Fee Agreement Arrangements with Contract Lawyers in Minneapolis: 5 Most Important Issues

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In this article, I will discuss five most important issues that you need to know before you sign a fee agreement with contract lawyers in Minneapolis.

1. How is the lawyer’s fee paid? There are three main models of payment that lawyers use: hourly fee, contingency fee, and flat fee. The hourly fee is the most common form of contract lawyer compensation and it is fairly simple – the contract attorney is paid only based on the time he spends on the case. If you’re paying your contract lawyer by the hour, the agreement should set out the hourly rates of the contract attorney and anyone else in this attorney’s office who might work on the case. The contingency fee, where the contract attorney takes a percentage of the amount the client wins at the end of the case, is almost never used by contract attorneys in Minneapolis. In the unlikely case that this latter type of fee arrangement is used, the most important issue to understand is whether the contract lawyer deducts the costs and expenses from the amount won before or after you pay the lawyer’s percentage. Obviously, you will pay more in attorney fees if your contract lawyer deducts the litigation costs based on the latter scenario (i.e. after you pay the lawyer’s fee). Finally, in a flat fee arrangement, you pay an agreed-upon amount of money for a project. For example, you pay $3,500 to your contract attorney to create a standard independent contractor agreement. While a flat fee arrangement is possible in a small project, it is generally disliked by contract lawyers in Minneapolis because it often lacks the necessary flexibility to account for the client’s individual legal situation. Usually, some sort of an additional payment arrangement is built into such fee agreements to make sure that the balance between the client’s legal needs and the contract attorney’s fees is maintained.

Remember, usually, you will have to pay out-of-pocket expenses (e.g. long-distance calls, mailing costs, photocopying fees, lodging, etc.) and litigation costs (such as court filing fees) in addition to your contract lawyer’s fees.

2. Does the agreement include the amount of the retainer? Most contract lawyers in Minneapolis require their client to pay a retainer. Retainer can mean two different fee arrangements. First, retainer may be the amount of money a client pays to guarantee the lawyer’s commitment to the case. Under this arrangement, the retainer is not a form of an advance payment for future work, but a non-refundable deposit to secure the lawyer’s availability. Second, a retainer is simply the amount of money a contract attorney asks his client to pay in advance. In this scenario, the lawyer usually deposits the retainer in a client trust account and withdraws money from it for the work completed according to the fee agreement. The fee agreement should specify the amount of the retainer and when the lawyer can withdraw money form the client trust account (usually, on a monthly basis).

3. How often will you be billed? Most contract attorneys in Minneapolis bill their clients on a monthly basis. Sometimes, however, when the project is small, the fee agreement will specify that you will be billed upon completion of the case. In a flat-fee scenario, it is likely that the client will be obligated to pay either a half or even the whole amount immediately as a retainer. It is wise for a client to insist in paying some part of the fee upon completion of the case to retain a degree of control over the case completion.

4. What is the scope of the contract attorney’s representation? Most contract lawyers in Minneapolis will insist on defining their obligations in the contract. The most important issue here is to state what the contract attorney is hired for without defining it either too narrowly or too broadly. Usually, a fee agreement should specify that a new contract should be signed if you decide to hire this contract lawyer to handle other legal matters.

If you are hiring a large or a mid-size law firm, beware that the partners in a law firm often delegate some or all of their obligations to their associates or even their staff. While the partners retain full responsibility for the case, there is a danger that important parts of it may be delegated to far less experienced associates. Besides the potential quality issues, there is also a concern that you would be paying a large hourly fee for a first-year associate’s work. It is important to insist that the fee agreement specifies what, if any, type of work is being delegated to the associates, the corresponding billing rate of each associate involved, and who carries the responsibility for the whole case.

5. Who controls what decisions? Whether this information should be included in the fee agreement really depends on the case and on an attorney. Generally, contract attorneys in Minneapolis let the client to make the important decisions that affect the outcome of the case (such as: acceptance or rejection of a settlement offer, commencement of a lawsuit, financial and personal contractual issues, et cetera). All of the decisions with respect to the legal issues (such as: where to file a lawsuit, what motions should be filed, what should be in the contract, negotiation tactics, etc.) are usually taken by the contract lawyers. If there are any changes to this arrangement (for example, you want your lawyer to make certain decisions with the respect to the outcome of the case), you should insist that these modifications be reflected in the contract.

