Payment Options

Attorney Ashleigh Root-Morgan accepts electronic payments for client convenience. Payments may be made by credit card, debit card, eCheck, or ACH through our secure online payment processor.

For retainers, trust deposits, and larger payments, we strongly prefer eCheck or ACH because those options reduce processing costs and help keep payment records clean. Credit and debit card payments remain available as a convenience to clients.

Payments for earned fees and reimbursed expenses are deposited into the firm’s operating account. Payments made as retainers, advances for future legal fees, or advances for future expenses are deposited into the firm’s client trust account unless otherwise stated in a written fee agreement.

Processing fees charged by the payment processor are paid by the firm and are not deducted from client trust funds. A payment is not considered received until it has successfully cleared and posted to the appropriate account.

Clients should contact the office before making a payment if they are unsure whether a payment should be applied to an invoice, a retainer, or a trust replenishment.

Man working on laptop with documents and coffee.

Understanding Fees

Retainers

A retainer is an advance payment that you provide at the beginning of a case. It is not a flat fee or a final payment. Instead, it is held in a client trust account and used to pay for legal work and expenses as they are incurred. As work is completed, the firm transfers the earned portion from the trust account to its operating account and provides you with billing statements showing how the funds are applied. If the retainer balance runs low, you may be asked to replenish it. Any unused portion at the end of the representation is returned to you.

For retainers and trust deposits, please select eCheck/ACH when available. Credit and debit card payments are accepted for convenience, but eCheck/ACH helps reduce processing costs. If you are unsure whether your payment should be applied to trust or to an invoice, please contact the office before submitting payment.

Hourly

Our firm bills by the hour. This means you are charged for the actual time spent working on your case.

Legal work can include court appearances, preparing documents, reviewing records, drafting emails and letters, phone calls, client meetings, communicating with opposing counsel, reviewing court filings, preparing for hearings, legal research, and case strategy.

Your retainer is not a flat fee. It is an advance payment placed into a client trust account. As work is completed, the firm bills for the time spent and applies the earned fees from your retainer. You will receive billing statements showing the work performed, the time billed, payments received, and the remaining balance.

If your retainer balance gets low, you may be asked to add more funds so work can continue on your case. If funds remain in trust at the end of representation, the unused balance will be returned to you.

Payment Options

Understanding Fees

Retainers

Hourly

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