Memphis Divorce details Tennessee divorce law and many different family law issues. Memphis, Tennessee divorce attorney and family lawyer Miles Mason, Sr. provides specific reference information, including answers to many frequently asked questions. Copyright, Crone & Mason, plc, 2003. Please see WARNING and DISCLAIMER.

For the latest information on contacting Miles Mason, please refer to this page.

Consultation and Fees

Perhaps the most valuable service we offer is the initial consultation. There is a $200.00 flat charge paid in advance for the initial, one-hour consultation with one of our lawyers. During the consultation we attempt not only to answer the questions you may have, but also to give you answers to questions which will arise for you in the future. Some questions cannot be answered during a consultation because they may involve further factual discovery or legal research, but we will make every effort to answer every question you may have to the best of our ability. In the event you retain our firm, the initial consultation also provides an opportunity for you to meet the staff who, together with the lawyer, will assist you throughout your case.

Because there is a flat fee for the initial consultation, you need not worry that “the clock is ticking” in case the consultation lasts a bit more than an hour. If the consultation lasts substantially longer than an hour, you will be charged that lawyer’s hourly rate. At any time during the initial consultation or at its end, you may choose to retain our firm.

Feel free to inquire at any time before, during, or after the consultation about the consultation fees and/or the possible costs of any future representation. We want you to feel comfortable with the arrangements so that you can get the most out of your visit with us. No two cases are alike, and accordingly, no two fees will be the same. Since the amount of time involved can never be predicted with scientific precision, we will do our best, after an initial consultation, to approximate how long the case could take and how much it might ultimately cost. Of course, there may be variables which cannot be anticipated, but we will give an honest effort to try to help you determine and anticipate the costs involved.

A “telephone consultation” is just like a regular consultation, except for the fact that it occurs over the telephone. We only offer telephone consultations to people who live outside the Memphis, Tennessee, area. The same $200.00 consultation fee applies and must be paid in advance.

An “initial client conference” is similar to a consultation but differs in that the potential client, even though visiting us for the first time, has already decided beforehand that he or she wants to retain our firm as counsel. If you are visiting us for an initial client conference, be assured that we appreciate the fact that you have chosen us to represent you and that you have placed your trust in our abilities. Please understand, however, that, even though you have chosen us, we reserve the unconditional right not to represent you. There are many reasons why we might decide not to represent you, but if we make such a decision, it should never be taken personally.
Finally, we bill for our time and advice on all consultations and initial client conferences. Depending on the circumstances, we may require payment in advance, via a certified check.

Retainer ranges and hourly rates.

Before we begin representation, we require an initial retainer and a signed fee contract called the Agreement for Legal Services. After we receive a retainer, we then bill our time against that retainer, charging hourly rates which vary among our personnel. If and when the retainer is close to being depleted, we may require an additional retainer if it appears the case has become more time consuming than initially anticipated. Of course, where it is appropriate, we will seek to have the other party reimburse you for your attorney’s fees. These retainer ranges and hourly rates are effective as of January 2003, and we reserve the right to increase the retainer ranges and rates without notice or update to this web site in accordance with the Agreement for Legal Services. For pre-nuptial agreements, child support modification and enforcement, alimony modification and enforcement, adoptions, and all other family-law-related matters, retainer ranges vary. The following is a summary of retainer ranges and hourly rates for divorces:

Paralegals can perform many administrative aspects of divorces under the supervision of an attorney. Utilizing experienced and talented paralegals, such as Jill Lee, can substantially reduce costs in many cases. Jill has eighteen years of legal experience, and our clients find her help invaluable.

For more information or to schedule an initial consultation.

We look forward to the possibility of meeting with you. If you wish to arrange an initial consultation with one of our attorneys, please simply call us at 901.527.5522, and ask to speak to one of Miles Mason’s paralegals or legal assistants. After obtaining some basic information, we will assist you with any additional questions you may have regarding our services, our fees, and our charge for consultations. Then you can choose to schedule an appointment. We always encourage persons looking for an attorney to speak to more than one lawyer or firm. The most important concern is that you find the attorney that is right for you.

Contingency fees for child support and alimony collection.

As of March 2003, the Supreme Court of Tennessee has expressly authorized Tennessee attorneys to accept contingency fee engagements in certain circumstances for collection of child support and alimony arrearages. Our firm requires all out-of-pocket expenses be paid in advance. Examples of out-of-pocket expenses include filing fees and service of process costs. If the child support or alimony arrearage owed you is greater than $10,000.00, please call us for more information to see if a contingency fee arrangement is possible. Currently, we are only considering matters in Shelby, Tipton, and Fayette Counties.

Phone numbers.

Mailing address.

Office hours.

Why we cannot answer legal questions over e-mail.

We often receive e-mail from individuals seeking legal advice. Some ask simple questions. Some are desperate pleas for help. We cannot answer questions, give legal advice, or quote retainer ranges or fee rates over e-mail for several reasons. Also, we will not schedule consultations via e-mail.

First, we provide legal advice to clients only. Several things would need to happen before Crone & Mason, PLC could agree to accept a new client. When a person calls for the first time, the firm must do a conflict check to see whether accepting the new client would present a conflict with any existing clients of the firm. To do this, we would need to know your full name and address and the identity of any parties adverse to you. It would also be necessary for you to tell us, without revealing any confidential information, the general nature of your family law problem. If our conflict check does not reveal any known conflicts, then we would be able to proceed. We would describe our billing rates and policies to you. In general, we charge by the hour plus expenses and only rarely perform fixed-fee work except for certain small tasks that are predictable in scope. Thus, the cost to you for our services is determined by how long it takes us to do whatever you have asked us to do. Our hourly rates are adjusted from time to time and vary somewhat according to the complexity and scope of the matter.

Second, in order to answer questions accurately, we may need to ask you several questions or review documents, which cannot easily be done via e-mail.

Third, because there is no confidentiality with e-mail, some authorities have suggested that this would be a violation of ethical restrictions. Also, we have no way to know whether or not the person is who he or she claims or is already represented by another attorney.

WARNING.

     Transmission and receipt of materials, including e-mail, via this web site or directly to the firm's attorneys do not create an attorney-client relationship. Persons who have not retained our firm's services who elect to transmit e-mail to the firm or an attorney of the firm should have no expectation of any protected privilege, and Crone & Mason, PLC, reserves the right to disclose said transmissions to other persons. We do not, and cannot, guarantee the security of e-mail communications.

Crone & Mason, plc has other detailed information web sites. See Age Discrimination FAQ’s, Age Discrimination Warnings Signs, Employee Rights Summaries, and Overtime Law Protection.