Client Guide

At RKG Law we pride ourselves in meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations. This client guide is intended to provide our clients with the additional information of what to expect from our firm.

Sophisticated Representation With a Practical Approach

We are committed to providing the highest standard of legal services but also understand the importance of personal attention. Our attorneys will listen to your concerns and reasons for seeking our services and develop a plan with you to efficiently and effectively carry out your objectives. Our attorneys are responsive and dedicated to keeping our clients informed. We strive to carry out your objectives in the most efficient manner possible.

Contacting Our Firm

If you are contacting our firm for the first time, you can fill out an online form or call any of our offices. Our normal office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Our main office is conveniently located just off of Route 30 in Manheim Township; however, we maintain offices in Ephrata and Willow Street for the convenience of our clients. Appointments are also available outside of normal office hours.

Making the Most of an Initial Consultation

After contacting our law firm and scheduling an initial consultation, be prepared to share general information relevant to your representation. During the consultation your attorney will advise you regarding specific documentation that is needed. An initial consultation typically lasts for about an hour and is usually billed as a flat fee.

Handling Your Case

Our firm employs a talented and experienced support staff who work closely with your attorney. You may be contacted by a paralegal or other support staff in addition to your attorney. Our attorneys will often work together on a case where multiple issues involving different practice areas are involved. Our team approach maximizes effectiveness and can sometimes reduce your overall cost.

Maintaining the Confidentiality of Your Information

Attorneys and staff have a duty to maintain the confidentiality of client communications. Be assured the information you communicate to your attorney will not be disclosed outside the firm.

Fee Arrangement

If you choose RKG Law to represent you after your initial consultation, you will be asked to sign a Fee Engagement Letter. The Fee Engagement Letter will detail the way in which you will be billed and the scope of our representation. In most cases you will be billed using an hourly rate which will vary depending on the attorney or legal professional who is working on your case. Hourly cases are generally billed based on the amount of time spent on your case. We may also require a retainer before undertaking representation. This retainer will be applied to the fee, which may end up being more or less than the retainer. If the fees exceed the initial payment you may be asked to periodically replenish the retainer. If it is less than the retainer the difference will be returned to you. An attorney will generally be able to provide some estimate of the overall cost based on the available information but actual cost may vary depending on circumstances over which we have no control such as the actions of the opposing party or issues that arise during our representation. We will do our best to keep you advised of any developments that may impact the original estimate.

In some cases our fee may be contingent. If so, we will only be paid a fee if you recover. The fee will be a percentage of the recovery, less costs. You will be asked to sign a Contingent Fee Agreement which your attorney will review with you.

Advice On Controlling Costs

There are several ways you can help control your legal costs. Remember that if you are billed hourly by our firm, all actions taken by your attorney on your behalf will be billed to you. This includes time spent reviewing documentation related to your case, drafting and reviewing all correspondence to and from you and opposing parties and counsel and all forms of communication regarding your case including, but not limited to, phone conversations and email correspondence. The first thing you can do to help control your cost is to clearly express your objectives and provide your attorney with all of the relevant information upfront. Also, as your case progresses, choose the most efficient means of communicating. In some circumstances that may be via telephone or email. When you are meeting with your attorney, be clear and concise when communicating your priorities and objectives. Finally, take the necessary steps to help your cause, whether producing documents, answering inquiries or taking other actions as advised by your attorney.

This section of our website is intended to provide our current and prospective clients with the information necessary to form proper expectations about our services. Your attorney will review more specific issues related to your circumstances at your initial consultation. We believe that open and direct communication helps our clients understand what to expect and is the foundation for a positive and beneficial attorney-client relationship.