Your relationship with your divorce attorney is one of the most important factors in making sure your divorce goes as smoothly as possible. But lawyers aren't free, and your divorce attorney charges you for her time, expertise and the work she does on your case. Whenever you hire a lawyer, you have the right to a detailed accounting of the lawyer's expenses and fees. Even if you hire your lawyer on a flat fee basis, you can still request an itemized billing statement.
Step 1
Review your fee agreement. Many attorneys use written fee agreements that state detailed terms about the course of their representation, their fees and related issues. Examine any fee agreements you have and look for terms about billing or itemized costs. If you don't have a copy of the agreement, contact the attorney's office and ask for one.
Step 2
Call the attorney and ask. Lawyers typically have secretaries or assistants that handle billing and financial matters, so call the attorney's office and request an itemized billing statement from her staff. Make sure you ask for monthly statements if your case is still ongoing, or a finalized statement if your case has ended.
Step 3
Send a letter. Alternately, you can send a written letter to the attorney requesting the itemized list. Do this through registered mail or any other method that provides delivery confirmation.
Step 4
Send a follow-up. If you don't get a response from your request, send a follow-up in writing, no matter if your first request was in writing or over the phone. Make sure you mention your previous request and ask the attorney to send an itemized bill as soon as possible.
