What Are The Costs Involved?

First meeting

At the first meeting, I explain all your legal rights and options. I cover all the matters that are important to you, which may include for example, asset division, trusts, child or spousal support costs, and child visitation. The first meeting is usually 1-1 1/2 hours long.When you book a meeting, I request that you complete a pre-consultation form. This covers information about your situation and what the issues are, and a summary of your relationship property. I review this prior to our meeting so that our time together can be spent focusing on the key issues.Pre-separation is the time when I most often see people for a one-off consultation, when they are looking to make some big decisions and want to be informed. I will outline the steps you should be taking now to protect you and your family in the future.We will discuss the options available to you for settling your case. I will also advise the relevant fee for each option and provide an estimate of the time to completion. Advice of the fee and the steps to settle your case, are normally provided to you in writing within 24 hours of our initial meeting.The cost for this consultation is $1,200 + GST, to be paid at the end of the meeting.

Once you have engaged my services, there are 3 different fee options

1. Fixed fee I offer a fixed fee, also known as a flat fee. This is where we agree a charge up front, for all the work I will do on your case. Fixed fees are best suited to the filing of court documents such as affidavits, settlement conferences or for court hearings when the case is for a set period of time. Most of our clients prefer a fixed fee basis, so they know that no additional fees will be incurred if their case takes longer than expected.2. Pay by the hour The alternative is to pay by the hour. Fees on this basis are: Jeremy Sutton $750 + GST per hour. Law clerks and barristers $150 – $400 + GST per hour. GST is normally only payable if you are based in NZ. This method is best for ongoing communications between the lawyers and the court, where there is uncertainty as to the next steps. For example, when court proceedings have not been issued.3. Combination of fixed fee and pay by the hour In some cases, I will suggest there is a combination of the two methods.

Retainer

Once you have engaged me, I will ask you to pay a retainer for my services. This retainer will normally be placed in the trust account of the instructing solicitor, and fees are deducted from that trust account as the matter proceeds. You will be billed in instalments on a regular basis, around every 2-4 weeks.

Additional costs

Some cases incur court costs, for example, the court will charge a fee for processing a divorce. These are costs are payable by clients and are not included in my fee. I will also explain these amounts to you in our first meeting.

Legal aid

I am not currently accepting any legal aid work.

Payment methods

I accept payment of fees by credit card, eftpos or cash at our office. You can also make a payment via internet banking. There is a 2% fee charged on credit card payments.

Keeping your fees at a lower level

The best way to keep costs low is to work with the separated partner to come to an agreement. The more amicable your relationship, the quicker and less expensive the process will be. You can do a lot of the preliminary work yourself. For example, if you are intending to apply for a Parenting Order, write out the history of your relationship and your proposals, including the contact you want your ex-partner to have with the children."The information posted on this website is prepared for a general audience, without investigation into the facts of any particular case. This information is no substitute for legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship; you are advised to consult with a lawyer on any legal issue."

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