Generally, before you sign the fee agreement, contract lawyers in Minneapolis will discuss with you many more topics than what is covered in this article. The five issues explained here, however, are crucial to your understanding of how the business relationship with your contract attorney will work. Before you sign the fee agreement with your lawyer, you should ask at least these five questions and make sure that the answers are complete and to your satisfaction.

Tax Lawyers in Minneapolis: Three Most Important Questions You Should Ask

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When you are about to hire a tax lawyer to help you with a tax issue, there are three fundamental questions that you need to ask him.

1. What percentage of the practice is devoted to the tax law? The purpose of this question is two-fold. First, you will figure out whether this tax lawyer likes handling cases in your area of law. If a Minneapolis attorney devotes more than 20% of his practice to tax law, you know that he likes this area of law and will be enthusiastic about your case. This means that, in addition to his general due diligence obligations, this tax lawyer will have a professional interest in your case. Second, generally, a tax lawyer who devotes 20% or more of his practice to tax law is likely to have good experience in this area.

2. How will I be billed? Generally, Minneapolis tax lawyers will bill you on an hourly basis, particularly in a tax litigation setting. They will provide you with a general estimate of your future expenses, which, understandably, will vary with the progress of the case. In a tax preparation or sometimes even in a simple tax planning case, a tax attorney may also offer a flat fee option. Where there are complex tax planning issues involved, however, most Minneapolis tax lawyers are likely to charge on an hourly basis. Similarly, Minneapolis international tax lawyers tend to rely on the hourly fee arrangements.

The more important issue with regard to this question is the manner in which you will be billed. Here, the practice varies among tax lawyers in Minneapolis. Some tax attorneys may require you to supply a large retainer which is later deposited in a client’s trust account; if the retainer is later depleted, your lawyer may ask you to replenish it. Other tax lawyers will require a smaller retainer and will then bill you on a monthly basis. If the latter option is proposed by your tax lawyer, you should ask for a sufficient time period (usually 10-14 days) to pay your bill. A mix of these options is also available. You will find that Minneapolis tax lawyers, especially solo practitioners, are rather flexible in their choice of the payment mode, but, once the fee agreement is signed, they will be firm in insisting that you comply with the terms of the agreement.

3. Will the tax lawyer devote his personal attention to your case? This question is very important, especially in the context of mid-size and large law firms, because in those firms the partner with whom you signed the agreement will generally delegate some of his responsibilities to his associates, who are generally less experienced in the area than the partner. In this case, you should insist that the tax attorney with whom you signed the agreement devotes his personal attention to your case and delegates only marginal matters to his associates. Generally, tax lawyers in Minneapolis who operate as solo practitioners or in small firms do not have similar problems.

The other important issue involved in this question is whether your tax attorney is generally responsive to your calls and keeps you up-to-date with respect to the progress of your case. Most tax lawyers in Minneapolis are very busy people; yet, you must insist that you would be able to communicate with them. In my practice, I devote a great deal of energy and time to make sure that my clients do not feel neglected and have the latest information about their case. For example, my firm has a rule of returning most calls within two hours after the client calls. I also make sure that the communication details are discussed during the first meeting. Usually, in additional to bi-weekly phone updates, I also send out a monthly written update, which generally includes a brief summary of events and copies of all relevant documents and materials, including communications with the other party.

In conclusion, by asking these three questions to tax attorneys in Minneapolis, you will make sure that the tax lawyer you are choosing is congruent to your interests and character.

Business Lawyers in Minneapolis: Three Most Important Questions You Should Ask

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When you are about to hire a business lawyer to help you with a business issue, there are three fundamental questions that you need to ask him.

1. What percentage of the practice is devoted to the business law? The purpose of this question is two-fold. First, you will figure out whether this business lawyer likes handling cases in your area of law. If a Minneapolis attorney devotes more than 20% of his practice to business law, you know that he likes this area of law and will be enthusiastic about your case. This means that, in addition to his general due diligence obligations, this business lawyer will have a professional interest in your case. Second, generally, a business lawyer who devotes 20% or more of his practice to business law is likely to have good experience in this area.

