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Smith & Jolly does charge an initial consultation fee that covers a full consultation up to one hour. The fee for consultation is discounted from our standard hourly rate. However, if you hire Smith & Jolly to represent you on that matter within 30 days of the consultation, the consultation fee is credited towards your first bill. In other words, a consultation is free if you end up hiring the firm. This allows people to come in to our office for advice or guidance on matters without having to hire the firm at its normal hourly rate while still providing a free consultation to those who become clients of the firm.

The consultation is designed to allow Smith & Jolly to evaluate your case or issue and advise you whether we can be of service and how. During the consultation we attempt not only to answer the questions you may have, but also to give you answers to questions which will arise for you in the future. Some questions cannot be answered during a consultation because they may involve further factual discovery or legal research, but we make every effort to answer every question you may have to the best of our ability.

Occasionally, the problem presented during a consultation may require additional time to fully evaluate the case after the initial consultation meeting. This may include the need for research, letters, or telephone calls to investigate and further evaluate a case. Under those unusual circumstances, a fee above the standard consultation fee is required if this type of additional work is requested. Written evaluations may also be requested after the initial consultation meeting and are billed at a flat rate depending on the issue involved.

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INDIAN LAW UPDATES

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