How Billing Works At Pacific Northwest Family Law

Clarity About Money Is Part of Doing This Work Well

At Pacific Northwest Family Law, clear communication about money is part of competent, ethical legal representation.

Family law, estate planning, and probate decisions shape children’s lives, financial stability, and long-term family relationships. Clients deserve to understand not only the legal strategy, but how legal work is funded, billed, and sustained over time.

This page explains how billing works at our firm, what to expect as your matter progresses, and how we work with clients to keep costs intentional, transparent, and aligned with real legal needs.

➡ For more information about who we are visit our page About Pacific Northwest Family Law

➡ If you are looking for a way to pay an invoice or make a trust deposit, you find find that on our Payments page

Legal Work Is Billed Based on Time, Expertise, and Judgment

All attorneys at Pacific Northwest Family Law are qualified professionals. The work performed by any attorney on your case moves it forward and is done with care, preparation, and accountability. Attorneys at our firm have different billing rates. These differences reflect the level of experience an attorney has. 

Attorneys earlier in their careers take more time to research issues, analyze unfamiliar fact patterns, or confirm strategic choices. That additional time is appropriate, careful, and professional.

More experienced attorneys typically complete the same work more quickly because they have encountered similar issues before, recognize patterns earlier, and can draw on past outcomes when making strategic decisions. Their higher billing rate reflects that efficiency and judgment gained through experience.

In many matters, the overall cost of work may be comparable regardless of which attorney performs it. The difference often lies in the pace of the work, the level of strategic compression, and how quickly decisions can be identified and implemented.

Importantly, attorneys at this firm do not work in isolation. Attorneys meet regularly to discuss cases, strategies, and evolving legal issues so that every client benefits from the firm’s collective experience, regardless of which attorney is primarily responsible for their matter.

Regardless of billing rate, your attorney’s commitment to excellence and professionalism remains the same.

There Are Different Methods to Account for Time and Effort

Attorneys have several different methods they use to account for their services when assisting clients. All of these methods are a way to convert time and effort into a cost figure. The main ways attorneys invoice are 1. Hourly, 2. Fixed or Flat, and 3. Contingency.

Hourly Billing and Advanced Fee Deposits

When we bill by the hour, we require an advanced fee deposit at the beginning of the representation. This deposit is placed into a special trust account called an Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA).

An advanced fee deposit is:

• Your money
• Held in trust
• Applied only to work actually performed on your case

Funds remain client property until they are earned by legal work. As work is completed and invoiced, the corresponding amount is transferred from trust to the firm.

The starting advanced fee deposits are typically sized to fund the initial phase of representation, often the first several weeks of work. As a case progresses, additional deposits are usually required. We also expect clients to maintain a minimum balance in trust for any unexpected work, so that we can act without hesitation.

At Pacific Northwest Family Law, we avoid working without funds in trust. This policy protects clients from accumulating unpaid legal debt and prevents the kind of surprise billing that occurs when firms continue working without clear funding or communication.

Any unused funds remaining in trust at the conclusion of representation are returned to the client, generally using the same payment method by which they were received.

Flat or Fixed Fees for Defined Work

Because many legal matters evolve unpredictably, flat or fixed fees are used only when the scope of work can be responsibly defined in advance.

Flat or fixed fees are:

• Tied to a clearly defined scope of work
• Agreed upon in advance
• Designed to provide predictability when the work is reasonably foreseeable

These fees apply to tasks, not outcomes. If circumstances change or additional work is required beyond the agreed scope, further fees may be necessary.

Unlike hourly advanced fee deposits, flat or fixed fees are generally earned upon receipt, subject to refund if the agreed work is not completed as required by law and the engagement agreement.

Contingency Fee Matters

Another form of billing is contingency-based work, where an attorney’s fee is a percentage of a recovery or settlement, plus costs.

This structure is common in certain types of cases, such as personal injury or employment matters, where a monetary recovery is the primary objective.

