One of the worst aspects of getting divorced is its cost. Between settlement payments and legal fees, the cost of ending a marriage can almost serve as motivation to stay unhappily wed for the sake of your wallet. While divorce does come with its own unique set of expenses, one way to lower the overall cost of the process is to find a reasonably-priced divorce lawyer to represent you throughout the proceedings. Of course, the notion of finding an affordable divorce attorney can be challenging for some. With so many lawyers out there trying to profit from the martial woes of others, it can be difficult to sort through the masses to find an attorney who is not only affordable, but capable of actually having your best interests at heart.
Rusty Applegate is a South Carolina attorney who has helped his fair share of clients through their divorce proceedings, and whenever the topic of money comes up, he likes to emphasize the fact that some lawyers are far less money-hungry than others. As someone who considers himself to be one of the good guys, Applegate’s approach to client representation is rooted in hard work, as opposed to profit. In fact, he would rather focus his energies on gaining a client’s trust and doing a good job than crunching numbers to figure out exactly how much money he might be able to squeeze out of the situation.
So what makes Rusty Applegate an “affordable” attorney? For starters, he is willing to work with clients based on their specific incomes and financial capabilities. While some attorneys might refuse to cut needier clients a break, Applegate evaluates each client’s monetary situation to come up with a fee structure with which both he and the client can be comfortable.
He also has a policy of charging a low fee for initial attorney consultations. In fact, he used to offer free consultations, but was forced to end that policy when he realized that too many people were taking advantage of his generosity by coming in, getting a dose of free legal advice, and never returning. Now, Applegate offers a nominal flat fee for consultations that automatically gets credited back to clients who choose to use his legal services. This new consultation policy helps weed out the people who simply want to come in and talk to a lawyer for free. At the same time, it offers legitimate clients an affordable and perfectly fair opportunity to learn about their legal options.
Plenty of divorce attorneys charge clients by the hour, and as such, they tend to take active steps to maximize their billable time. In fact, some lawyers even have their telephones connected to computers so that they can track calls to the second and charge clients accordingly for every minute of their time. Applegate, on the other hand, won’t do such a thing. His philosophy is that a good attorney shouldn’t nickel and dime clients out of their hard-earned wages, and he believes that a certain degree of “free customer service” should be part of every attorney-client relationship.
If you’re looking for a divorce lawyer but don’t have a fortune to spend on one, then do some research before paying that retainer fee. Some good attorneys like Rusty Applegate will go out of their way to keep their pricing reasonable. Remember, divorce can be expensive enough on its own. So the more affordable your attorney is, the better your chances of coming away financially unscathed.
This article is for informational purposes only. You should not rely on this article as a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances, and you should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. Publication of this article and your receipt of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.
