Why Choose Alan W. Cohen

Alan W. Cohen, Attorney at Law

Practice Areas:

• Family Law (Divorce, Paternity, Child Custody, Post-Divorce Modification, Civil Appeals)

Education:

• Washington University (J.D., 1987)
• University of Missouri at Columbia (B.J., 1981)

Bar Admissions:

• 1987 Missouri
• 1988 Illinois

Memberships:

• Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (Member, Family Law Section)
• American Bar Association
• The Association of Trial Lawyers of America

Selecting a Lawyer:

• What factors are most important?
  Reputation, experience, accessibility/responsiveness, compatibility, style, negotiating skills, and fees.

• Are these listed in order of importance?
  Sort of. Reputation is definitely the most important, especially to judges. Judges more often believe lawyers with good reputations.

• How do lawyers charge for their services?
  Ethical lawyers charge an hourly rate. Be wary of lawyers who charge a success fee that many family law attorneys consider unethical. I went to one lawyer who said that he would charge a percentage of the settlement. Isn’t this a good deal for someone without access to financial resources? No. Contingency fees in divorce case have been outlawed in most (possibly all) states.

• What do you consider reasonable?
  Each case is different with fees ranging from several hundred dollars to over $100,000 in contested custody matters.

• The lawyer I selected asked for me to pay a retainer. Is this appropriate?
  Yes. Lawyers are entitled to get paid like everyone else.

• She also said that her hourly rate of $150 per hour would be subtracted from the retainer. Is that reasonable?
  Hourly rates vary greatly from area to area and from lawyer to lawyer. You have to ask other lawyers in your area with similar experience.

• How do I know if the time charges are accurate?
  There is no iron-clad way of knowing, but insist on an itemized statement and compare the charges to time you know that was spent, for example, if you spoke to the lawyer for 15 minutes are January 30, make a record of the call and compare it with the invoice.

• I trust this lawyer, but lack funds for a retainer. What can I do?
  If your spouse controls the family’s money, you may be entitled to ask the court for counsel fees pedente lite, which means that the court may order your spouse to pay fees to your lawyer at the outset.

• How important is experience?
  Very. Inexperienced lawyers cave in to pressure too easily or take unrealistic positions, insisting on fighting losing wars to the death.

• I heard horror stories about lawyers not returning calls and not filing pleadings in a timely manner.
  That’s why accessibility and responsiveness are listed. More complaints are lodged with state bars for not returning phone calls than any other reason. Don’t be shy--ask about how calls are handled.

• I know all this is important, but I just don’t feel comfortable with the so-called perfect lawyer.
  You are the most important player in the legal drama--your lawyer works for you in this team effort. Trust your gut. If it doesn’t feel right, it may be wrong.

If you or someone you know in Missouri is in need of Family Law Legal Services, please contact Family Lawyer Alan W. Cohen at (314)863-8800 or via the contact form in right column for prompt and considerate attention.

Discliamer: The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. The information at this website is neither legal advice nor is it intended to be. Your use or access of the information on this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please call to discuss your specific legal situation with an attorney.