What happens after you get in touch.
No mystery, no sales process. Six stages from first submission to resolution, three fee structures depending on the matter, and straight answers to the questions people ask before they call.
Six stages, in the order they happen.
- 01
Submission
You send the matter through the case form or by phone. Keep it factual: who the parties are, what happened, what deadlines exist. Do not send confidential documents yet.
- 02
Conflicts check
Before anything substantive is discussed, the parties you name are checked against existing and former clients. If a conflict exists, you are told immediately and no further information is taken.
- 03
Consultation
A call, typically within one business day of submission. The purpose is to establish whether there is a viable claim or defense, what it would cost, and whether this firm is the right place for it.
- 04
Engagement
If both sides agree to proceed, a written engagement letter sets out scope, fee structure, and what is excluded. No attorney-client relationship exists until that letter is signed by both parties.
- 05
Litigation
Pleadings, discovery, depositions, motion practice, mediation. You receive copies of everything filed and a plain-language explanation of what each step is for and what it costs.
- 06
Resolution
Settlement, dispositive ruling, or trial. Any settlement offer is presented to you with a recommendation and the reasoning behind it — the decision to accept is always yours.
Three structures, stated in writing.
Which one applies depends on the matter. Whichever it is, the number and its conditions appear in the engagement letter before any work begins.
Hourly
The standard structure for civil litigation and defense work. Billed against a retainer, with itemized statements showing time, task, and date.
Flat fee
Used where the scope is genuinely defined — a contract review, a single motion, a demand letter. Quoted in writing before work begins.
Contingency
Considered case by case, where the claim is for money damages and the merits support it. Costs and the percentage are stated in the engagement letter.
Asked before the first call.
- Is the first consultation free?
- The initial call to determine whether the firm can help costs nothing. A substantive strategy consultation may be billed, and you will be told before it begins.
- How quickly will someone respond?
- Submissions are reviewed personally and answered within one business day in nearly all cases. If your matter has a hearing or filing deadline inside a week, say so in the first line of your submission and call the office as well.
- Can I text the office?
- No. 239-207-0016 receives calls and voicemail only — it does not accept text messages. Use email at arcerilaw@comcast.net or the case form for anything in writing.
- Who will actually handle my case?
- The attorney. This is a one-attorney practice with no associates or support staff, so the person you speak with is the person who files, argues, and appears.
- Does submitting the form make you my lawyer?
- No. An attorney-client relationship begins only when a written engagement letter is signed by both you and the firm. Until then, do not send privileged or confidential material.
- How can I verify the firm's standing?
- Look up Florida Bar No. 104877 on the Florida Bar's public member directory. For litigation history, Collier County Clerk of Courts records are public and searchable by attorney name.
Ready to start? The case form takes a few minutes and goes straight to the attorney.
Submit a case→