How Much Will This Divorce Cost?

There is one question every client asks at their first meeting with a family law lawyer, and it is a question no lawyer can answer.

How much will this case cost me?

It is an impossible question to answer because there are so many variables involved. The vast majority of lawyers charge an hourly rate. Each appointment, phone call, letter, court appearance, settlement meeting, review of reports and correspondence, document drafting is accounted for based on the time spent.

When asked to give a quote on a divorce or child support variation or summer access case, the lawyer may have an idea of how much work the case will take, and therefore an estimated cost. However, there are a number of factors outside of the lawyers control. Will the client be phoning every day? Sending numerous emails? Will the assets and debts turn out to be far more complicated than the client initially thought? Will the other lawyer be easy to work with or will they file numerous court motions and send mountains of correspondence? Will the client on the other side be unwilling to provide documents or negotiate? Will a new and unexpected issue arise in the case? Will the Judge request that additional documents be filed or a trial scheduled?

Realistically, the best the lawyer can do when asked for a cost estimate is to outline how the billing practices of the firm work, and then send bills to the client on a monthly basis. That way, the client will be fully aware of the cost of the case as it proceeds, and can make decisions on that basis.