Plain answers
What to ask before you call
Do you represent employers?
No. I act for employees only, and I never take a case for the other side of a workplace.
What should I bring to the first call?
Only what you remember. Dates, names and what was said are enough to start. If you have a termination letter, a severance paper or recent pay stubs, keep them close.
How do fees work?
On pay and wrongful-termination claims I usually work on contingency, so there is no attorney’s fee unless you recover money. Costs such as filing fees and depositions are separate, and the fee agreement says in writing whether you repay them if there is no recovery. Reviewing a severance paper is billed another way and quoted in writing first.
How long does a case take?
It depends on the claim and the other side. A letter can settle a pay claim within weeks. A claim that goes to an agency or to court takes much longer, and I will tell you what to expect before we begin.
Will my employer be told I called?
Not by me. What you tell me is confidential, and I do not contact your employer unless you say I may.
Can I still work there while this is going on?
Many people do. Retaliating against someone for asserting a right can itself be unlawful. We will talk about what to write down and what to avoid saying at work.
What if I have already signed something?
Bring it anyway. Some papers do not end every claim, and some rights cannot be signed away.
What can you not do?
I cannot promise a result, and I cannot tell you what a claim is worth before I have seen the facts. I can tell you honestly what I see.
Not sure it is worth a call?
Send a few lines and I will tell you whether it is something I can help with.