Billing Transparency: See Divorce Lawyer Costs
Rates & Retainers
Compare Family Law & Divorce Attorney Costs:
We make you a partner in the process by disclosing business aspects such as our retainer ranges, billing practices, and rates online. We challenge our competitors to do the same, but we know they won’t. What you will find is that they rarely speak about retainers or billing practices until you set foot in the door. We strive for transparency and are blazing our own path as we aim to change the industry in favor of the people we serve. With this in mind, this page will cover retainers, billing, rates and common questions.
- What are your retainers?
- What are your hourly rates and expenses fees?
- Billing Practices
- How is billable time measured?
- What are the 3rd party fees or expenses?
- How often do you run invoices?
- What happens if I don’t agree with a billable item?
- Other Family Law & Divorce Attorney Cost Questions:
- How much does it cost
- Why are lawyers so expensive
- Your cost compared?
What are your retainers?
Our initial retainers vary, but in most cases, they are as follows:
Contested Cases (*1):
- If assigned to an associate attorney, the standard retainers start at $5,500.
- If assigned to a senior associate attorney, the standard retainers start at $7,000.
- If assigned to our founder, Mary E. Ramos, who is Board Certified in Family Law by the Board of Legal Specialization of Texas the standard retainers start at $9,500.
Uncontested Cases (*1):
- Assigned to Junior Associate Attorneys ONLY.
- Retainers start at $3,500.
(*1) If the initial retainer is paid with cash or check, the initial retainer will be reduced by $500 for all cases.
What are your hourly rates and expenses fees?
See our family law & divorce attorney cost table. The time expended by Ramos Law Group, PLLC, will be recorded and billed in two-tenths (.2) of an hour increment at the following hourly rates:
| Resource | Rate | Increment |
| *Mary E. Ramos | $525.00 | Per Hour |
| Associates (Rate Range) | $175.00 – $500.00 | Per Hour |
| Jason Kercheval | $395.00 | Per Hour |
| Julie R. Rosete | $395.00 | Per Hour |
| Carrie Marquis | $425.00 | Per Hour |
| Maria Lowry | $395.00 | Per Hour |
| Brody E. Smith | $275.00 | Per Hour |
| Of Counsel (Rate Range) | $275.00 – $450.00 | Per Hour |
| Jessica Mikell | $345.00 | Per Hour |
| Law Clerk (Rate Range) | $175.00 – $300.00 | Per Hour |
| Paralegal (Rate Range) | $130.00 – $300.00 | Per Hour |
| *Christina Garza | $257 | Per Hour |
| Albert Cooper | $210 | Per Hour |
| Alicia Ziman | $210 | Per Hour |
| Crystal Martinez | $210 | Per Hour |
| Kelsey Miller | $210 | Per Hour |
| Tina Favorito | $210 | Per Hour |
| Mary Gonzales | $184.00 | Per Hour |
| Legal Assistant | $80.00 – $150.00 | Per Hour |
| Legal Secretary or File Clerk | $50.00 – $120.00 | Per Hour |
*Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Billing Practices
What are the factors for setting fees?
To determine the divorce lawyer costs charged to Clients, the Firm will consider the following factors and guidelines approved by the Supreme Court of Texas and in the Texas Rules of Professional Conduct on what is a reasonable fee:
- The time and labor required, the novelty and difficulty of the questions involved, and the skill requisite to perform the legal service properly;
- The possible preclusion of other employment by the Firm;
- The fee customarily charged in the locality for similar legal services;
- The amount involved and the results obtained;
- The time limitations imposed by Client or by the circumstances;
- The nature and length of the professional relationship between the Firm and the Client;
- The experience, reputation, and ability of the lawyer or lawyers performing the services;
- Special circumstances of the case;
- Whether the fee is fixed or contingent on results obtained or uncertainty of collection before the legal services have been rendered; and
- Attorney fees awarded in similar cases.
What types of items are billable?
