You've found the perfect lawyer! She doesn't actually have an office, so you meet at Starbucks. In the trunk of her Prius she has a Vari-Desk for her laptop to type your pleadings. Then a quick trip to Kinkos to print out your divorce petition. But hey, she's only charging you $150.0/hour and a $1000.00 retainer. So far so good.

• Initial consultation: 1 hour
• Preparation of pleadings: 1 hour
• First week calls and email exchanges: 1 hour
• Your case is set for a hearing at 9:00 AM and eventually gets reset at 3:30
• Reset: 6.5 hours
• More calls and emails: 1 hour
• Prep for mediation: 1 hour
• Attend mediation: 4 hours
• Mediation fails
• More calls and emails: 1 hour
• Prep for Temporary Orders: 2 hours
• Temporary Orders. Arrive at 9:00. Get heard from 1-5
• Total Temp Orders Time: 8 hours
• Discovery sent by other side requiring you and lawyer to respond and produce Total discovery response time: 10 hours Total 36 hours x $150= $5400.00 so far. Expect this number to at least double or triple if you go on to a final trial. From a lawyer with no office, no staff, no receptionist, and no resources. Oh, and if you can find a lawyer that charges $150.00/hour, let us know.