“So once a carefully considered price is quoted I do not haggle (sort of like that national car dealership) and I do not barter (unless of course you make a delicious granola).”
Legal costs are a business risk that should be born by the client and the lawyer. In traditional legal practices all of the monetary risk is placed on the client. Typically the lawyer will request a deposit to begin the case and if the legal work exceeds the deposit the lawyer will send a bill to the client requesting more money. In most cases, if the client does not pay, the lawyer may ethically withdraw from the case.
This legal business model rewards inefficiency and can tempt unethical lawyers to behave badly. Not in the client’s best interest at all.
THE TRUE DIFFERENCE
After a careful review of your immigration goals and your eligibility, I will quote you a price that is fair to both you and me.
And please keep in mind that I am not attempting to price cut the immigration lawyer across town or across the country.
(I am not competing with unscrupulous immigration consultants, visa paper mills or notarios. Those outfits are engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. Often people who hire such individuals and services permanently lose opportunities to pursue immigration relief and benefits because the consultants, visa paper mill services and notarios have damaged their cases beyond repair.)
And I am certainly not competing wiith a good-intentioned friend, co-worker or that cousin who is a 2nd year law student at Stanford (though I am certain that she is extremely smart and talented).
So once a carefully considered price is quoted I do not haggle (sort of like that national car dealership) and I do not barter (unless of course you make a delicious granola).
I will stick to the quoted price from the start of the immigration goal that you seek to achieve until the immigration goal’s natural conclusion is reached, period.
Here’s the thing. If I get it totally wrong and the necessary legal work exceeds the quoted price, I will continue to diligently work on your case at my lost. Unfortunate for me but winning for you. The take away and benefit for me—better evaluation of my services and time in the future. Balance and fairness to both client and lawyer—what a concept!