The Client will be billed for any divorce attorney costs for activities used to move their case forward. These include but not limited to the following:
- Legal research
- Drafting of pleadings
- Conferences
- Emails to and from any party
- Telephone conversations to and from any party
- Preparation of discoverable documents
- Investigation of facts
- Preparation for and appearances in court
- Correspondence
- Preparation for and appearances at mediation
- Other tasks deemed necessary to adequately handle the matter in controversy
How is billable time measured?
The attorney’s time involved in out-of-office representation will be measured from the time the attorney leaves the office until the attorney arrives back at the office. All Court appearances will be billed at a minimum of two (2) hours even though the time spent may be less than two (2) hours. Any Court time over the (2) hours will be billed in units of two-tenths (.2) of an hour. All other time will be billed in minimum units of two-tenths (.2) of an hour even though the time spent may be less than two-tenths (.2) of an hour.
What are the 3rd party fees or expenses?
Court costs, mediation costs, deposition costs, duplication costs, filing fees, travel expenses, long-distance telephone expenses, accountant’s fees, appraiser’s fees, consultant’s fees, facsimile costs, postage and other professional divorce attorney costs incurred on Client’s behalf (including specialized or local legal counsel), and other disbursements will be paid directly by Client or, when advanced by Firm, will be borne by and paid for by Client as provided above.
How often do you run invoices?
The Firm will provide Clients semi-monthly statements setting forth, in summary, the detail of work done, and the time and expenses incurred. Supporting documents including invoices and time records are available for inspection by Client during normal business hours.
What happens if I don’t agree with a billable item?
If a Client has a disagreement or question about any charge Client they receive on any invoice from the Firm, the Client agrees to immediately bring it to the attention of the Firm. Failure to raise a complaint or question by the 10th day following Client’s receipt of the statement shall conclusively be deemed an acceptance of the correctness of the billing.
Other Family Law & Divorce Attorney Cost Questions:
How much does an agreed divorce with or without children and property cost?
At the Ramos Law Group, we no longer provide flat fee services as it reduces the quality of service we can provide to all clients. However, our uncontested agreed cases can be completed with under the initial retainer of $4,000. That said, if the case requires more support or becomes contested, the cost will increase significantly. This option is reserved for those who have a solid agreement and those who believe that their spouse will sign all the required documentation without the need for changes.
How much does it cost for representation in contested divorce, child custody or other types of family law cases?
The cost of representation for a contested case can vary significantly. While we are not able to provide an estimate, we usually leave it up to the client to gauge the level of expense. If you know your spouse has a tendency to argue every point or children and/or property is an issue, then expect divorce lawyer costs to increase. Our firm will always give you a recommendation in your best interest even if that means we earn much less. Our goal is not to earn the most money with divorce attorney costs, but instead to create a life-long relationship with our clients and this can only happen if you trust us and feel we exceeded your expectations.
Why are the costs of divorce and divorce lawyers so expensive?
We are in the business of helping our clients find peace and happiness and what we’ve found is that a divorce is as expensive as the parties allow it to get. There are some cases where the estate is sizable and as long as both parties stay cordial the cost of the divorce is minimal. On the other hand, there are some cases with limited assets where we feel we can finalize under a few thousand that grows to tens of thousands. Essentially, both parties are in full control of cost, if every issue has to be litigated in court, then HECK YES, the cost WILL INCREASE. If as a client, you choose not to participate or provide the required information the cost will increase as we will be required to follow up with you and do everything possible to prepare the case for the best possible outcome.
As you narrow your selection on who to hire, decide what you really want out of the divorce. Our goal is not to take a sizable chunk in attorneys fees, but instead to achieve the best possible results while helping you find peace and happiness.
How does the cost of your firm compare to others of the same caliber?
We are NOT cheap, but our divorce attorney costs are in the middle of the road when compared to other firms of similar size. That said, we are the only firm that will give you 10% back of our service fees to apply to a future case with our firm plus many extras. Contact us to schedule your consultation, or click below to learn more about discounted rates.
Why don’t all firms post cost information online?
Most firms want to get you in the door to increase the likelihood of closing the deal. They won’t provide retainer information or any idea of what an average case cost. WE ARE DIFFERENT, we don’t hide the ball, we want you to be an informed consumer who has all the information required to make the right call.