You deserve to know what something costs before you commit to it.

Cost is one of the first things people wonder about when they’re considering hiring an attorney, and one of the last things most law firms want to talk about. We think that’s backwards.

Legal fees are a real concern, and we take them seriously. That’s why we’ve structured our practice around giving you a clear picture of what your matter will cost before you decide to move forward.

How We Charge

We work primarily on flat fees.

That means after your consultation, you’ll receive a quote that covers your matter through completion, not just the next step, not just through the hearing, but the full scope of work. One number, defined scope, no surprises when the invoice arrives. You shouldn’t have to brace yourself before opening a bill from your lawyer. With Ellen Williamson Law, you won’t.

Flat fee pricing only works if we know what we’re doing. To quote a fee with confidence, we have to understand what a matter actually requires, where cases move efficiently, and where they don’t. After years of practice focused exclusively on Texas estate planning, probate, and guardianship, we’ve built that picture. That experience is what lets us give you a number at the end of your consultation for the defined scope of work and stand behind it.

Think of it the way an experienced painter quotes a job. She can’t give you a one-size-fits-all price, she needs to see the room first. But once she does, she can tell you exactly what it will cost, because she can calculate how much paint and how many hours of labor she’ll need. No two matters are identical, which is why we gather the details of your situation during your consultation before quoting a fee. But that means you’ll get a flat fee tailored to your specific case, not a one-size-fits-all fee.

What About Unusual Cases?

We won’t pretend every matter fits neatly into a flat fee. Some cases are complex enough, or uncertain enough at the outset, that a hybrid structure is the fairer approach for everyone. When that’s the case, we’ll tell you, and we’ll provide a clear estimate before proceeding.

For context: over 90% of our new cases last year were handled on a flat fee. It’s our default, not the exception.

Why this Matters

Hourly billing can feel more accessible at first, the initial retainer may be lower, and the commitment feels smaller. But without knowing where the meter stops, it’s hard to make a clear-eyed decision about whether to move forward, or to plan realistically once you do.

Nobody wants to get halfway through building a house and find out they can’t afford to finish. Knowing the full cost of your options upfront means you can begin with the end in mind and call us with questions along the way without hesitating over the clock.

Flat fees align our interests with yours. We both want your matter resolved correctly and efficiently. There’s no incentive on our end to let things drag, and no reason on your end to avoid reaching out.

Flat fee billing isn’t the industry standard, yet. We think it should be, which is why it’s ours.