Billing by the minute
- Priced by time spent, not the problem solved
- The longer it takes, the more you pay
- Itemized invoices that arrive after the work
- You quietly help fund the learning curve
- The meter runs during "quick questions"
// Flat fees
Pay for the plan,
Pay for the plan,
not the clock.
The billable hour is a relic of a slower era. We price the value of the work, define the scope up front, and let modern tools do the repetitive lifting.
How to read this: your cost rises going up, the work piles on going right.
Hourly: the meter keeps running. The final cost is discovered later.
Flat fee: one price for a defined scope, known before you commit.
Billable: price grows with time. Flat fee: price is set for a defined scope.
// The honest version
Why hourly billing quietly works against you.
It's not that hourly lawyers are villains in loafers. It's that the model ties your bill to inefficiency, and that's a strange thing to root for.
Flat fees
- Priced around value and a defined scope
- Efficiency lowers your cost instead of raising it
- One agreed number, known before we start
- AI handles the repetitive drafting and research
- Ask questions without watching a timer
An hourly invoice can quietly bill you for the coffee refill, the hallway "got a sec?", and the slow walk back from the printer. A flat fee bills you for one thing — the result you actually came for.
// AI meets legal work
Priced for impact, built for efficiency.
Secure digital intake, document automation, and adaptive-technology-assisted research and drafting now handle in minutes what once filled an afternoon.
When the routine gets faster, that time savings should reach the client as a clearer scope and a fixed price.
One firm rule: AI-assisted is not AI-decided. A licensed Missouri attorney reviews every document, exercises the judgment, and remains responsible for your matter. The tools speed up the typing; they don't replace the thinking.
// Straight talk
Where a flat fee fits, and where it doesn’t.
Trust is built by being honest about the edges. Not every matter can be a fixed price, and we'll tell you when it can't.
Definable, document-driven work
- Estate plans, wills, trusts, and directives
- Entity formation and founder/operating agreements
- Contract drafting and review
- Compliance reviews and policy documents
Open-ended or adversarial matters
- Active disputes with unpredictable timelines
- Matters that depend on third parties or regulators
- Work that may expand well beyond initial scope
- Some FINRA/securities disputes (often hybrid or consulting)
// Example scopes
What a flat-fee engagement looks like.
Representative examples, not quotes. They show how a defined scope maps to a fixed price; your number depends on the facts after a short consultation.
Foundational plan
Starting at $1,200 $840 30% off for new clients
- Will or revocable living trust
- Financial power of attorney
- Healthcare directive and HIPAA authorization
- Plain-English summary and signing guidance
Business launch package
Starting at $1,500 $1,050 30% off for new clients
- Entity formation (LLC or corporation)
- Operating agreement or bylaws
- Founder and ownership terms
- EIN guidance and a next-steps checklist
Contract drafting or review
Starting at $750 $525 30% off for new clients
- One key agreement drafted or reviewed
- Plain-English risk summary
- Redlines or a revision memo
- One round of revisions
Note: These are starting prices for the most common scope. Your final flat fee is confirmed after a consultation, once the facts are clear. FINRA and securities matters are usually scoped per matter and may be hybrid rather than flat. Quoted fees exclude court, government, and third-party costs, and no fee guarantees a particular outcome. See the full fee disclaimer below.
New-client offer
Claim the offer
30% off your first flat-fee engagement.
New to ClearScope Counsel? Take 30% off the firm’s quoted flat fee for your first matter, in any practice area.
New clients only, one engagement. The discount applies to ClearScope Counsel’s quoted flat fee and not to court, government, filing, or third-party costs. It cannot be combined with other offers and is available only after conflicts are cleared and a written engagement agreement is signed. No discount or fee guarantees a particular result.
// How it works
From first question to fixed quote.
No mystery invoice at the end. The number comes first.
“What do I need?”
“Will this be expensive?”
“Is this the right document?”
1
Intake
2
Fit check
3
Scope
4
Quote
No meter running.
// Reasonable questions, plainly answered
FAQ
What if the scope changes mid-engagement?
We pause and talk before doing new work. You approve any revised scope and fee in advance — no silent meter.
Does "flat fee" mean cheap?
No. It means predictable. You're paying a transparent price for judgment, strategy, and documents that fit your situation.
How is AI used in my matter?
For research, drafting support, and intake, but never final decisions. A licensed attorney reviews and is responsible for the work, and your confidential information is handled securely.
Do you work remotely across Missouri?
Yes. The practice is remote-first, with secure intake and video consultations statewide.
// Fee disclaimer
About our flat-fee quotes
Flat-fee quotes are provided only after the scope of your matter is defined during a consultation and any conflicts are cleared. A quote applies to the specific services described in your written engagement agreement. Not every matter can be handled on a flat-fee basis, and some are better suited to a different arrangement — we will tell you when that is the case.
Quoted fees do not include court filing fees, government charges, taxes, or costs paid to third parties or outside vendors, which are billed separately. No fee arrangement or statement on this page guarantees a particular result or outcome; results depend on the facts and circumstances of each matter.
This page is attorney advertising and general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. — ClearScope Counsel, LLC
// Next step
Get a number before you commit.
Request a flat-fee quote or book a consultation. No attorney-client relationship forms until conflicts are cleared and an engagement agreement is signed.