Question 1

Is OAW Legal Services a Virtual Law Firm?

Accepted Answer

Yes! OAW Legal Services is a virtual law firm. We pride ourselves in being able to provide high quality, personalized, and accessible legal services without the need of a traditional brick-and-mortar office. We are able to leverage the use of modern technology in creating a balanced work/life culture and delivering exceptional legal work.

We understand that you may prefer to meet with your retained attorney in person, and if that's the case, OAW Legal Services will work with you to set up an in office meeting.  However, we provide virtual and phone consultations.

Question 2

What are Unbundled Legal Services?

Accepted Answer

Unbundled legal services or limited scope representation is an alternative to the traditional concept of hiring an attorney for "full representation". It is the practice of dividing a legal matter into parts and hiring an attorney to handle certain parts while you remain responsible for the others. This can include anything from legal advice/coaching, to document preparation, to representation in court.

You may think of it as an à la carte menu for legal services, whereby you as a client, get just the advice and services you need and pay a more affordable overall fee.

Question 3

What is a Legal Retainer & How Does It Work?

Accepted Answer

A legal retainer is a down payment or an up-front payment for the expenses and fees in a legal case. This payment is placed in a trust account and still belongs to the client until it is earned by the attorney or used for legitimate expenses related to the client's matter.

If the retainer falls below a certain amount during a case, the client is required to replenish it to continue receiving services. However, if there are unused funds left, that money must be returned to the client. For instance, if a client pays a $5,000 retainer, and the attorney only accrues $3,000 of billing and expenses on the legal matter, $2,000 will be returned to the client.

Generally, a legal retainer is not meant to cover the entire cost of a legal matter, but it is a prepayment for a certain number of hours of the attorney’s services and expenses. It is an important way for the attorney and client to establish a trusting relationship --- the client trusts the attorney to hold their funds for them until earned and the attorney trusts the client to continue the financial terms of the arrangement after the initial retainer is depleted.

Question 4

How Much Will My Case Cost?

Accepted Answer

The cost of your legal case can vary greatly depending on the type of case, the issues in the case, whether there is any agreement between the parties, and the level of legal services you require. Not all cases require full representation by an attorney and choosing a lower level of legal services can greatly reduce the overall cost.

Please contact us if you have any questions about the fees for your individual case or book a consultation if you're ready to speak with an attorney.

Below are the three most common services offered:

Document Drafting/Preparation: All court actions require documents to be filed at some point. If you are comfortable representing yourself, an attorney can draft and prepare your documents and deliver them to you, ready to be filed with the court. Document preparation can usually be done on a flat fee basis depending on the document(s).

Document Review/Assistance: If you feel comfortable drafting and preparing your documents yourself, but just need a little help, an attorney can direct you to the appropriate forms relevant to your case. You then complete the forms and send them to us. We will review and correct your documents to ensure that they are in the proper form, that you have addressed all necessary issues, and that the court will accept them for filing, and deliver them to you, ready to be filed. Document assistance can usually be done on a flat fee basis depending on the document(s).

Client Coaching/Preparation: This is the lowest cost option. You and an attorney will agree to spend a certain amount of time discussing your legal issue. The attorney will inform you of the legal issue involved, recommend next steps, and help you maximize your chances of success. Client coaching can usually be done at the firm's usual hourly rate, though we agree on the amount of time and the cost in advance so there are no surprises. Minimum one hour.

Question 5

Do You Accept Payment Plan Agreements?

Accepted Answer

OAW Legal Services offers flat fee services and retainer fee arrangements. However, if you cannot afford a large retainer fee upfront, we do offer a payment plan arrangement. This allows clients to still receive legal help when they cannot afford to pay a retainer fee upfront. Our payment plans consist of making a smaller initial deposit followed by weekly payments.

Please keep in mind, like a retainer, this money is placed in a trust account and still belongs to the client until earned by the attorney or used for legitimate expenses. If a client’s trust account balance ever exceeds the amount we would ask for as a retainer, the payments are paused. The payments are then restarted if the account balance falls to where we would ask for a retainer refresher. If there are unused funds left in a client’s trust account, that money must be returned to the client.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OAW Legal Services a Virtual Law Firm?

What are Unbundled Legal Services?

What is a Legal Retainer & How Does It Work?

How Much Will My Case Cost?

Do You Accept Payment Plan Agreements?