Steve Scott

Attorney at Law

Serving Landlords, Individuals
and Small Businesses

Vanessa Reynolds

Legal Assistant

 Fees/Expenses

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This page covers the following topics:

Legal fees
Expenses
Billing policies

Legal Fees

In many situations Scott Law Firm offers an initial consultation for prospective clients at no charge. During our initial meeting with a prospective client, we will obtain information about the situation and advise the prospective client of the possible legal remedies and the legal fees and expenses involved in pursuing those remedies. For many types of cases, we will be able to provide a close estimate of the total charges. For other matters, the estimate may be more uncertain, but we will explain how the charges will be determined.

Depending on the type of work required, legal fees are set by one of three methods (or sometimes a combination of these methods):

Flat, or fixed, fees for preparation of specific documents or performance of clearly defined legal tasks.
Fees based on the time required to perform the necessary legal work, known as "hourly fees." Our current time-based billing rate is $150/hour. Time is accrued in increments of 1/10 hour. This hourly rate is subject to change, and the rate in effect at the time a client retains SLF will be the applicable rate.
Contingency fees, meaning that the fee for legal services is a percentage of the value of money and/or property recovered for the client. In such cases, if no money or property is recovered, no fee will be charged, but the client remains responsible for expenses paid by SLF on the client's behalf. (With regard to contingent fees, we are required by Missouri Supreme Court rule to provide the following statement: WHEN LEGAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON A CONTINGENT FEE BASIS, THE CLIENT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COSTS AND EXPENSES.)

Often it is possible to give a prospective client an estimate by telephone of approximate legal fees and expenses that would be charged for a particular matter, and we welcome calls at 573-442-7168 (442-SCOT). However, sometimes there are complicating factors in a prospective client's situation that may require an in-person consultation before an estimate of fees and expenses can be provided.

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Expenses

Scott Law Firm's policy is that clients are always responsible for any expenses SLF incurs on their behalf — such as court filing fees, long distance telephone calls, travel expenses, copying charges, and consultant’s fees — and that we will advise clients before large expenses are incurred.

Some types of expenses are billed at fixed rates. For example:

Long-distance telephone calls are billed at our average cost of 25¢ per minute.
Round-trip mileage is billed at 30¢ per mile.
Substantial photocopying jobs are billed at 10¢ per copy.

Sometimes our clients are responsible for paying particular expenses directly rather than reimbursing us after we have paid.

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Billing Policies

All bills are due and payable in full upon receipt by the client. Bills are sent as follows:

Matters handled on a flat fee basis are billed either upon completion of the specific tasks or on a monthly basis for regular clients.
Time-based (hourly) fees usually are billed on a monthly basis, but in unusual circumstances we can make other arrangements.
Fees in matters handled on a contingent basis are not due or billed until money or property is recovered for the client. However, sometimes a client may be billed earlier for expenses advanced.

For certain matters our policies require an advance payment, or payments, known as a "retainer," to be applied toward fees and/or expenses as they accrue.

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Inquiries about legal representation and comments about this web site may be emailed to sscott@scottlawfirm.com. We will endeavor to respond promptly but will not provide specific legal advice by email except to established clients. Please see our Notices and Disclaimers. Except as otherwise noted on particular pages, this entire web site is Copyright © 1998-2007 by Scott Law Firm Professional Corporation, Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A. Except as otherwise authorized with respect to landlord forms, site visitors may reproduce materials on this site for personal use only. All copies of copyrighted pages must include our copyright notice.