How are Ohio divorce lawyers paid?

​Attorneys use a variety of fee models to help their clients. Initially, it must be noted that the State of Ohio forbids contingency fee divorces. So, lawyers traditionally charged an hourly fee for their work. Most lawyers billing hourly bill their time in 6-minute increments, and few bill in less than 15-minute increments.

​Some fields of law began working on a flat fee basis over time; this included simple dissolution cases, 
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straightforward foreclosure cases, and simple bankruptcies, to name a few. Today’s lawyers are offering flat fee agreements on a variety of cases, including all types of divorce cases. Be forewarned, though, that you are unlikely to find a lawyer willing to charge a flat fee for a contested divorce case unless they have substantial experience working these cases -- after all, no lawyer wants to risk never securing a client because they are charging too much or take a loss by charging too little.

Today’s lawyers are also embracing the a la carte method of billing, which helps clients control their costs. An a la carte billing menu charges for the basics of a case, like the preparation of initial divorce filings. The agreement includes clearly defined tasks that are included. Then, as additional work is needed, additional fees are charged. These types of fee agreements are great for lots of clients, but particularly for two types: First, those who find value in reaching a compromise with their spouse rather than litigating to the bitter end. And, second, those who would like to handle part of their case themselves to save money.

Hybrid fee agreements are becoming more popular. These can include a flat fee for a portion of the case, an a la carte menu for other items, and an hourly bill for specialty case aspects. An example would be agreeing to a flat fee for the initial filing of the divorce complaint and for attending up to two hearings - the absolute basics of divorce; including an a la carte menu for mediations or settlement conferences; and offering an hourly rate for additional court hearings that become necessary and which can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 4 hours. 

​Some lawyers will offer a flat fee for dissolution cases. And, many offer flat fee divorces when no spouse plans to contest the case. However, the fees for other cases vary greatly based on a number of factors. These factors include the time the lawyer foresees putting into the case, the common or unusual nature of your particular case, the level of contest in the case, the skill required to effectively litigate it, the urgency of the issues in the case, whether taking your case is likely to prevent the lawyer from taking other cases, the usual fees in your area for the work you seek, and the time limitations imposed on your lawyer. If you are ready to move forward with a divorce, dissolution, or post-divorce decree issue, we ask you to consider using our services. You can reach us through the “Contact” link above.

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