PRACTICE AREA · LEGAL RESEARCH
Research & Memoranda
Know where your case is weak before the other side does.
I write objective research memos, pre-filing risk assessments, and multi-state surveys for law firms. You get a straight answer on the law before you commit to a position, so you know what to file, what to leave out, and how to explain the risk to your client. I don’t write memos that tell you what you want to hear. I tell you what the law says, where it cuts against you, and where it’s still unsettled.
From $510
Flat fees, agreed before work begins
Standard turnaround
48 hours
Priority turnaround, subject to availability
States researched
WHAT CHANGES
When you need the answer before you file.
You find out whether a claim holds up before you spend the client’s money filing it.
You go into settlement talks knowing your real exposure, not just your best case.
Your associate doesn’t spend three days on a question outside the firm’s usual practice. And when opposing counsel raises the case you were worried about, you’ve already worked out what it means.
WHAT I DRAFT
Research I write, and what each costs.
From a single question to a fifty-state survey, with the typical fee and hours for each.
Legal research memorandum
A formal objective memo on a novel theory, a statutory question, or an affirmative defense: question presented, brief answer, facts, and full discussion, including 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, including standing, jurisdiction, and likely defenses. I flag where the answer depends on facts you don’t have yet.
$510–$850
ABOUT 3–5 HOURS
Multi-state surveys and choice of law
Comparisons across the states or circuits you choose, splits in authority, and choice-of-law analysis, laid out so you can see the differences at a glance.
Quoted on scope
—
Statutory and regulatory analysis
Statutes, administrative codes, legislative history, and agency guidance, worked down to what actually applies to your situation. I separate binding requirements from guidance.
Quoted on scope
—
Opposing argument review
I test the other side’s legal theory before you respond: where it’s strong, where it’s thin, and what authority they missed.
Quoted on scope
—
HOW I WORK
Three things I won’t shortcut.
01
Controlling before persuasive
I separate the law that binds your court from the law that may help, and tell you which is which.
02
The case against you
I look for adverse authority, statutory ambiguity, and the counterargument. A memo that skips them is just optimism.
03
The answer up front
Every memo opens with a direct answer, including when the law is unsettled or the answer depends on facts you don’t have yet.
SENDING ME A QUESTION
What I need from you, and what you get back.
What you send me
Start with a short, non-privileged description of the issue, jurisdiction, and deadline. After conflicts are cleared:
the question, as specifically as you can frame it
the key facts and any documents that matter
the jurisdiction and forum, if there is one
what you’ll use the answer for (strategy, a filing, or the client)
your deadline
What you get back
A direct answer up front, with any uncertainty explained
controlling and persuasive authority, clearly separated
weak points, adverse cases, and counterarguments addressed
every cited authority read and checked for subsequent treatment as of the research date
an internal memo, a client-facing summary for your review, or both
Standard turnaround is 6–10 business days from scope confirmation and receipt of materials. Priority turnaround of 48 hours is available at $255 an hour, subject to availability.
PRICING
Know the fee before I write a word.
I bill $170 an hour and quote every research project as a binding flat fee before I start. Estimated hours describe the work involved, not turnaround time. If the scope changes, you approve it in writing before I do more.
Standard
$170/hr
Priority (24–48 hours)
$255/hr
Deposit
50% upfront
Standard turnaround
6–10 business days
Legal research memorandum
$1,190–$1,700
Pre-filing risk assessment
$510–$850
Multi-state surveys and choice of law
Quoted on scope
Statutory and regulatory analysis
Quoted on scope
Opposing argument review
Quoted on scope
No charges for research platforms, calls, or emails. Revisions within scope included. Under ABA Formal Opinion 08-451, you may bill this work to your client, including a reasonable surcharge, if the total fee is reasonable.
WHY ME
I check every fact against the record and read every case I cite myself. That’s the part no one sees, and the part I never skip.
QUESTIONS
Legal research questions.
What is a legal research memorandum?
A legal research memorandum is an objective written analysis of a legal question, prepared so an attorney can decide what to do before committing to a position. At Omega Counsel, every memo I write includes a question presented, a short answer, the relevant facts, and a full discussion of the law applied to your situation, ending with a practical conclusion about the risk. It’s the document that tells you whether to file, not the one you file.
What format should a legal research memo follow?
How much does a legal research memo cost?
Can I hire an attorney just for legal research?
What’s the difference between a contract attorney and a legal staffing agency?
Will you tell us if the answer is bad for our client?
How do you make sure the citations are real and still good law?
Can you handle multi-state surveys or choice-of-law questions?
Can the memo go to our client?
Can we bill the research to our client?
How fast can you turn around a research question?
Have a question you need answered before you file?
Tell me the issue, the jurisdiction, and the deadline. No privileged materials yet. You’ll have a written scope and a binding flat fee within one business day.