Thank you for choosing The Sarah Horowitz Law Group to assist your family with an adult adoption. This letter confirms our discussion regarding your employment of our firm and describes the basis upon which we will provide legal services to you. If you agree with the terms in this letter, please sign and date the acknowledgment below and return to us at our first meeting.
Scope of Representation. You have asked us to represent you with regard to an adoption in the State of Maryland for . Our representation includes an analysis of the facts of your case, filing the Petition for Adoption with the Superior Court of the State of Maryland, and representing you throughout all legal proceedings related to the adoption. You may limit or expand the scope of my representation from time to time, provided that any substantial expansion must be agreed to by my law firm. While we would be interested in assisting you in other matters, unless we are specifically engaged for some other future matter this letter will confirm that our representation of you is limited to the foregoing matters and will end when they are concluded. After the adoption is completed, we shall have no obligation to advise you of subsequent changes in the laws of the State of Maryland, and thereupon and thereafter you will not be considered to be an ongoing client of this firm.
Responsibilities of Law Firm and Client. We will provide only legal services, as previously described in the “Scope of Representation” section of this engagement agreement. We will keep you apprised of developments and will consult with you as necessary to ensure the timely, effective, and efficient completion of my work. You acknowledge that we cannot guarantee either the outcome or the timing to complete legal services on your behalf. You agree to be truthful and cooperative with me, to respond to our inquiries and communications promptly and to provide promptly all information known or available that may be relevant to our engagement. You will provide us with factual information and materials as we require in order to perform the foregoing services. You acknowledge and agree that you remain responsible for making all business or technical decisions and that you are not relying on us for accounting, tax, personal financial matters or business management, and related non-legal matters and advice.
Fees. You agree to pay a flat fee for our legal services in the amount of $. This flat fee does not include other costs incurred as a result of your legal matter, such as court filing fees, administrative fees, etc. The full amount is due with this signed engagement letter as a retainer. Your initial deposit will be kept in an IOLTA account until we file your petition with the court. You understand that this law firm is not retained until the signed original engagement agreement is returned to the law firm, including the corresponding retainer.
The fee for the legal services described in this Engagement Letter is the amount set forth herein, unless Sarah Horowitz has expressly agreed to a different fee in writing, including by email. In that event, the separately agreed-upon fee shall supersede the price quoted herein.
Termination. You may terminate this representation at any time with or without cause by notifying us writing of your desire to do so. Upon receipt of the notice to terminate representation, we will cease all legal work on your behalf immediately. You will be responsible for paying all legal fees, expenses and disbursements incurred on your behalf in this matter until written notice of termination is received by my firm. To the extent permitted by rules of professional responsibility and the court, we may terminate our representation at any time if you breach any material term of this agreement, fail to cooperate or follow our advice on a material matter, if a conflict of interest develops or is discovered, or if there exists, at any time, any fact or circumstance that would render us continuing representation unlawful, unethical, or otherwise inappropriate.
Electronic Data Communication and Storage. In the interest of facilitating our services to you, we may communicate with you or others by email, facsimile transmission, send data over the Internet, store electronic data via computer software applications hosted remotely on the Internet, or allow access to data through third-party vendors’ secured portals or clouds. Electronic data that is confidential to your case may be transmitted or stored using these methods. In using these data communication and storage methods, we make reasonable efforts to keep such communications and data access secure in accordance with my obligations under applicable laws and professional standards. You recognize and accept that we have no control over the unauthorized interception or breach of any communications or data once it has been sent or has been subject to unauthorized access, notwithstanding all reasonable security measures employed by me or my third-party vendors. You consent to my use of these electronic devices and applications and submission of confidential client information to third-party service providers during this engagement.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
