On average our clients pay about 1/3rd of the cost if they were paying by the hour. We know, it’s a bit hard to believe, but what happens in our relationships with clients is that - since you’re not being charged for every email and every minute on the phone, you end up communicating with us way more - that’s the point!

The @VC Monthly Subscription is a three (3) month automatically recurring commitment.

You may request to downgrade or cancel your @VC Monthly Subscription by providing at least thirty (30) days' written notice to @VC before the end of your then-current three (3) month term. If you provide such notice, your downgrade or cancelation shall take effect at the end of the then-current term. Any such requests made outside of that thirty (30) day window shall become effective at the end of the next three (3) month commitment term.

We've found that business and the law are fluid. Some times of the year are "heavier" than others and the unexpected comes when least expected! We typically "flex" with our clients during those times without needing to upgrade the subscription investment.

However, as our clients scale, the volume and complexity of work tend to increase and become more regular. We monitor that, and will communicate in good faith any subscription changes needed if/when that time comes.

@VC Lite is our most affordable plan that offers ongoing access to our team and light review of documents / contracts as needed at a fixed monthly rate.

Subscribers benefit from a 20% discount on all a la carte (i.e., flat fee or hourly billed) services as long as the $1,000 retainer is maintained.

Maintaining the $1,000 retainer ensures you qualify for a 20% discount on all a la carte services. This retainer acts as a deposit, giving you immediate access to additional services beyond the scope of your subscription.

Any work that falls outside the scope of your subscription will be billed separately. For transparency, we will send you an invoice detailing the charges. After that, we will process the payment using the card or payment method we have on file.

We keep the $1,000 retainer untouched to simplify the billing process and ensure you always maintain the 20% discount benefit. If we deducted from the retainer and immediately required replenishment, it would create unnecessary back-and-forth for both you and us. Billing a la carte projects separately avoids confusion and ensures transparency.

Before proceeding with any work that falls outside the scope of your subscription, we will inform you in advance and provide details about the service, including an estimate of the time and cost involved, if possible. We will seek your approval before moving forward, ensuring full transparency and no surprises.

Legal fees are often a hot topic with our clients, so we want to share our philosophy with you.

We prefer to engage in a Flat Fee or @VC Monthly Subscription for legal projects instead of charging by the hour because we plan to become strategic partners with our clients, and we want to help you grow. We have found that engaging in a Flat Fee or @VC Monthly Subscription fosters a better attorney-client relationship.

Because we want you to succeed, we will always treat you with respect and fairness. We never want you to be shocked with a surprise bill. That said, it is not a requirement to engage us through a Flat Fee or @VC Monthly Subscription, as some matters are better suited for hourly billing. If/when hourly billing becomes necessary or preferable from either or both parties’ perspectives, we will discuss it with you in a collaborative forum.

Click here to see all of our flat fee services.

For Flat Fee projects, we will send you a fee quote in writing by electronic means, which will specifically describe the parameters of the project, i.e., the Scope of Work. Payments for Flat Fees are required before beginning work and are considered earned and deposited directly into our operating account when charged.
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All Flat Fee projects are capped at a certain amount of hours of total Firm billable time, as indicated in each Scope of Work on the corresponding quote or invoice ("Total Project Hours"). The Total Project Hours cap is designed to provide ample time to complete the initial Scope of Work and also to create a boundary in the event the Scope of Work expands beyond what was initially communicated or anticipated by the Client and/or the Firm.
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If the Scope of Work exceeds the Total Project Hours for any Flat Fee project, we will communicate the expanded scope in good faith and offer to complete it at 20% off our standard hourly rates.

We take a strong stance on hourly billing, preferring to quote reasonable Flat Fees or engaging with our clients in an ongoing @VC Monthly Subscription for legal services. However, from time to time our clients choose to hire us on a traditional hourly basis.

For projects or work product that is billed hourly, the Firm's hourly rates are as follows:

• $750/hour for Transactional, Tax, or Special Counsel, as needed from time to time on special transactional matters;
• $600/hour for Senior Attorneys and/or all securities, transactional, and equity-related legal work;
• $500/hour for Associate Attorneys and/or all other legal work;
• $250/hour for Paralegals and Law Clerks.

Our hourly rates may increase in the future. Any such increase will only occur upon written notice to you. If you decline to pay the increased rates, we will have the right to withdraw as attorney for you if permitted under the Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of California and/or applicable law.

Time is charged in minimum units of tenth-of-an-hour increments (0.1). Time spent on a task will be rounded up to the nearest tenth-of-an-hour. Unless we agree otherwise in writing by electronic means, all work will be billed on an hourly basis.

For projects that are billed hourly, the Firm requires a minimum retainer deposit or payment method on file. The @VC Billing department will provide the Client with detailed invoices for hourly projects every two weeks, which will become payable within five (5) business days. During that time, please carefully review the detailed invoice and raise any questions or concerns you may have with the @VC Billing department.  

Absent any questions or concerns, we will draw down on the retainer deposit to cover the invoice. We will replenish the retainer deposit in equal installments using a payment method on file.      

Retainer deposit funds belong to you, the Client, until we earn fees by invoicing our services. Any funds paid towards retainer deposits will be deposited into our firm's trust account and handled in accordance with our trust accounting policies pursuant to California Rule of Professional Conduct 4-100 and Business and Professions Code §§ 6211-13. This does not apply to Flat Fees or @VC Monthly Subscription fees, which are considered earned when charged. Unless we agree to a Flat Fee or @VC Monthly Subscription, all work will be billed on an hourly basis.

At any time, you are entitled to request a return of the remaining balance in your retainer account by written notice to billing@atvirtualcounsel.com.

Our fees DO NOT include third-party charges for postage, filing fees, license fees, application fees, or other charges and fees. Notably, this includes fees associated with forming a corporate entity and/or amending Articles/Certificates of Incorporation or other similar corporate documents and/or filing with governmental authorities. When we pay those fees on your behalf, you will be billed for them at cost.

Book your free consultation here now!

LegalZoom and BizCounsel have done a great job of providing low costs to its customers - they rely heavily on templates that can be found almost anywhere on the internet and also don’t deep dive into YOU and your business as much as @VirtualCounsel does.

With @VirtualCounsel, you have a dedicated attorney point of contact who develops a deep understanding of your business model, goals, and way of operating - we provide far more than templates. We become true counsel in short order based on the level of involvement we have with you and your business - we balance legal protection with business goals and become strategic advisors that are more than just lawyers.