A consultation is a first date, not a wedding
It is a conversation to find out whether we are the right firm for your situation, and whether you are comfortable with us. Both halves of that matter. You are about to hand someone the most private parts of your life and a meaningful amount of money, and we are deciding whether we can genuinely help you. Neither of those questions gets answered by paperwork.
It is free because that question should not cost you anything to ask.
What we cover
- What is actually going on — your situation in your own words, and the parts of it that are going to matter legally, which are often not the parts that feel biggest.
- What the realistic paths look like from here, and roughly how each one tends to go.
- How a case like yours typically moves through the courts in Rockwall County or Collin County, including the local practices that are not the same everywhere.
- How fees work, what drives them up, and the range a case like yours tends to fall in.
- What to expect procedurally as this lawsuit (yes, it will be a lawsuit) works its way through the court system.
- Whether we are the right firm for you and your situation. Occasionally we are not, and we will say so.
What a consultation is not
Being direct about this is not us being stingy. It is the difference between a conversation that helps you and one that misleads you.
It is not a full review of your case
We cannot read a file, a decree, a set of financials or a stack of exchanges and give you a considered opinion in a short free meeting. Doing that properly takes real hours, and an opinion given without those hours is worth less than no opinion at all.
Sitting alone with you, we learn your perspective, which is critically important. But it is not the full, complete picture, and it lacks the context needed to support a well-founded legal opinion. An hour-long conversation is useful but clearly has its limits.
It is not legal advice for representing yourself
If you are handling your own case, a consultation will not substitute for a lawyer representing you throughout a lawsuit. We are not able to review or draft your documents, tell you what to file or how to respond, or coach you through a hearing during such a meeting. That is representation, and representation is more involved work for which we will understandably expect to be paid. Again, the consultation is really just a short meeting — even if as much as two hours long — to determine whether we are a mutual fit and whether we should represent you.
It is not a prediction
Nobody can tell you at a first meeting what your case will cost or how it will come out, and you should be wary of anyone who does. What we can give you is a range, an explanation of what moves you within that range, and an honest read on which parts of the process are in your control.
It is not a sales pitch
We are not going to spend an hour telling you what you want to hear so that you sign something. If your expectations are unrealistic, you will hear that from us in the first meeting rather than eight months and a great deal of money later.
How fees actually work
We will talk about money in the first meeting, plainly, because it is one of the two things everyone is actually worried about.
Family law is billed hourly against a deposit, not at a flat price, because neither we nor anyone else can know at the outset how the other side will respond or what issues may arise in the future. What we can tell you is the range a case with your facts tends to land in, what leads to higher legal fees and conflict, and which of those things you can influence. Our article on when a case genuinely needs temporary orders and formal discovery covers two factors that drive much of the cost. We also explain what a retainer actually is, and why it is not your total fee — the single most misunderstood part of legal billing.
At Eaker Law Firm, PC, different work is done by different people at different rates. Not every task needs the most expensive person in the building, and we do not staff it that way. This distinction separates us from the sole practitioners with limited professionals and resources working on your case.
How to get the most out of the hour
- Bring your existing order or decree if there is one. It is the single most useful document in the room.
- Bring a rough picture of the finances — what you own, what you owe, what each of you earns. Rough is fine. Precise is better.
- Bring your questions written down. People forget them, every time.
- Be straight with us, including about the parts that do not flatter you. We have heard it, we are not shocked, and the thing you leave out is usually the thing that matters.
What happens afterward
You will leave knowing what your options are, roughly what they cost, and what we would recommend. If you want to think about it, think about it. If you want to talk to another firm, do — and we would rather you hire the right lawyer than simply the first one you met.
If we move forward, we will send you a written agreement that states the scope and the deposit before any work begins.
Common questions about consultations
What does a free consultation include?
A conversation about your situation, the realistic paths from here, how a case like yours tends to move through the courts in Rockwall or Collin County, how fees work and the range your case is likely to fall in, and whether we are the right firm for you. It does not include a review of your documents, drafting, or advice on running your own case.
How long does a consultation take?
Usually about an hour, sometimes up to two. Long enough to understand your situation and give you a straight read on it, not long enough to substitute for a lawyer working the case.
Is what I tell you confidential if I do not hire you?
Yes. The consultation is confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege even if you do not choose to proceed with representation. One exception: if we learn that a child is at risk of continued abuse, we are required to report that to CPS.
Am I obligated to hire you afterward?
No. You will leave knowing your options and what we would recommend, and you are free to think about it or talk to another firm. We would rather you hire the right lawyer than simply the first one you met.
Can you review my divorce decree or paperwork during the free consultation?
No. Reading a decree, a financial picture or a file properly takes real hours, and an opinion given without those hours is worth less than no opinion at all. That is representation, and representation is work we are paid for.
Do you offer payment plans?
No, and the reason is worth understanding. The deposit, often called a retainer, is not the fee for your case. It is an initial deposit you are required to maintain throughout the case as fees are billed against it. Once that is clear, so is the problem with paying a deposit in installments: the legal fees would grow faster than the deposit securing them, and you would be behind from the start. We would rather be open with you about what your situation is likely to cost, and make sure the resources are there, before you commit to a lawsuit you cannot afford to finish.
Can my spouse and I both come to the consultation?
No. We represent one party, never both, and talking to both of you would create a conflict that prevents us from representing either of you. The same works in reverse: if we have already had a meaningful consultation with your spouse about the same or a similar matter, we will likely be conflicted out of representing you. It is worth asking about early — give us both names when you call, before you spend time on anything else.
Will I meet with an attorney, or with staff?
With an attorney. Heather may take your first call to gather the basics so the meeting is not spent on paperwork, but the consultation itself is with a lawyer.
Do I have to have decided on divorce before I come in?
No. A fair number of people come in while they are still deciding, and some of them leave having decided not to file. Knowing what the process would actually look like is useful information either way.
Do you offer consultations by phone or video?
Yes. In person at the Rockwall or Allen office, or by phone or video if that is easier.
Schedule Your Consultation
Consultations are free, in person at either office or by video. Contact us or call (972) 772-8005.