You pay nothing unless we recover money for you. That is the whole arrangement. Here is what it means in practice.
We represent survivors on a contingency fee. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover for you through settlement or verdict. If there is no recovery, you owe us no attorney fee.
Lawsuits have costs: court filing fees, records subpoenas, expert witnesses, depositions. We advance those costs. If there is no recovery, you do not repay them. If there is a recovery, costs are reimbursed from it, and the written agreement explains exactly how.
Your first conversation with an attorney costs nothing and creates no obligation. You can decide afterward, on your own timeline, whether to move forward.
California requires contingency agreements to be in writing, and ours spells out the percentage, how costs are handled, and what happens if you change your mind. You get a copy, and we walk through it with you before you sign.
Some cases are handled jointly with of-counsel attorney Guinness Costello, particularly coordinated proceedings against counties and large institutions. When that happens, California’s rules require your written consent, and the total fee does not increase because two firms are involved.
A note on settlements for minors. When a survivor is under 18, California courts review any settlement to make sure it is fair and that the money is protected, often in a blocked account or structured settlement, until the child reaches adulthood. We handle that process as part of the case.
We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no cost and no obligation. Nothing is filed without your permission, and nothing you tell us leaves this office.
Talk privately with an attorney