Our Firm
Client Engagement
Where Clients Are Concerned, One Size May Not Fit All.
Whether your company is involved in an escalating dispute with a large customer, threatened with litigation over a failed project, or planning a series of acquisitions, you expect top notch legal services delivered in a cost-effective manner. And you need predictability in legal services billing for internal budgeting and cash flow management purposes.
At Shields Legal, we align our engagements with our clients’ expectations. Our firm engagement agreement spells out the scope of the services we will provide (and those we won’t), identifies the attorneys who will collaborate with you and their hourly billing rates, and specifies the applicable retainer and how our billing process works. We couple that with a written legal budget so that you know up front what to expect from us.
We utilize technology to streamline the delivery of our legal services as and where appropriate. We recognize that Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) is an emerging, rapidly evolving technology with known inherent risks. Unless you object, we will use certain Gen AI tools in a responsible and ethical fashion in the delivery of our legal services. We will never use Gen AI to replace the critical thinking skills of our attorneys or to shortcut our professional responsibilities. We will use Gen AI tools for tasks that will save you legal expenses.
Understanding that not all engagements are suited to the traditional hourly rate billing platform, Shields Legal has the flexibility to undertake alternative fee arrangements in the right circumstances.
Examples of alternative fee structures that Shields has successfully implemented, when appropriate, include:
- Contingency or hybrid fee structures
- Litigation financing
- Flat fee billing for limited scope projects
- Transaction success fee or dead deal discount
At Shields, we are driven to provide clients with best-in-class legal services.
We are continually seeking to improve the way we engage with our clients, including alignment of interests and expectations regarding fees for legal services. We are open to discussions regarding alternative fee structures tailored to particular circumstances. Before undertaking any engagement, Shields requires a written, specific engagement agreement approved and signed by the client and the firm. Please reach out to start a conversation about how we might work together.
The mission of Shields Legal is to bring strategic business insight, professional judgment and competence to your company’s business and legal issues.