2. How will I be billed? Generally, Minneapolis business lawyers will bill you on an hourly basis, particularly in a business litigation setting. They will provide you with a general estimate of your future expenses, which, understandably, will vary with the progress of the case. In corporate organization or corporate governance cases, a business attorney may also offer a flat fee option. Flat fees may also be used for some corporate document drafting or certain legal services supplemental to your business issues. For example, a business attorney in Minneapolis might charge a flat fee for a board memorandum or review of your current business lease agreement.

The more important issue with regard to this question is the manner in which you will be billed. Here, the practice varies among business lawyers in Minneapolis. Some business attorneys may require you to supply a large retainer which is later deposited in a client’s trust account; if the retainer is depleted, your lawyer may ask you to replenish it later. Other business lawyers will require a smaller retainer and will then bill you on a monthly basis. If the latter option is proposed by your business lawyer, you should ask for a sufficient time period (usually 10-14 days) to pay your bill. A mix of these options is also available. You will find that Minneapolis business lawyers, especially solo practitioners, are rather flexible in their choice of the payment mode, but, once the fee agreement is signed, they tend to be firm in insisting that you comply with the terms of the agreement.

3. Will the business lawyer devote his personal attention to your case? This question is very important, especially in the context of mid-size and large law firms, because in those firms the partner with whom you signed the agreement will generally delegate some of his responsibilities to his associates, who are generally less experienced in the area than the partner. In this case, you should insist that the business attorney with whom you signed the agreement devotes his personal attention to your case and delegates only marginal matters to his associates. Generally, business lawyers in Minneapolis who operate as solo practitioners or in small firms do not have similar problems.

The other important issue involved in this question is whether your business attorney is generally responsive to your calls and keeps you up-to-date with respect to the progress of your case. Most business lawyers in Minneapolis are very busy people; yet, you must insist that you would be able to communicate with them. In my practice, I devote a great deal of energy and time to make sure that my clients do not feel neglected and have the latest information about their case. For example, my firm has a rule of returning most calls within two hours after the client calls. I also make sure that the communication details are discussed during the first meeting. Usually, in additional to bi-weekly phone updates, I also send out a monthly written update, which generally includes a brief summary of events and copies of all relevant documents and materials, including communications with the other party.

In conclusion, by asking these three questions to business attorneys in Minneapolis, you will make sure that the business lawyer you are choosing is congruent to your interests and character.

Contract Lawyers in Minneapolis: Three Most Important Questions You Should Ask

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When you are about to hire a contract lawyer to help you with a contract issue, there are three fundamental questions that you need to ask him.

1. What percentage of the practice is devoted to the contract law? The purpose of this question is two-fold. First, you will figure out whether this contract lawyer likes handling cases in your area of law. If a Minneapolis attorney devotes more than 15-20% of his practice to contract law, you know that he likes this area of law and will be enthusiastic about your case. This means that, in addition to his general due diligence obligations, this contract lawyer will have a professional interest in your case. Second, generally, a contract lawyer who devotes 20% or more of his practice to contract law is likely to have good experience in this area.

2. How will I be billed? Generally, Minneapolis contract lawyers will bill you on the hourly basis. They will provide you with a general estimate of your future expenses, which, understandably, will vary with the progress of the case. In contract drafting situations, a contract attorney may also offer a flat fee option, but, usually, there will be an additional charge when contract modifications are likely. Flat fees are almost never used in contract litigation.

The more important issue with regard to this question is the manner in which you will be billed. Here, the practice varies among contract lawyers in Minneapolis. Some contract attorneys may require you to supply a large retainer which is later deposited in a client’s trust account; if the retainer is depleted, your lawyer may ask you to replenish it later. Other contract lawyers will require a smaller retainer and will then bill you on a monthly basis. If the latter option is proposed by your contract lawyer, you should ask for a sufficient time period (usually 10-14 days) to pay your bill. A mix of these options is also available. Finally, in a contract drafting situation, some contract attorneys require a large flat fee right away with modifications paid for later upon completion of the contract. You will find that contract lawyers in Minneapolis, especially solo practitioners, are rather flexible in their choice of the payment mode, but, once the fee agreement is signed, they tend to be firm in insisting that you comply with the terms of the agreement.

