FAQ About Our Family Law Firm's Services and Fees
You have questions about our services and fees? We have your answers here
Farzad & Ochoa Family Law Attorneys, LLP is not one or two lawyers who dabble in divorce and family law, along with various other areas of law.
We are a team of dedicated family law attorneys and a respected Southern California family law firm with offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego, California.
You care about the quality of the legal representation. So do we. It's our highest priority.
You want that representation at a competitive price, not "cheap" work with inferior quality or foolish shortcuts. You want experience and intelligence in and out of the courtroom.
That is what and who we are.
We have created this list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about our firm's services and fees. We will update this page occasionally as needed. Ready? Let's get to it.
Tip: You can click on any of the links below to jump to that section of this page.
Topics We Will Cover
- FAQ About Our Family Law Firm
- FAQ About the Cases We Handle
- FAQ About Contacting our Family Law Firm
- FAQ About the Initial Strategy Session
- FAQ About the Retention (Hiring) Process
- FAQ About Communication During Your Family Law Case
- FAQ About Building a Strategy for Individual Representation
- FAQ About a Collaborative Process for Divorce Mediation
- Bonus FAQ!
- Got More Questions?
- Next Step: Contact Us for an Affordable Strategy Session
FAQ About Our Family Law Firm
Is family law your only area of law?
Yes, our law firm exclusively handles family law matters. This includes divorce and parentage cases, both before and after judgment, and domestic violence restraining orders.
In what counties do you handle family law cases?
We have offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Most of our cases are in these three counties.
We will handle select Southern California cases outside these three counties, but only in Southern California. Sometimes, we stop taking on cases outside Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego.
Our attorneys are licensed in the State of California. We do not handle any matters outside of California.
Do you represent clients if they are located outside of California but have a family law matter in the counties you mentioned above?
We represent California residents with an actual or potential family law case in the California counties we handle.
We also represent U.S. or Canadian residents with an actual or potential family law matter in the same California counties.
We do not consult with or represent any person located outside of North America and/or a resident outside of North America, even if that person has an actual or potential case in one of the above California counties.
What sets you apart from other lawyers I may consider for my family law case?
First, all we do is family law. When you do one thing and one thing well, clients are rewarded with knowledge, skill, and experience.
We see other lawyers and law firms that sell themselves as family law attorneys when they handle different areas of law, such as personal injury, criminal law, bankruptcy, and/or immigration - areas that have nothing to do with family law.
Hiring a family law firm that only handles family law matters provides more focused attention to a client's needs.
Second, we are not a small office with just one or two attorneys and minimal staff. We have the lawyers and resources to handle complex matters requiring considerable time and attention.
Third, we have a proven record of success for our clients in and out of the family law courtroom.
Fourth, we have a reputation as honest, hardworking, client and result-focused family law attorneys.
FAQ About the Cases We Handle
What types of family law cases do you handle?
We handle divorce and parentage cases (parentage means child custody and child support cases for unmarried men or women) before and after judgment.
We also handle select family law appeals for appeals that arose out of a case in Southern California.
Our cases are usually of mid-to-high complexity or mid-to-high conflict, although we also handle uncontested cases.
Most prospective clients seek our firm because of our experience and litigation skills inside and outside the courtroom.
Our family law cases may include child custody, child and spousal support, domestic violence, property and asset division, separate and community property characterizations and disputes, business valuations and division, and more.
Are there certain types of family law cases or clients you don't handle?
We do not represent people who have engaged in the following acts or who need a lawyer for the following services:
- Child abusers,
- Domestic violence perpetrators, including but not limited to any case where there has been a finding of domestic violence against the person contacting us,
- Those who have willfully failed to pay child or spousal support and now want to unjustifiably negotiate unpaid amounts that are owed,
- Men or women who intend to use the family law process for unlawful or improper reasons, such as using children as leverage on financial issues, hiding assets, or those who make false allegations of abuse, etc.
- Those who have had multiple prior law offices represent them. Generally, we do not consult on cases where the person contacting us had two or more prior attorneys.
We also do not handle the collection of support cases, adoptions, guardianship cases, termination of parental rights cases, or dependency matters.
What if I am transitioning from a previous lawyer to you?
It is not unusual to have more than one lawyer throughout the life of a divorce or parentage case.
If you have had one prior lawyer, that doesn't necessarily keep us from taking on your case, although we would want to know why you are changing lawyers, which is an important consideration.
As a general rule, we are cautious and selective before we take on a pending matter from another attorney because we do not want that transition to interrupt the quality of the work we provide to our existing clients.
