Trust Distribution for Beneficiaries | Contingency Fee Attorney

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. Our California law firm uniquely focuses on contingency fee trust and estate litigation.

These cases are ultimately about money. Most estates are funded with houses, securities and bank accounts. Contingency fees can be crafted that apply to the recovery of hard assets as well as more liquid assets.

Just what are contingency fees? The California Bar defines them in this manner: “Contingency fees mean you will pay the lawyer a certain percentage of the money you receive if you win the case or settle the matter out of court. If you lose your case, the lawyer does not receive any payment from you.”

Contingency fees are different than hourly fees. Hourly fees vary among lawyers and places of practice. Your case may require more hours than the lawyer initially expected. This is a risk.

My first estate contingency case was in the late 1970s.

I remember it well. My client was happy to hire me without paying an hourly fee. I was happy and energized to secure a strong recovery. It worked for both of us.

Of course, we lawyers have to caution that “prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.” This is a good practical caution and an ultimate truth. All cases are different. The weight of evidence changes from case to case.

Witnesses matter. Documentary evidence matters. Judges matter. Juries matter. Advocacy matters. No one gets guarantees. Experience will not guarantee a result. Still, I can think of what I want in, say, a surgeon or an airline pilot.

I do like experience. I like training. I like a focus on the life of a patient or a passenger. I like attention to detail. A certain amount of confidence. A background on what to do when things go wrong. You get the point.

We all like to have confidence in people that are handling important matters of life, limb, or property. The years have changed many of our professions. Medical devices have transformed surgeries. Aircraft electronics innovations have transformed flying.

Lawyers in my field have also seen huge changes. Court appearances are often remote. Zoom and Court Calls are now common.

Hackard Law represents beneficiaries throughout our state. We litigate financial elder abuse claims than can be tried before a jury. We use cutting edge online jury trial surveys to help resolve lawsuits. Online jurors help us to identify our strengths, weaknesses, and probable case values. It is a great advantage to try a case before taking it to a jury.

We’ve helped people when all seems faded and lost. We cannot take every case. Each case has its own unique circumstances. For those cases we do take, we offer a spirited litigation process grounded in experience, training, and our own Hackard Law method.

These cases are all about recovering money and assets lost through Financial Elder Abuse and wrongdoing in Trusts and Estates. If you’d like to talk with us about your case, call us at Hackard Law 916 313-3030. We’ll be happy to speak with you.

Hackard Law: Attorneys Making a Difference