FEES
Know the fee before I write a word.
A standing relationship for firms with steady litigation volume, or a single matter to see the work first. Every engagement starts with a binding flat fee in writing, and nothing moves beyond the approved scope without your sign-off.
RATES
Standard
$170
/hr
Priority (24–48 hours)
$255
/hr
Deposit
50%
upfront
Every matter is quoted as a binding flat fee from these rates. Standard turnaround: 6–10 business days. Retainer clients get priority turnaround at their retainer rate.
ENGAGEMENTS
FOR UNEVEN DOCKETS
Practice Credit
$6,000–$10,000 / month
Credit applies to any matter at a locked $160/hr. Unused credit rolls over month to month under your engagement agreement.
TO SEE THE WORK FIRST
Single Matter
From $510
One filing, one fixed fee. No retainer and no long-term commitment. Your first engagement is protected by our 50/50 payment model.
TYPICAL MATTERS
What a single matter costs.
Ranges reflect typical scope. Your fee depends on the record, the number of issues, and the deadline, and is fixed in writing before work begins.
Research
Answers you can build strategy on.
Legal memorandum
Statutory analysis, case law synthesis, and a candid read on weak points.
$1,190–$1,700
ABOUT 7–10 HOURS
Pre-filing risk assessment
Exposure, viability, and settlement risk before you commit to a position.
$510–$850
ABOUT 3–5 HOURS
Motions
Briefing on either side of the motion.
Motion or opposition
Rule 12(b)(6) motions, motions to strike, and substantive discovery disputes.
$1,700–$3,400
ABOUT 10–20 HOURS
Reply in support
Answers the opposition point by point within the court’s page limits.
$1,360–$2,550
ABOUT 8–15 HOURS
Summary Judgment
Built on the record, with a pinpoint cite for every fact.
Moving or opposition brief
Rule 56 briefing with a statement of undisputed material facts.
$3,400–$5,100
ABOUT 20–30 HOURS
Reply brief
Takes on the opposition’s strongest points directly.
$2,210–$3,400
ABOUT 13–20 HOURS
Appeals
From preservation through the reply.
Opening or answer brief
Standard of review worked out issue by issue, with record compilation.
$3,400–$8,500
ABOUT 20–50 HOURS
Reply brief
Answers the appellee’s points on the shorter reply deadline.
$2,550–$5,100
ABOUT 15–30 HOURS
Complex Pleadings
Drafted from scratch, not from a template.
Custom complaint
Multi-party or high-stakes complaints with independent research and tailored theories.
$1,190–$3,400
ABOUT 7–20 HOURS
Emergency Filings
When the deadline is days, not weeks.
TROs, preliminary injunctions, orders to show cause
24–48 hour turnaround, subject to capacity.
HOURS QUOTED WITH YOUR SCOPE
INCLUDED
Written scope and binding fee
Deliverables, procedural rules, and a flat fee, agreed before any work starts.
Verified authority
Every case Shepardized for subsequent treatment. Every citation checked against primary authority by me.
Your house style
Formatted to your firm’s stylesheet, caption specifications, and local court rules, ready for partner review.
White-label by default
Work goes out under your firm’s name. I never contact your client.
HOW PAYMENT WORKS
01
Call or email me
Tell me the matter, the court, and the deadline. No privileged material yet.
02
Scope and fee
Conflicts cleared and a written proposal within one business day.
03
Half to start
Approve the proposal, pay 50%, and drafting begins.
04
Half on delivery
Review-ready draft delivered. The balance is due on delivery, with revisions within scope included.
FEE QUESTIONS
What are the payment terms for a first engagement?
+
What if the scope changes mid-matter?
+
Retainer or Practice Credit: which fits my firm?
+
Are there research or software fees?
+
Can we bill this work to our client?
+
WHAT’S INCLUDED
The fee you approve is the fee you pay.
As a trial attorney in New York City, on a high-volume docket of contested cases, I learned that a judge has no patience for padding, and neither does a managing partner reviewing an invoice.
So I price the way I write: everything stated up front, nothing buried. You get a binding flat fee before I begin, and it does not move without your written approval.
— Jack Baden, Esq.
Under ABA Formal Opinion 08-451, firms may bill clients for contract attorney work, including a reasonable surcharge, when the total fee is reasonable.
ABA FORMAL OPINION 08-451
01
A binding fee, not an estimate
Your fee is fixed in writing before work begins. It changes only if you approve a change in scope.
02
No research platform charges
Westlaw and Lexis access is on me. You will never see a line item for research tools.
03
No meter on calls or emails
Talking through the matter is part of the work, not a billable event.
04
Revisions included
Adjustments within the agreed scope are part of the engagement, not a new invoice.
05
Your judge, your house style
Individual practice rules, local formatting, and your firm’s stylesheet are built in at no extra cost.
06
No handoffs
I read the record and write every page myself. Nothing goes to a junior attorney or a subcontractor.
07
A protected first engagement
Half to start, half on delivery. No retainer and no minimum commitment for single matters.
QUESTIONS
What hiring partners ask before the first matter.
Still deciding? Fifteen minutes with me will answer it faster than a page can.
Why hire you instead of keeping the briefing in-house?
+
How does your courtroom experience show up in the writing?
+
How much does a matter cost?
+
Do you work with firms outside New York?
+
How do you check for conflicts?
+
How is client information kept confidential?
+
How is this different from using AI drafting tools?
+
Can we bill this work to our client?
+
What if we have ongoing briefing needs?
+
Do you work with pro se litigants?
+
Have a brief due in the next 30 days?
Tell me what you need, the court, and the deadline. You’ll have a written scope and a binding flat fee within one business day.
legal@omegacounsel.com · +1 201 279 5269 · New York, NY