Client's bill of rights

Choosing the right attorney can be a difficult decision. To help you make the best informed decision, we freely disclose your “Bill of Rights” as a client of our office. Few lawyers will do so, and fewer will put them in writing. Your rights include:

• A free, no obligation consultation. We can do this in our office or by telephone, at your option. The purpose of a consultation is for us to learn more about your legal needs, to evaluate whether we wish to handle the matter, to fully disclose our fees, and for you to determine whether you wish to retain us. Please understand that a free consultation is not a question and answer session of unlimited duration, but we will always seek your permission before commencing any services for a fee.


• To have an attorney answer and return your calls promptly. Scott Williams freely gives his cell phone number out to current or prospective clients so as to be available as possible. He will answer or return most calls in two business hours or less, and answer or return 98% of client calls within four business hours. When you call, you will never hear a secretary or paralegal say: “He’s busy, what can I help you with?” If you want to speak to your lawyer, Scott wants to speak to you.


• A clear explanation of legal fees and costs, including a written fee agreement when required or request. We fully disclose our flat fees, hourly rates, and typical costs at the outset of every consultation. While we cannot always guarantee how many hours a particular task or litigation case will take, we will provide you with a good faith estimate upon request (most other attorneys will not).


• To handle all matters competently by the same attorney throughout your relationship with us. This is the inherent problem with most medium or large firms…the client is always talking to a different attorney for different matters. Scott Williams gets to know you and your business from the start of the relationship, and will utilize that knowledge to assemble a comprehensive legal strategy for all matters.


• A detailed statement of legal services and costs. Our flat fees and hourly rates are lower than most attorneys in Southern California, and our billing practices are among the most client friendly anywhere. For more insight on this, click to read our free report: “5 Ways Even Good Lawyers Steal from Their Clients”.


• To receive frequent updates from us, and to make the ultimate decisions as the client. As your attorney, we will education you as best we can about the legal options available to your business, to make recommendations, and let you make the final decisions. Remember, we work for you.

And finally, a few responsibilities we ask our clients to live up to:

• To fully and truthfully communicate with us on any matter related to our representation. Everything said will be held in the strictest of confidence. Our ability to competently represent you is dependent on knowing about your business and your case. Also, we can only address conflicts of interests if those facts are known to us.


• To pay your statement promptly. We are a law firm, not a finance company. Our staff, our vendors, and our landlord all expect timely payment from us, and thus we expect the same from our clients.


• To continually ask us questions during our relationship. A well informed client is always in a position to make better legal decisions.