However, our law firm will not take over an active case if the prospective client has had two or more previous lawyers for that case or if the case has a history of litigation that makes it impractical for us to take it over.
What if I have been self-represented and want you to take over my case?
For the same reasons, we are cautious before we take on any pending, active matter.
The quality of the services we provide is our highest priority.
So, there are times throughout the year when we may not take on any matter that is "pending," meaning there is an active case with court dates or events already in progress.
If you would like to know whether we are taking on pending, active matters, please contact us, and we will let you know.
Do you also handle divorce mediation?
Yes, if spouses both want to hire us as their divorce mediation attorneys, we offer that service throughout the State of California. We can also handle mediation through virtual communication platforms.
FAQ About Contacting our Family Law Firm
What is the best way to contact your law firm?
The best and fastest way to contact us is to call us during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our direct numbers are (714) 937-1193 for our Orange County office, (213) 201-1199 for our Los Angeles office, and (619) 929-3040 for our San Diego office.
You can also visit our Contact Us page for more information.
If you want to complete a form to contact us, scroll to the bottom of this page (on a desktop, there is also a tab on the side of the page), and you will see a contact form you can complete. After you complete it and click "submit" for the form, it will redirect you to a "thank you" that explains what happens next.
Will I speak with an attorney about my case?
When you meet with us for an affordable strategy session, you speak with one of our experienced attorneys.
We prefer such sessions by phone or online video and/or audio conferencing. When the pandemic-related issues are over, we can resume in-person sessions.
We are a tech-forward law firm, and we can arrange different types of meetings to fit a potential client's scheduling needs and availability.
We run a "conflict check" when you call or contact us through this website to ensure the other party (your spouse, ex-spouse, or other parent) has not already consulted with us.
How long will I wait for a call back if I leave a message?
Usually, if we miss your call, we contact you the same day you call us and leave a message. Sometimes, it may be the next business day.
There are times when our firm stops taking on new matters.
We do this if we believe taking on new matters may take away from the high quality of representation we provide to our existing clients. If so, we let you know of that when you call.
FAQ About the Initial Strategy Session
What is a strategy session?
A strategy session is a meeting between you and one of our experienced family law attorneys where we discuss the specific facts of your case (if one has been filed) or matter (if a case is not open yet).
The strategy session is all about you.
We are here to answer your questions, discuss your concerns, and educate you on how California law may apply to your facts and issues.
We will discuss both strategy and budget in your case.
Complex financial or custody cases or matters with a history of litigation may require more than one session (which often requires formal retention) or a file review (also requiring formal retention) before we can answer your questions or discuss strategy. If so, we will give you a quote.
Note: Strategy sessions are for individual representation. We offer a separate mediation consultation with both spouses for those who instead seek divorce mediation.
How long does a strategy session take?
That depends on the complexity of your situation. Most sessions last one hour, but complex cases can take more time. We generally stop sessions at around 1.5 hours.
How much does the initial strategy session cost?
That also depends on the situation. Sometimes (solely at our discretion), we offer a free initial session for up to 30 minutes. Most of the time, there will be a fee for the strategy session, which is usually the attorney's hourly rate.
Either way, you will know beforehand and before we set the session. Contact us, and we will be happy to discuss your specific situation.
If I retain you after the strategy session, will you apply the fee I paid for it toward my retainer?
Usually, yes, we do.
Sometimes, we reduce your retainer (the deposit you pay if you hire us) by the amount you already paid for the strategy session (if it was a paid session). So, if you retain us, rather than paying the retainer deposit in full, we sometimes subtract the amount you already paid for the strategy session from that deposit.
For example, if you paid $300 for a strategy session and the retainer would normally be $10,000 to hire us, your retainer deposit becomes $9,700 instead.
Will you answer my questions in the strategy session?
Yes, as to those that can be answered. If you ask a question that we cannot answer at the strategy session, we will tell you what additional information we need to answer it.
The question must be related to family law. We don't give tax, insurance, financial planning, business management, estate planning, or advice in other areas of law. However, we can refer you to professionals in these and related fields if you wish.
Can we discuss my situation at the strategy session without an obligation to retain you?
Of course. We are here to help you, but don't sell or pressure you to hire us. It's not our style.
If your situation is one with which we can help, we want you to make the decision to hire us. We don't influence that decision, and we don't have to.
Will you quote me a fee at the strategy session to take over my matter?
Yes, if your matter is one our firm will handle and with which we can help.
Since we don't have cookie-cutter fees, the fee quote for the initial retainer deposit will be customized to your case.
We cannot give you a fee quote for what the entire case will cost. Too many variables are in play to do that, but we tell you what the variables will be in your case.
