supreme Court.

* Retainer and costs can vary depending on the issues in the case.  5280 Law Group reserves the right to increase or decrease the retainer quoted depending on your specific and unique circumstances.  Retainers are not a guaranteed rate or fee for a case.

 

Consultation Policy: Prospective new client can call or email our attorneys regarding their matter for a brief discussion to determine if we may be a potential fit for the case.  For a more in-depth analysis or discussion of the case, prospective clients are encouraged to schedule a session with the attorney.  These sessions can be conducted via telephone, Zoom, or in-person, providing flexibility for clients.  There is a fee of $300 per hour for the initial session.  If the client decides to formally retain 5280 Law Group for legal representation, the fee for the initial session is credited against the initial retainer.  For stand-alone consultation or advise sessions, in which formal representation does not result, we charge a discounted rate for the first hour and the appropriate hourly rate for the attorney for each additional hour.