A common question that we hear from clients is, “How much is this going to cost me?”

This is a fair question. No one agrees to make major purchases without having at least some idea of the cost. Unfortunately, the honest (and often times unsatisfying) answer is that “it depends.”

It depends upon the attitude of opposing counsel. It depends upon the necessity of hiring expert witnesses. It depends upon your objectives, and in some cases, it even depends upon the demeanor of the judge.  In other words, your cost is largely dependent upon factors outside of our control.  What we can control, however, is the cost of our initial consultations.  Our initial consultation fee is $50.

Generally, we charge by the hour and require an upfront retainer payment. We bill by the tenth (0.1) of the hour, so you will not be billed for a full hour of our time if we only spend a few minutes working on your case that day. Please keep in mind, however, that as attorneys we sell our time and our advice.  As a result, your bill will depend upon how much time we spend working on your case. Obviously, the more contested your case is the more expensive it will be.

The hourly rate for attorneys at Gadtke & Beyer is $175 per hour. Our standard retainer amount is $2,500. The retainer amount may vary depending on the complexity of your case and the issues involved. The retainer payment is a credit towards any future billings. It is not a guaranteed cap on your bill. If your retainer becomes depleted, we may ask that you replenish it in order to avoid any potential disruption to your service.

• Where Does My Money Go?
• How Can I Keep My Costs Down?