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AGREEMENT FOR PAYMENT OF
LEGAL FEES |
| We are pleased to have you as a client.
Our billing and credit procedures are designed to be as simple and as clear as
possible. Experience has shown that the client/attorney relationship gets off
to a better start when there is a mutual understanding about fees and their
payment. You should know how you will be billed for legal services, costs and
expenses and what the payment terms are, and we should know the conditions upon
which you will be paying your account.
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LEGAL FEES: You will be billed at an hourly rate which is current at the
time of billing. At the present time, our hourly rates are
as follows:
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Gary S. Newman (New
Jersey
matters)............................................ |
$250.00 |
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Samuel A. Denburg (New
Jersey matters)
....................................... |
$250.00 |
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Associates
with more than 10 years experience or Of Counsel
.......... |
$250.00 |
| Associates
with 5-10 years experience or Of
Counsel........................ |
$200.00 |
| Associates
with less than 5 years experience or Of
Counsel............... |
$175.00 |
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Paralegals, Legal
Assistants & Law Clerks
........................................ |
$90.00 |
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We may use outside
counsel, researchers and paralegals to help to save you
money. These hourly rates may be changed from time to time,
and we will notify you of such change by your monthly
billing statement. All time on your case is billed,
including time expended on telephone calls for any reason
involving your matter (incoming and outgoing), travel time,
waiting time in court, preparation time, office conferences
and hearings, in units of one-tenth (1/10th) or one-quarter
(1/4) of an hour. |
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EXPENSES AND COSTS:
Most matters require expenditures of money for one or more
of the following: filing fees, sheriff's fees, expert
witness fees, court stenographer fees, publishing costs,
travel expenses, long distance telephone charges, copying
charges (at 25 cents per page), extraordinary postage,
facsimile transmittals (at $1.00 per page) and the like.
Usually this office is billed directly and we pay these
bills promptly because we want to maintain our credit. We,
therefore, will bill you for them and must have immediate
payment to reimburse for these out-of-pocket expenses. In
the event it becomes necessary to advance payment of costs
or expenses on your behalf, you will be charged at the rate
of one and a half percent (1.5%) per month on any amount
advanced or paid on your behalf from the date that such
payment is made or from the date that funds for such payment
are drawn from any lending institution until the date that
full reimbursement is received. In the event that partial
reimbursement is received, interest will continue to be
charged on any unpaid balance until that balance is paid. |
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PAYMENT OF YOUR FEES:
We expect all bills to be paid within thirty (30) days of
billing. If you anticipate difficulty in paying your bill
within thirty (30) days of receipt, please contact us. |
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RETAINER: Many professional fees, especially where court proceedings are
involved, are paid in advance as a retainer. We require the
sum of $1,500.00 as a flat fee payment, which will be
utilized for a Notice to Quit, Holdover Summons/Complaint
and Court Appearance. Your retainer is placed in our
business account. As you are billed, the amount of your
bill will be credited to the extent of the amount of the
retainer we are holding, or, in other words, the amount of
the retainer will be deducted from your bill. By signing
this agreement, you agree to such procedure. When an amount
is requested as a retainer, it is not the full fee for the
services to be performed but only an amount to be applied
toward payment of the eventual fee based on the hours of
time expended. When appropriate as determined by this firm,
we will request an additional retainer to be credited toward
services not yet completed. By signing this agreement, you
agree to provide any additional retainer in the amount
requested within fifteen (15) days of the notice requesting
replenishment. If the retainer is not replenished, you
agree that we may cease providing services to you under this
agreement, and you agree to consent in writing to our
withdrawing from all court proceedings as your attorney of
record. Any portion of the retainer not required for the
final bill will be promptly refunded to you. |
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CLOSE CONTACT: We believe in staying in touch with the client to ensure that the
legal work we do proceeds as smoothly as possible and that
our billings are accurate and understandable. Any questions
you may have about your billing should be promptly directed
to our office manager or to me. |
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QUESTIONS ABOUT BILLING:
If you wish to ask about your billing or about the legal
services which we have rendered, please call our office when
you receive your statement. If no comment about the
billing is received within thirty (30) days of the statement
date, we will assume that you have seen the bill and find it
acceptable.
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DELINQUENT ACCOUNT
PROCEDURES:
Any bill or portion outstanding more than thirty (30) days
will be deemed delinquent. You agree to pay simple interest
of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month on all
delinquencies. Accounts which are past due more than sixty
(60) days, on which no arrangements have been made for
extended or deferred payment, may be turned over to a
collection service or suit may be instituted. Arbitration
of such fees will be available at your option prior to any
legal action being taken. If you reject arbitration and the
matter proceeds to court, you agree to waive your right to a
jury trial. Naturally, we will not be able to serve as your
attorney, and will expect you to sign a Substitution of
Attorney form on request. By signing this agreement, if
suit is brought, you agree to pay attorneys' fees as set by
the Court, which fees will be added to the balance then due,
as well as all other costs of collection. |
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BONA FIDE CLAIM: You have told us all of the facts as you understand them
that pertain to this claim. You agree not to settle or
compromise this claim without our participation and
agreement. |
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WE APPRECIATE YOUR
UNDERSTANDING:
In these days of rising costs, a law firm, like other
organizations, must pursue proper business procedures in
order to meet its obligations and to maintain its
professional reputation. We know you understand and thank
you for your cooperation. |
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