Why hire a freelancer? Outsourcing work to a freelance attorney gives hiring attorneys greater flexibility in dealing with the natural ebbs and flows of litigation, without having to pay the salary and benefits of a full-time associate.
Further, a hiring attorney can actually make money by hiring a freelance attorney. According to ABA Formal Ethics Opinion 00-420, the rules of professional conduct allow attorneys to bill their clients for outsourced legal services in one of two ways. One, as an expense. Or two, as a legal service. If a hiring attorney bills the client for my freelancing services as a legal service, they are allowed to add a “reasonable” surcharge to my services. Such a fee arrangement is ethical under the California rules as long as the fee is not unconscionable (see California Rule of Professional Responsibility 4-200) and the hiring attorney satisfies the requirements of California Business and Profession code §§6147-6148 and 6068(m).
Services
I provide a variety of legal research and writing services, primarily for civil cases in federal and state court in California. I am available to draft any of the following documents:
- Pleadings
- Motions and oppositions
- Including motions to dismiss, demurrers, motions for summary judgment, discovery motions, motions to amend, motions in limine, etc.
- Internal legal research memoranda
- Discovery
- Special legal projects and litigation support