3. Will the contract lawyer devote his personal attention to your case? This question is very important, especially in the context of mid-size and large law firms, because in those firms the partner with whom you singed the agreement will generally delegate some of his responsibilities to his associates, who are generally less experienced in the area than the partner. In this case, you should insist that the contract attorney with whom you signed the agreement devotes his personal attention to your case and delegates only marginal matters to his associates. Generally, contract lawyers in Minneapolis who operate as solo practitioners or in small firms do not have similar problems.

The other important issue involved in this question is whether your contract attorney is generally responsive to your calls and keeps you up-to-date with respect to the progress of your case. Most contract lawyers in Minneapolis are very busy people; yet, you must insist that you would be able to communicate with them. In my practice, I devote a great deal of energy and time to make sure that my clients do not feel neglected and have the latest information about their case. For example, my firm has a rule of returning most calls within two hours after the client calls. I also make sure that the communication details are discussed during the first meeting. Usually, in additional to bi-weekly phone updates, I also send out a monthly written update, which generally includes a brief summary of events and copies of all relevant documents and materials, including communications with the other party.

In conclusion, by asking these three questions to contract attorneys in Minneapolis, you will make sure that the contract lawyer you are choosing is congruent to your interests and character.

Effect of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion on the Self-Employment Tax on Business Activities Oversees

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In this essay, I would like to explore the relationship between the self-employment tax and the tax exclusion of income earned by the U.S. businesses abroad.

The self-employment tax is a social security and Medicare tax on net earnings from self-employment. A self-employed U.S. citizen or resident must pay self-employment tax if his net earnings from self-employment are at least $400. In tax year 2009, the maximum amount of net earnings that is subject to the social security portion of the tax is $106,800, while all net earnings are subject to the Medicare portion of the tax.

Despite the commonly-held belief, in calculating his self-employment tax liability, a U.S. citizen or resident must take all of his self-employment income into account, even if this income is exempt from income tax because of the foreign earned income exclusion. For example, suppose A, a U.S. citizen, provides consulting services in a European country as part of his business activities. Under the independent contractor agreement, A is paid $120,000 for his services; A’s total business deductions are $50,000, and his net income is therefore $70,000. A can successfully exclude $70,000 from taxable gross income (the exclusion for year 2009 is up to $91,400). He, however, must pay the self-employment tax on all of his net profit, including those $70,000 that he excluded from taxable income.

Similar rule applies to U.S. citizens or residents alien who own and operate a business in the U.S. possessions (Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Self-employment tax must be paid on all of the self-employment income (as long as it is $400 or more) derived from such businesses, even if the income is exempt from the U.S. income taxes. Schedule SE (Form 1040) must be attached to the U.S. income tax return. If the owner of the business is a resident of any of the U.S. possessions and he does not have to file Form 1040, then the self-employment tax should be determined on Form 1040-SS. Residents of Puerto Rico may file the Spanish-language Form 1040-PR, Self-Employment Tax Form — Puerto Rico (Spanish Version).

While non-resident aliens generally are not subject to the self-employment tax, they still have to pay the tax on self-employment income received while they were resident aliens, even if such income was paid for services performed while they were non-resident aliens. For example, royalties received by a U.S. resident for the intellectual property created while this person was non-resident alien.

Finally, one must be aware that the United States has entered into social security agreements (also known as Totalization Agreements) with foreign countries to eliminate duel coverage and duel social security tax payments for the same work. Hence, the social security taxes (including the self-employment tax) are paid only to one country. If a person’s self-employment earnings should be exempt from foreign social security tax and subject only to U.S. self-employment tax, he should request a certificate of coverage from the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of International Programs. The certificate will establish this person’s exemption from the foreign social security tax.

To establish that one’s self-employment income is subject only to foreign social security taxes and is exempt from U.S. self-employment tax, this person must request a certificate of coverage from the appropriate agency of the foreign country. If the foreign country will not issue the certificate, he should request from the U.S. Social Security Administration a statement that his income is not covered by the U.S. social security system.