COVID 19 has impacted Family Law in California

In March 2020, fears of COVID 19 caused the courts to essentially shut down, and caused businesses to shut down, including family law attorneys. But now business is back for many professions, including family law attorneys.

I have talked to attorneys who say they are making more money than ever. They laid off staff, cut expenses, got some needed rest, and are back going full speed.

Not surprisingly, the first thing I have heard is that they expect to raise their hourly rates. One attorney said he thinks he will be charging $450 an hour soon. He will probably be able to do this as people put off family law issues during the pandemic. These issues do not go away. Increased demand means you can raise prices.

Attorneys work hard, there is no doubt about that. You are expected to bill thirty to forty hours a week. This does not include time spent trying to get new clients, running the office, or interacting with other attorneys in the office. With the pandemic, many attorneys had free time for the first time in a long time. This is time I hoped they would use to reconsider some of their practices. Instead, it seems it will be business as usual..

This makes it more important to me to get the word out there that I offer an alternative to those who cannot afford these high fees. I charge $2500. This is a fair amount. I might be charging half as much, but I can still make more money than I would make working for another attorney - a lot more.

It seems like everyone wins.