Fees & FAQs

Email brigette@blackhawklitigation.com or call (925) 648-2004 to request an intake packet. Once you return it, we’ll review your information and schedule a consultation. This lets us come prepared — so our meeting is focused on solutions, not paperwork.

Yes. Our consultation is a flat $195. Unlike firms that rely on free, high-volume consultations, we intentionally keep our caseload small. That allows us to give every client the focus and attention they deserve. The consultation fee reflects the time, preparation, and strategy we invest from day one.

• Jennifer L. King (Lead Attorney): $525/hour
• Noel E. Guth (Associate Attorney): $445/hour
• Brigette L. Anderson-Atkins (Paralegal): $215/hour
• Jayden M. King (Legal Assistant): $105/hour

Time is billed in 0.1-hour (6-minute) increments. We bill for calls, emails, court time, travel, and necessary team conferences when the work is reasonably necessary and not duplicative.

Billing transparency: You’ll receive a detailed monthly statement showing exactly what was done, by whom, and why — so you’re never in the dark.

Cost-control: Whenever possible, work is delegated to the lowest-billing professional qualified to handle the task.

There isn’t an honest one-price-fits-all answer. Cost depends on complexity and conflict.

Cases tend to cost more when they involve:

• Disputed custody or domestic violence
• Complex property division or spousal support
• A spouse who is financially secretive or uncooperative

Cases are usually more efficient and affordable when:

• There are no minor children
• There is little property to divide
• Both parties are transparent and cooperative

We understand legal fees can feel overwhelming. Our job is to make the process as efficient as possible so your money — and your energy — go toward resolution.

Before we begin, an initial retainer (deposit) is required:

• Post-judgment modification cases: $5,000
• Divorce, paternity, and domestic-violence cases: $10,000

This is not a prediction of your total fees. The retainer is a deposit that stays in a client trust account (IOLTA: Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account) until the end of your case, as required by California law.

How it works:

• Each month, you receive a detailed billing statement.
• That month’s fees are applied against the retainer.
• You replenish the retainer back to its original balance ($5,000 or $10,000).
• The retainer itself remains in trust until your matter concludes.
• At the end of your case, the retainer is applied to your final invoice, and any unused funds are refunded to you.