Do you offer hourly rates, flat fees, or both?
Our firm offers hourly rates.
Will you take on my case if I can afford your services?
There is more involved than that.
We also need to make sure we are a good fit for you and that you are a good fit for us.
We are selective about the clients we represent. We represent good people with the right intentions for themselves and their children.
That is exactly the kind of family law attorney a good person going through this difficult time in life should want - someone interested in your case and cares about the representation and result, not just a lawyer who wants your money - which sadly is all many other attorneys care about, how much you are paying them.
What if my matter is urgent and I need immediate help? Can you take on my case?
Since we are selective about the cases we handle and we are not a "mill" (a mill is a lawyer or law firm that will take on any client who can afford the representation), we must make sure we have the time to dedicate to your case on an urgent manner.
We are honest with you if we cannot take on your case because we cannot make the urgent time commitment.
How does the consultation process work for divorce mediation?
We can schedule an informative, paid consultation for those seeking a divorce mediation instead.
Both spouses must be available for the mediation consultation, although it is not unusual for one spouse to make the initial contact with us.
FAQ About the Retention (Hiring) Process
Am I hiring a specific attorney to represent me or the law firm?
You are retaining our family law firm. Your case is assigned to a team you will work with throughout your case.
Will I sign a contract?
Yes, we will give you a contract. It is called a retainer agreement.
Will I get a copy of everything I sign?
Yes, you receive fully executed copies.
What payment types do you accept?
Check, cash, and all major credit cards.
How will I be billed?
In hourly rate cases, you receive a bill once per month.
The bill is itemized and has all the information you need, including, but not limited to, the date of each action for which you were billed, who did the work, the exact amount of time, the billing rate, and the total time spent on your case for the month.
Also, if you ever want to know your billing status during the month, you can call us. We are happy to give you up-to-date information.
How does retention work for a divorce mediation?
It is similar to what we wrote above, except you and your spouse are involved. We provide you and your spouse with a written retainer contract that explains our divorce mediation fees and costs. We work at hourly rates, and there is generally an initial retainer deposit.
FAQ About Communication During Your Family Law Case
How often will we discuss my case?
We communicate regularly.
The divorce or family law process is a collaborative process. We cannot do it without you, and you cannot do it without us.
With most clients, we communicate 2-4 times per month, sometimes much more when it is a busy month and sometimes less if little is happening in that specific month.
How does communication work for divorce mediation?
If you and your spouse hired us for a divorce mediation, we communicate with both of you throughout the matter.
FAQ About Building a Strategy for Individual Representation
What we write below is for individual representation. It does not apply to divorce mediation.
See the next section regarding divorce mediation.
How do we decide what should be done in my case?
A good strategy comes from four things:
- Understanding the facts,
- Understanding the positions you want to advocate and what the other party's position will likely be,
- Knowing what evidence (testimony, documents, and witnesses) supports 1 and 2, and
- Knowing how California family law and procedure apply to 1 and 2.
That is the formula, and building a strategy requires diligence, communication, patience, and cooperation between you and us.
When can we make a settlement offer?
Settlement offers are part of the strategy.
In divorce cases involving financial issues, we must have your preliminary declaration of disclosure and that of your spouse completed and in hand so we know your assets, debts, income, and expenses.
If you and we do not believe the disclosures are enough and discovery (a formal request for more information) is needed before you make offers, then, with your knowledge and consent, we start the discovery process, which sometimes starts at the outset of the case.
In family law cases involving custody, we prefer to settle those issues early unless there are significant disputes between the parents about what is in the children's best interest.
Settlements save time, stress, and money. But settlements should not be rushed nor delayed unreasonably.
FAQ About a Collaborative Process for Divorce Mediation
If you and your spouse are hiring us for divorce mediation, the process is a little different.
Will my spouse and I be involved if we hire you for divorce mediation?
You and your spouse will be actively involved throughout the divorce mediation process.
We collaborate with both of you and have no substantive communications with one spouse, which excludes the other spouse.
How does the divorce mediation process work?
This website offers amazing guides regarding divorce mediation. Here is a good article that will start you off: California Divorce Mediation.
Bonus FAQ!
You seem awesome. Are you as awesome as you seem?
We really are. Once you retain us, you will see for yourself.
Got More Questions?
Bring those great questions with you to an affordable strategy session. Let's chat about your case and make positive, forward progress.
Next Step: Contact Us for an Affordable Strategy Session
Ready to talk? We can discuss your specific situation and determine if a strategy session is right for you. Our family law firm has offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego.