Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ
- What is Independent Counsel & what does it do?
- How do I contact Independent Counsel?
- How does Independent Counsel charge for its services?
- What's the relationship between special monitoring services and a client's existing law firm?
What is Independent Counsel and what does it do?
Independent Counsel is both a service of The Toothman Law Firm, PC, and the name for our web-site. We are a unique law firm, providing both traditional legal services relating to litigation and trial practice, and special services to monitor or manage legal services provided by other law firms. The latter service is especially useful for growing companies engaged in unusual, complex, or expensive litigation, where the company does not have in-house counsel or their in-house counsel are experienced in managing such litigation.
While no lawyer can ethically guarantee particular outcomes, we do strive to deliver cost-effective services.
Independent Counsel is a tradename of The Toothman Law Firm, PC.
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How do I contact Independent Counsel?
Independent Counsel and The Toothman Law Firm, PC, may be contacted as follows:
| JToothman@independentcounsel.com | |
| PO Box 8, Great Falls, VA 22066 | |
| Phone | 703-739-2660 |
| Fax | 703-842-4829 |
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How does Independent Counsel charge for its services?
The Toothman Law Firm, PC, offers a variety of fee alternatives. Although hourly fees are the norm for most litigation, some engagements lend themselves to flat rates, retainers, or hybrids of hourly and contingent fees, depending on the circumstances. We discuss our fees up front and structure them to balance value to the client with our compensation.
Our firm passes through large or unusual expenses at cost, but does not bill clients for many routine expenses charged by other law firms.
Details regarding our representation are normally reduced to a written agreement with each client.
Our firm does not charge for initial consultations.
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What's the relationship between Independent Counsel's monitoring services and a client's existing law firm?
Our special monitoring services assist clients spending substantial sums on lawyers, especially for litigation. The services are comparable to hiring an in-house lawyer with litigation experience. We can therefore act as "special counsel" or "co-counsel" with your existing law firm or the law firm we help you to select. From the law firm's perspective, this sort of relationship is little different from dealing with more traditional in-house counsel.
Before raising the issue with their current law firm, many clients prefer to have us evaluate the situation discreetly at first, without direct involvement of the other law firm until we determine that this would be cost-effective and beneficial to the client. We can typically review the materials already in the client's possession to make a preliminary assessment.
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Updated: 11/01/04