Every legal situation is different and needs special attention to ensure the proper steps are taken. I take pride in taking clients' needs and desires into account in all the work I do. There are a few general steps I take in all situations, however.

For Contract Drafting or Review

The most important part of working with a client on drafting or reviewing a Contract is to understand the client's interests and values, and the reasons for those interests. To achieve that level of knowledge, I typically need to gain a thorough understanding of the situation requiring the Contract, which requires frequent client contact. I make it a point to be as available to my clients as possible to foster this contact and communication.

For Contract Litigation

I use a tiered approach for dispute resolution, which escalates only if a prior tier is not successful in resolving the situation. This allows both you and I to save time and money, and minimize the amount of emotional involvement necessary, leading to satisfactory resolution without all the stress.

A typical approach I take in civil litigation cases, for instance, looks like this:

• Write a letter. My first step is typically to write a letter to the opposing party addressing the issue, explaining briefly the law supporting my client's position, and suggesting an outcome that will be best for both parties. Sometimes this is all that is required.

• Negotiate. Once contact with the opposing party has been made, a resolution can usually be reached through some negotiation between the parties.

• File a lawsuit. Only if the first two tiers do not yield results will I generally file a lawsuit. Lawsuits require much more time and financial commitment, but sometimes are necessary in order to get results. These typically end up settling prior to trial.

• Trial. If no agreement can be reached by the parties during the preceeding steps, then sometimes the only option left is to go to trial. Trial is time-consuming and expensive, but unlike the other tiers, a trial guarantees an end to the dispute.

Whatever steps you choose to take, I will take care to explain all your options along the way and do my best to keep the situation as manageable and low-stress as possible. It is important to me that my clients are content throughout any legal process.