HARTWELLANDVALE

A small firm that answers its own phone. Plain language before legal language, always.

The first hour

You talk, we listen, and we say plainly whether we are the right firm. That hour is free - sometimes the advice is to go elsewhere.

Scope, fees, and dates in one readable page before any billable minute. You keep a copy, we keep to it.

Every matter ends with a written summary of what was done, what it cost, and what it means for you next.

The systems

EstatesHandled by the partnerWills and probate are partner work here, not delegated down. The person who signs is the person who drafts.

LitigationPriced by the stageEach stage of a dispute is quoted before it runs. You decide whether the next step is worth it, every time.

ContactOne number, one lawyerYou get the direct line of the lawyer running your matter. No gatekeepers, no ticket systems.

LanguageTranslated, not simplifiedEvery position explained twice: once in legal language for the record, once in dinner-table language for you.

Telemetry

0first consultation, no fee

0hours to a first written position

0years of combined counsel

Figures are illustrative - replace with real numbers before publishing.

Field notes

What does the first meeting cost?+

Nothing. It exists to find out whether we are the right firm. Sometimes the best counsel is a referral elsewhere.

How are fees set?+

By the stage, quoted in the engagement letter before the stage starts. We have never sent a surprise bill and do not intend to start.

Will I speak to a lawyer or an assistant?+

The lawyer running your matter, on their direct line. Assistants help with paper, not with counsel.

Inquiries

The next step takes less than a minute - and Hartwell And Vale handles the rest.

Hartwell And Vale — Counsel for what matters.