Telephone: (239) 332-2900 E-Mail: kas@streflaw.com
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Frequent Questions:
What are your hours of operation? The Law Office of Kurt A. Streyffeler, P.A. is open from 9:00 a.m. to Noon
and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office is closed from noon to 1:00
p.m. for lunch. Special arrangements can be made for the delivery of
documents to the office over the lunch hour, upon advanced notice and agreement.
After hour and weekend appointments are available in limited situations. Initial consultations are offered at $150.00 for the 1st hour (which is 50%
off Mr. Streyffeler’s current hourly rate). After the 1st hour, the hourly
rate of $300.00 is prorated. We do not offer “free” consultations because we strongly subscribe to the
adage, “You get what you pay for”. The selection of an attorney is an
important decision, so we trust that regardless of whether you ultimately decide
to retain legal services you understand that valuable legal advice and time is
provided during the initial consultation. What is a typical fee retainer? Fee retainers for family and civil cases are established on a case by case
basis by the attorney, after the initial consultation. The retainers are
based primarily on the complexity of the case, the number of issues to be
resolved, and the level of hostilities between the parties. “Uncontested” Divorces are charged as a flat fee (plus costs), which is
established by the attorney on a case by case basis. Bankruptcy cases are charged as a flat fee (plus costs) dependent on the type
of bankruptcy case being filed (Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13). Do you accept installment payments on fee retainers? The decision to accept installment payments is made on a case by case basis
and is within the sole discretion of the attorney and/or the bankruptcy case
manager. In most every case, a substantial amount of the retainer and the
costs will need to be paid before legal services are performed. What is the difference between a fee retainer and a cost retainer? A fee retainer is collected to secure attorney fees that are charged for
attorney services. A cost retainer is a separate amount used exclusively
to pay costs: e.g. Filing fees, service of process fees, legal publication fees,
overnight mailing, etc. What happens when the fee retainer is depleted? You will receive periodic billing statements. After the total amount of
legal fees exceed the fee retainer you will either be responsible for paying
each subsequent billing statement in full (unless we agree to an installment
payment arrangement) or, we reserve the right to charge a new retainer amount. How can I help reduce the amount of attorney fees charged and develop
a good working relationship? There are several proven methods. If you call and have to leave a message, please leave a “detailed” message
with the legal assistants. Often, answers can be provided more quickly and
relayed through the staff, especially if the attorney is unavailable (e.g. in a
several day trial, in a court hearing, at a deposition, in mediation, attending
a seminar, or otherwise unable). Please “save up” your questions. Asking a set of questions is usually more
cost effective than asking each question separately. Please present your questions and any updates in writing. Do not,
however, expect legal advice to be provided through email or correspondence, as
this method is more time intensive for the attorney and costly for the client. If you encounter a situation where you have left several messages and the
attorney is still unavailable to take or return your call (which may happen on
rare occasions, since we pride ourselves in prompt communication and quick
return calls), please feel free to schedule a telephone conference if the issues
can be addressed briefly or request a meeting with the attorney if the issues
are more complex. The staff can help you determine which type of meeting
is best, after you provide them with the specifics. If you have an “emergency” always call the office immediately and be prepared
to succinctly provide all of the relevant details. |
 Kurt A. Streyffeler Attorney at Law  |
|KURT A. STREYFFELER, P.A. | A FLORIDA PROFESSIONAL
ASSOCIATION|
|Copyright © 2010 KURT A. STREYFFELER, P.A. All
Rights Reserved.|
|General
Inquiries to:
kas@streflaw.com
|
The hiring of a lawyer is an important
decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide,
check
Kurt A. Streyffeler’s
qualifications and experience in this site. The information you obtain at
this site is not, nor is it intended to be
legal advice and
should not be construed to be formal legal advice or
the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.
Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 528(a)(4) (2006) and 11 U.S.C. §
528(b)(2)(B) (2006):
"We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for
bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code."
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