Legal Question in Family Law in California
Reasonable Fee for Transmutation Agreement
What is a reasonable attorney fee for
filing a rather simple transmutation
agreement? Do most attorneys
charge a flat fee, or an hourly rate +
retainer?
We are newlyweds (4 months), and
one attorney quoted me $395/hr +
$3,950 retainer. Seems quite high to
me, so I haven't signed the
engagement letter.
4 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Reasonable Fee for Transmutation Agreement
The cost will be dependent on the work involved. You should shop around if you are not happy with the cost you have been quoted.
Re: Reasonable Fee for Transmutation Agreement
The attorney is asking for 10 hours up front which is reasonable. Because his hourly is $ 395.00 is on the high end. My hourly is only
$ 260.00, therefore I would as for
$ 2.6K. 20 years exp. Contact me directly.
Re: Reasonable Fee for Transmutation Agreement
$395 per hour is pricey, but if he has a very good reputation, it might be worth it. The thing is, getting a good transmutation agreement drafted now helps to avoid litigation in the future. I would also ask if the attorney drafting the agreement is experienced in litigation. It is my opinion that only an attorney experienced in litigation can fully know what should go into the transmutation agreement to avoid that very litigation in the future.
Re: Reasonable Fee for Transmutation Agreement
You should shop around, to see what are the various types of fees attorneys charge. Many times, things that seem 'simple' are only the tip of the ice berg. So the transmutation agreement is probably not 'simple' but I wouldn't go as high as 4,000. It would probably require two attorneys if you really want it to stand up to a challenge.