How to Pay for a Lawyer: Your Payment Options at WH Law
You do not have to pay your whole legal fee on day one. WH Law offers contingency fees in some cases, a discount when you pay upfront, financing, no-credit-check financing, and in-house payment plans for qualified clients.
Cost is the most stressful part of hiring a lawyer. Below is how lawyers charge, every way you can pay at WH Law, and what to do if you still cannot afford an attorney.
Ways to Pay for Your Lawyer at WH Law
We are private attorneys, and we have to charge for our work. We also know most lawyers want their money upfront and many Arkansans cannot afford that. So we offer several options.
No money down (contingency fee)
In some cases we work on contingency. If your legal issue qualifies, you can get legal help without paying anything upfront. Not every case qualifies, and we will tell you on your strategy session.
Payment Plans for your legal fees
We offer payment plans for our clients. During your initial consultation we will discuss your situation and determine what kind of bankruptcy fits your circumstances. Once we determine that we can offer you the cost and payment plan for your case.
How Lawyers Charge in Arkansas
Ask any lawyer which structure applies to your case, what the fee includes, and what costs extra, such as court filing and service fees.
| Fee type | How it works | Often used for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat fee | One agreed price for a defined service | Simple, defined work such as a will or a trademark filing | Extra work outside the agreed scope may cost more |
| Hourly rate plus retainer | You pay for time spent; an upfront retainer secures the lawyer | Smaller matters or limited lawyer involvement | Total cost is hard to predict, so ask for an estimate |
| Contingency fee | The lawyer takes a percentage of what you win; no win, no fee | Personal injury and some other civil cases | Not available for every type of case; ask what percentage and which costs come out of the recovery |
| Mixed fee | A combination, such as a flat fee for part of the work plus hourly or contingent billing for the rest | Cases with both a defined phase and an uncertain one | Get the split in writing |
What If I Still Cannot Afford an Attorney or Have No Income?
You still have options, though none of them is guaranteed:
- Legal aid. Legal aid provides free legal services to people who qualify. Demand is much higher than legal aid programs can meet, so apply early.
- Pro bono help. Some private attorneys and law firms take pro bono cases. Demand here also outpaces supply, and you may still owe filing and service fees.
- Law school clinics. Some law schools run free legal clinics. Many are easier to qualify for than legal aid.
- Pro se representation. You may have to represent yourself and if you do, there are resources available: ArkansasLegalNow and ArkansasLawHelp
If your issue is a divorce, custody modification, paternity, guardianship, probate or estate plan and you want to file on your own, Arkansas Legal Now offers court-ready forms with filing guides, so you can handle the paperwork without hiring an attorney. Arkansas Legal Now is a self-help platform founded by WH Law CEO Brandon Haubert. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
Bankruptcy, debt, foreclosure, repossession or garnishment
These matters are not covered by self-help forms. Schedule a free strategy session and tell us your situation. We will tell you honestly what your options are, including whether hiring a lawyer makes sense for you right now.
