In our last two blogs, we discussed the importance of having a lawyer on-demand and outsourcing the collections department for construction companies. Having an experienced construction attorney that knows your business and is your partner in helping you protect and grow your business is essential to its success. After one decides that they do need an attorney, the next question is always “how much will this cost?”
Our normal response is, “I really won’t know until later. How many hours we will work depends on how much time the other side causes me to spend on the case.” That is a very scary concept. You have to trust your attorney and give them an open checkbook. This is the way it has been done for decades—but just as everything else has evolved, the way attorneys charge their clients must evolve, too.
Evolution of Attorney Fees
What does the evolution of the payment of attorney fees look like? Here at The Cromeens Law Firm, we have created a predictable, set monthly fee for the legal services your construction company needs. Let’s face it; having an attorney on call is needed to run a successful construction business. To solve this problem, we created a subscription program that is based on the type of legal needs your company primarily has.
We have varying levels of the subscription program, from filing liens to filing a lawsuit—but all of them have one thing in common, outsourcing your collections department. In our past 17 years as construction attorneys, we have learned that 90% of the time, a contractor needs an attorney is when it comes down to some dispute involving payment. Most of the construction industry is handled with a “handshake.” That works a lot of the time, but when it does not, and your business is in trouble because it is not getting paid for the work you completed, it is time for an attorney to step in and help.
No more surprise legal fees
There are no unexpected legal fees when it comes to pricing at The Cromeens Law Firm. We understand the importance of a bill you can depend on!
A Contractor’s Defense Plan
Contractors that fit well with a legal subscription program typically have some of the same pain points and needs. We often hear the following from them:
- I’m constantly stressed about how much is in my construction business’s bank account.
- I have an accounting or accounts receivable department, but I’m still not able to collect all of my open invoices and often write off more than 3% of my revenue.
- I’m using an online lien-filing service but need customer support and better results.
- I need help reviewing contracts and negotiating fair terms, I need to make sure I’m covering my a**!
- I have projects that are over a year old that I have not been able to collect on—projects where I have missed my lien deadlines.
Through our subscription program, our construction law firm can resolve all these issues for a flat monthly rate. Our subscription program levels range from $1,000.00 to $5,500.00 per month—an incredible bargain for unlimited legal support. It is virtually impossible to hire in-house counsel for $66,000.00 per year; even if you do have in-house counsel, they cannot provide all the services we are offering at this rate. For many of our subscription clients, we have taken their write-offs each year from over 3% to less than 1%, some even less than 0.01%!
How much money would it add to your bottom line if you were collecting 99.99% of all of your work?
You’ve Got Options!
Before selecting your next construction attorney, remember you have options. You do not have to be an open checkbook and pay for every call and email to your attorney; there are alternatives! We understand the way a traditional general retainer works: with unpredictable billable hours, it can be hard to manage. You need something that you can budget for, a predictable bill.
Because these subscription plans offer such immense value, our subscription clients are accepted by application only. We need to know a little bit about your business and how it operates before deciding if this is a fit. To learn more about our subscription plans, and to apply today, click here.
This article is intended as a general educational overview of the subject matter and is not intended to be a comprehensive survey of recent jurisprudence, nor a substitute for legal advice for a specific legal matter. If you have a legal issue, consult an attorney.