FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Our hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. We are also available evenings and weekends by appointment. We are working remotely. All appointments are conducted by phone or videoconference.

In our practice, most people who contact us want specific advice they can use and rely on. A free consultation is not going to meet those needs, so we do not provide free consultations. 

For a reasonable fee, we provide a Coaching & Counseling appointment, which involves an in depth review and analysis of documents and a case evaluation followed by an appointment with our attorney. She will answer your legal questions and provide advice and opinions regarding your specific case. She will also strategize with you regarding accomplishing your goals. You are not obligated or pressured to retain us further and we will only recommend further legal representation if it is truly needed. Many clients only need a Coaching & Counseling appointment to get some advice and do not need further representation. 

We wish legal analysis could be that simple, but it is not. We may be able to provide a preliminary opinion regarding whether or not you have legal claims, but that opinion can change based on the facts and any defenses that may be asserted. To determine whether or not you have valid legal claims, a Coaching & Counseling appointment is needed because we need to review the evidence you have and gather information from you. We are unable to perform this analysis on a ten-minute phone call and case evaluations are performed for a fee. 

We do not track our rate of success like that. In addition, our definition of success could differ from yours. For example, obtaining a settlement could be a successful outcome to some but not others. What we can tell you is that we have a successful and effective practice, and we have achieved positive results in most cases we have handled. Of course, we cannot win them all, nor make everyone happy, but we try hard to do so and have a solid history of success.

Please click the Contact Us tab and submit an intake form. A member of our team will then contact you to discuss scheduling your appointment. You may also call us at (425) 322-2848. 

It is difficult to predict how much money a client could recover based on a brief conversation without knowing what defenses might be asserted. We may provide an estimate of your damages, but this estimate is subject to change. We cannot and do not guarantee recovery, but it is obviously our goal to maximize recovery in every case we handle.

We take some cases on a contingency basis depending on the facts and claims. We cannot take all cases on a contingency fee basis. We try to offer several fee arrangement options so clients can choose the option that works best for them. 

We provide pro bono representation through local non-profit and charitable organizations. We do not provide pro bono representation to individuals who call the office seeking free representation. We encourage those who are seeking pro bono representation to dial 211 and request the services of Northwest Justice Project or Snohomish County Legal Services. 

Our fees for legal representation are customized for each case and client. We offer flat, contingency, and hourly fee arrangements on a case-by-case basis. The hourly and contingency options usually require a retainer fee. We charge a flat fee for unemployment benefit determination appeals, which is based on the issues to be determined on appeal and the facts and evidence in your case. Coaching and Counseling appointments are provided at rates ranging from $500 to $1500, depending on the issues and work involved.

We do not typically offer payment plans. However, if we are made aware of a specific situation that would result in two to three installment payments, we may consider that.  Flat Fee arrangements require payment in advance of our work. Hourly fees are due upon receipt of an invoice. Contingency fees are usually paid to us directly from the defendant when a case settles or judgment is entered. If you have a unique financial situation, please talk to us about it. We are willing to work with you if there is a solid reasonable plan. 

(425) 322-2850

15117 Main Street, Suite 205, Mill Creek, Washington 98012.  We work remotely, however. We do not accept walk-ins and and conduct all appointments by phone or videoconference. 

We are not meeting in-person at this time. Appointments are conducted by phone or videoconference. 

No. We prefer to meet with clients one-on-one unless there is a valid reason for including another person, such as an ADA accommodation or court order. We have a number of reasons for this, including but not limited to confidentiality and the attorney-client privilege, not wanting anyone else to mistakenly believe we represent them, the risk of miscommunication, it creates more work for us and may increase our fees, and it can result in problems down the road. We appreciate that your spouse, family, and friends support you and understand how important it is to have their support. If they have questions, you can always ask us and relay our answers to them. If you must involve a third-party, please discuss this with us in advance.  

Yes. We prefer you you do so. You may complete the form by clicking the "Intake Form" button on the Contact Us page. 

It is okay if you do not know if you need legal representation. You obviously have a gut feeling that something is awry or you would not be on our website. Many people retain us to evaluate their situation so they can determine whether or not a legal claim is worth pursuing. Those who do not have strong legal claims to pursue usually find the investment in an appointment well worth it as they now have an answer and tips and strategies to use in the future. 

We can represent individuals and companies from out-of-state if their case is in Washington. For example, if a person works for a Seattle-based technology company out-of-state and signed an employment agreement that gives Washington jurisdiction, we can represent them. However, if a person works out-of-state for an out-of-state entity with no ties to Washington, we cannot represent them. Our attorney is licensed to practice law in state and federal courts in Washington only.

We probably can answer your question, but you will need to schedule an appointment. Nothing in the law is simple, so it will likely take more time than you think to answer your question. 

There is always a risk that your case will not yield the results you want. We cannot guarantee it will, but we will do our best to get you the justice you deserve. However, you need to determine if your legal issue is worth pursuing. You know your situation better than anyone and are in the best position to determine how a lawsuit may impact your life. While we are certainly here to help and want to be successful in every case we handle, the truth is that no attorney wins every case they have. In addition, cases are won and lost based on facts. While it is important to have a good attorney, it is not likely that the attorney's skills are going to be the reason you win or lose your case. Be assured that we work hard for our clients, and we want to win too. 

The Washington State Bar Association's website (wsba.org) offers an attorney directory. Users may search for attorneys licensed to practice law in Washington and obtain information regarding the attorney's firm, date admitted to the bar, license number, and contact information.   

You can also verify that Sapphire Legal is licensed to do business in Washington using the Washington Secretary of State's business lookup tool (sos.wa.gov). 

We consider the following factors when deciding if we will take a litigation case. 

- Conflicts. We identify conflicts between clients at the outset of a case. We prefer to handle cases that do not create a potential conflict. We cannot take a case if there is an actual conflict of interest. 

- Practice Area. We only take cases in our practice areas. 

- Jurisdiction. We cannot represent clients in court in any state but Washington.  

- Evidence. We prefer to take cases that have evidence over cases that are based only on witness testimony. 

- Procedural Background. We prefer to handle cases from the beginning rather than taking over a case that has been handled by another attorney or pro se. 

Strength of Claim - We obviously want to win our cases. We will take a case if we believe there is a strong likelihood of success. We will reject cases that involve weak claims or strong defenses.

- Client History/Character. We prefer to represent clients who do not have a history of making legal claims and who have strong reputations. Credibility is important.   

- Rapport.  We are more likely to represent a client with whom we easily developed a rapport versus someone who has been rude or demanding.  Cases take a long time to resolve and dealing with a difficult client for years is not enjoyable.

- Type of Claim. Some claims are more difficult to prove than others The easier the better. 

- Value of Claim.  The higher the value of the claim, the better.  We will most likely reject cases that involve claims worth only a few thousand dollars as attorneys' fees will likely exceed the recovery or our fee will be so small that it will not be worth the time we spend working on the case. 

- Our Caseload.  We consider how busy we are, the type of cases we have, and our current schedule. We will not take on a case if it will make our caseload or schedule unmanageable.  

- Deadlines. We are less likely to take a case if we are contacted at the last minute before a deadline. 

- Client Goals and Expectations. We will not take cases if unreasonable results or practices are expected. 

No.  We provide legal services, not an outcome or product.  Pursuing a legal claim involves risk, and you must decide if you are willing to accept that risk. We do not guarantee any outcome.