Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions or FAQ page.

Below, we have tried to answer the most common questions visitors to this our web site may have. If you find that your question is not answered on this page, please email us info@burrow-law.com.

Our Billing Policies and Procedures

This briefly explains our current policies and procedures regarding performance of services and the fees, costs and payment terms for these services. We encourage you to discuss with us anytime any questions you have concerning these policies and procedures.

We establish an hourly rate for each attorney and legal assistant. The current rates are shown below and will appear on our monthly statement. Each lawyer and legal assistant maintains daily time records for each client and matter. The time records are compiled and reviewed monthly by the attorney handling your matter before we render a statement. The minimum time charged is 1/10 of an hour. We adjust hourly rates from time to time and may change them during your matter. Our monthly statement reflects our handling of your matter, taking into account the time records for the matter, the services performed, any special expertise required, the size and scope of the matter, and other relevant circumstances.

To properly represent you we use the most effective support systems available. We charge separately for support services and expenses relating to your matter, including telephone, facsimile, messenger, postage and other communication and delivery costs; reproduction; document retrieval; computer time (such as legal researching and case retrieval); court reporters; court filing fees; service of notices and process; discovery costs; investigation expenses; consultants’ fees; expert witnesses’ fees; and other costs and expenses incurred for you. These costs and expenses appear on our monthly statement.

We may ask for a deposit against fees, costs and expenses. The attorney determines the amount of the deposit handling your matter and will be set forth in our fee agreement. The deposit is placed in our trust account and as monthly statements are generated our fee agreement authorizes us to withdraw the amount reflected in the statement. The amount of the deposit applied will be reflected in the statement. Any deposit or other sum placed in our trust account is subject to California Business and Professions Code § 6210. Accordingly, interest is paid to the State Bar of California.

Any estimate of fees that we provide you is necessarily only an approximation of potential fees. Such estimates are not a maximum or minimum fee quotation. Our actual fees are determined following the policies described above.

We will send you a bill once a month. We attempt to include costs and expenses in the statement for the month in which we incurred them. However, charges are not always available to us until the following month, in which case they will appear in a subsequent statement.

Our statements are due and payable 15 days following receipt, since there is generally a time lag between our services and submission of our statement. Any balance that is unpaid for more than 60 days after billing will accrue interest monthly at the rate of 10% per annum. In case of any action or proceeding involving our services, the prevailing party will be entitled to collect attorneys’ fees and costs.

If more than one client retains us to perform legal services, we will not allocate our fees and costs between clients on a prorated basis. Each client will be responsible for the total of such fees and costs. If we perform work for a corporation, we will sometimes ask certain individuals to assume responsibility for our fees and costs.

You have the right to terminate our services anytime, and we may withdraw from representation of you anytime. Our withdrawal may be based on your failure to promptly pay our fees and costs. In case of termination or withdrawal, we will retain copies of all client papers and property concerning our representation. We will promptly release original client papers and property to you, or your successor legal counsel, at your request. We will be entitled to payment from you for all charges concerning the copying, transfer or delivery of your papers and property, and for fees for time expended in providing follow-up or transition services to the successor counsel or you at your request.

Our 2008 Professional Rates and Fees

Lance Burrow $300.00

Robert Shimane $275.00

Paralegal $90.00

Clerk $60.00

Copyright 2008 by The Law Offices of Burrow & Shimane. All Rights Reserved.