Contingency fees are not permitted in family law matters and are not used for estate planning or probate administration. In limited circumstances outside family law, contingency arrangements may be considered when lawful and appropriate.

Strategic Case Plans: How Costs Are Planned and Communicated

Legal matters do not unfold all at once. Rather than guessing at a total cost upfront, we use Strategic Case Plans to guide work and spending.

A Strategic Case Plan typically outlines:

• What work is anticipated over the next four to six weeks
• Key decisions, deadlines, or milestones
• Estimated time and cost for that phase

These plans are updated as cases evolve. They may be delivered as a written plan, a spreadsheet, or a detailed email, depending on the matter and the client’s needs.

Clients should expect:

• A clear explanation of how funds are being used
• Regular updates on progress
• Direct communication if estimates were accurate, conservative, or exceeded

If you do not agree with a proposed plan, that is the moment to talk with your attorney about alternatives. Strategic planning exists so clients can make informed choices—not to lock anyone into a path they do not understand or accept.

Costs, Court Fees, and Third-Party Expenses

In addition to legal fees, most matters involve costs that are paid to third parties. These are not attorney fees and are not controlled by the firm.

Common costs may include court filing fees, service of process, deposition costs, mediation fees, expert witnesses, evaluators, court reporters, and other professionals whose involvement may be necessary depending on the issues in your case.

When possible, we discuss anticipated costs in advance so you understand what expenses may arise and why. Some costs are paid directly by the client to the third party. Others may be advanced by the firm and reflected on your invoice. These amounts are passed through at cost and are not marked up.

Litigation is not just legal work—it often requires coordination with courts, professionals, and neutral decision-makers. Understanding these potential expenses is part of responsible planning, and clients should expect their attorney to explain when and why outside costs may be necessary.

Invoices: What You Should Expect to See

Clients should expect their invoices to tell the story of what was done and why it mattered. We send invoices on a regular, predictable schedule, typically every two weeks. Invoices contain detailed descriptions of the work performed. A proper invoice does not say “phone call” or “services rendered.” It identifies, for example:

• Who a call was with
• The subject matter discussed
• Why the work mattered to the case

Invoices may be reviewed by courts or opposing parties in some circumstances. For that reason, they are detailed but professional and do not include confidential strategy that does not belong in a billing record.

Clients are expected to pay for 100% of the time attorneys, legal assistants, and staff spend working on their matter. This includes calls, emails, research, drafting, preparation, and case management. That work is what moves cases forward and prevents larger problems later.

How Clients Can Help Control Costs

Legal fees are influenced not only by the law, but by how information flows.

Clients can help manage costs by:

• Communicating promptly and clearly
• Providing complete information early rather than piecemeal
• Being responsive to requests for documents or decisions
• Keeping scheduled appointments and deadlines

Holding back information, delaying responses, or requiring repeated follow-up increases the amount of work required and, therefore, the cost.

Outcomes are never guaranteed. However, honest communication and full disclosure allow attorneys to focus on strategy rather than reconstruction, which is almost always more efficient.

Talking About Money Is Expected

Questions about cost are normal and appropriate.

We expect clients to:

• Ask questions early
• Raise concerns before frustration builds
• Engage in candid discussions about priorities and tradeoffs

Your attorney will speak directly about cost drivers, strategy choices, and financial implications. That transparency allows you to remain in control of your case.

Additional Cost Guides by Practice Area

You may find these resources helpful for understanding how time, cost, and strategy typically unfold in specific matters:

➡ Divorce Costs and Process

➡ Child Support Costs and Timelines

➡ Committed Intimate Relationship Costs

➡ Estate Planning Costs and Timelines

Next Steps

If you are just beginning your work with the firm, this guide is designed to give you a clear understanding of how billing fits into professional representation.

If our approach aligns with what you are looking for, the next step is a New Client Interview, which is designed to assess fit, process, and next steps. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Reviewed by Attorney Zachary C Ashby, Pacific Northwest Family Law, December 2025