This is an experiment. Most tenants can't afford to pay hourly for representation. Lawyers can't afford to be obligated to do full representation with no guarantee of payment. There are a few UD cases I'll take because attorneys fees may be available and the tenant qualifies for low-income assistance, but for the most part tenants, like any other clients, have to pay the bills.
So here's an alternative approach, which keeps in line with how Legal Aid works. We start with a $99 special - A hard-hitting package of information that explains the unlawful detainer process in Sonoma County and other non-rent-control areas, the various legal maneuvers available to you and how to conduct discovery PLUS a 40-minute initial consultation.
After that, we'll handle your tenant matter on a limited-scope basis, in which you represent yourself in the matter, but we handle document preparation and appear in court on a "special appearance" basis. If the matter gets to the trial date, we'll "substitute" in to handle the trial.
You pay a flat-fee for services as-you-go, so you know what things cost, and if you ever feel like you can't afford to go forward with representation, you can carry the matter forward on your own.
I'll post more about this soon
