Chicago family law / Fees by service
What Collaborative Divorce Representation Costs in Chicago
Limited-scope representation for collaborative divorce is a flat fee for a defined task, quoted after a consultation.
Initial consultations are free for people seeking to hire an attorney. Your fee is confirmed in writing before you engage the firm.
Your next step
Book a Free Consultation
Looking to hire an attorney? Answer the required questions and choose a consultation. The calendar opens after the required answers confirm your scheduling readiness. Your answers stay on this page and are not saved or sent with the booking.
Initial consultations are free for people seeking to hire an attorney. Representation fees and the scope of work are confirmed separately.
The initial consultation is free for people considering hiring an attorney. This question asks whether you need the legal work itself to be free.
This concerns paid representation, not a charge for the free initial consultation. The fee depends on the work and is confirmed in writing. Choose a timing category only; do not provide amounts, account information or case details.
These programs set their own eligibility and availability. Contact the provider to find out whether it can help.
Calendly connects to the firm’s live schedule. Completing its booking form creates a real appointment. Save confidential details for private intake.
Choose the help you need and answer the required questions.
Booking does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Acceptance and engagement terms are confirmed separately.
Fee structure: Collaborative divorce
When you consider the firm's fee for collaborative divorce, start with the work you want the firm to handle during the negotiated collaborative process. The full-representation fee shown below uses an initial payment plus monthly payments. Limited-scope work has a flat fee quoted for the defined task after a consultation; call 312-965-5618 for a quote.
| Service level | How it is billed | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Full representation | Initial payment plus monthly payments | Initial payment of $1,500 to $2,500, then $500 to $650 per month beginning 30 days after the initial payment while representation remains active. |
| Limited scope: one defined task | Flat fee | Quoted after a consultation. Call 312-965-5618 for a quote. |
Limited-scope work is billed as a flat fee for a defined task. Full representation is billed as an initial payment plus monthly payments.
Full-representation fees cover drafting, collaborative meetings, presenting your agreed settlement for court approval and phone calls within the agreed scope. Expert fees and court filing costs are separate, are paid by the client and are not advanced by the firm. The written agreement confirms the fee, the covered work and separate expenses before you engage the firm.
Limited scope compared with full representation
Both options are confirmed in writing. Compare what each covers before you choose.
Limited scope (flat fee)
- Reviewing a proposed collaborative settlement as a defined task
- Reviewing financial disclosures for a specific negotiation issue
- Drafting agreed settlement terms for the defined task
- Preparing you for a particular negotiation meeting
Full representation (initial payment plus monthly payments)
- Drafting collaborative settlement terms and documents covered by your agreement
- Presenting your agreed settlement for court approval
- Phone calls about your collaborative negotiations and settlement documents
Usually outside the quoted fee
- Expert fees, paid separately by you and not advanced by the firm
- Court filing costs, paid separately by you and not advanced by the firm
- Additional work outside the agreed scope
Factors that move the total
The same case label can involve very different work. These factors shape the scope we quote.
Scope of representation
Limited-scope representation for a defined collaborative task has a flat fee. Full representation uses an initial payment plus monthly payments, and the scope of your written agreement controls what the fee covers.
Financial information
The amount of financial material to review and any gaps in disclosure can affect the work involved in preparing for negotiations.
Issues to negotiate
Parenting arrangements, support and property division may each require separate discussions and drafting. The issues you and your spouse still need to resolve help define the quoted work.
Meetings and revisions
Work outside the agreed scope is discussed and confirmed in writing. Ask the firm how meetings and drafting fit within your written agreement.
Other professionals
Discuss whether other professionals may participate and how their charges would be handled. Expert fees are separate from the firm's representation fee.
A change in approach
If your needs change, or you want help with a different task, that work is discussed and confirmed in writing.
Bring these to your consultation
- A list of the issues you have agreed on and those still open
- Available financial records showing income, assets and debts
- Your parenting priorities and any proposed parenting arrangements
- Any draft settlement terms or collaborative process documents
- Questions about the work you want covered and how payments would work
Collaborative divorce fees
Frequently asked questions
Pricing and process questions, answered in general terms.
How do I get a quote for collaborative divorce attorney fees?
You can discuss the full-representation fee shown above and the work you want covered during a consultation. Limited-scope representation has a flat fee quoted after a consultation about the defined task you want covered. The initial consultation is free for people seeking to hire an attorney. Call 312-965-5618 for a quote.
How does payment work for limited-scope and full representation?
Limited-scope representation is a flat fee for a defined task and is usually paid up front; in some cases, the fee can be paid in two installments. Our usual full-representation fee for collaborative divorce is an initial payment of $1,500 to $2,500, followed by $500 to $650 per month beginning 30 days after the initial payment while representation remains active. Your written agreement confirms the fee, the covered work and separate expenses before you engage the firm.
What does full representation cover?
Full representation covers drafting, hearings, motions and phone calls within the agreed scope, such as drafting settlement documents and presenting an agreed settlement at a hearing. Your written agreement controls what the fee covers. You pay expert fees and court filing costs separately, and the firm does not advance those expenses.
What if new issues come up during negotiations?
Work outside the agreed scope, such as additional issues or a different task, is discussed and confirmed in writing. Ask the firm how additional issues, meetings or drafting would be handled.
What should I tell the firm when I call about collaborative divorce?
Tell us which collaborative issues remain open, such as parenting arrangements, support or property division, and whether you have draft settlement terms. Explain whether you want help with a defined task or full representation so you can discuss the proposed scope.