Free Consultation

Seidl & Seidl offers FREE Consultation on all Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Worker’s Compensation, and Social Security matters.

Consultations and Partial Schedule of Fees

• Contingent Fee Arrangements (Fee based on a percentage of recovery) are available for Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Workman’s Compensation, and Social Security cases. Consultations for these matters are FREE.
• Consultations in Hourly Cases are $240 for family law matters (up to a half hour) and $240 for non-contingent fee cases (up to an hour).
• Simple Will preparation is $150 for an individual and $200 for a married couple. More complex wills are charged at an hourly rate.
• Hourly Rates are currently $240 per hour for most cases including Domestic Relations (Divorce and Separation) and other Family Law matters.
• Mediations are charged by the rate of $250 per person ($500 flat fee) for a standard 2 hour mediation session. This also includes the Memorandum of Mediation drafted at the conclusion of the two hour mediation session. There is an additional non-refundable $25 administrative fee due upon contacting the Firm to schedule mediation.
• Fee information relative to other cases or consultations is available upon request here.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I schedule an appointment for mediation and how much does it cost?

To schedule an appointment please call our office (319) 377-9770 and speak with a Mediation Assistant to complete an intake and schedule a mediation appointment. If our office is closed, and we are not able to answer the phone, please leave your name, phone number and a good time to return your call, and a Mediation Assistant will get back to you as soon as possible.

The cost of mediation is a flat fee of $250 per party for the two-hour mediation session. This flat fee must be paid at the time of scheduling, and includes two hours of mediation, drafting of the Memorandum of Mediation and e-filing of the Certificate of Attendance with the Court. Should the parties and Mediator decide to mediate past the two hours, the parties shall be jointly and severally liable for all fees incurred on their behalf at $100 per hour per party. Each party’s responsibility for payment shall be as follows: 50% and 50%.

2. What information do I need when scheduling my appointment?

When you call to schedule mediation, a Mediation Assistant will ask you for your name; address; phone numbers (cell, home, work); your attorney’s name; phone; and fax number; the County in which the case has been filed; the case number (this is located in the upper right section of your legal documents usually beginning with CDDM, DRCV, LA, or EQ followed by some numbers); and if you plan to have your attorney attend. Prepayment is required upon scheduling.

3. Can I schedule the mediation for both parties?

No. Each party will need to contact the Mediation Assistant to complete the intake questionnaire and set the mediation.

4. Should I schedule only one two-hour appointment or additional appointments?

Depending on the issues, mediation may take only one two-hour session. At the beginning of the first session, the mediator will spend a short amount of time discussing the mediation process and discussing the issues you and the other party would like to resolve first. If you and the other party are communicating, more can be accomplished at the initial two-hour mediation.

5. At the conclusion of the initial mediation, may I schedule another session?

Yes, this is encouraged when matters remain unresolved. Additional mediation may be scheduled at the conclusion of the initial mediation session.

6. Can we go longer than our scheduled appointment?

Usually the Mediator has appointments scheduled immediately following your set appointment. But, if there is not another appointment after you, you may go longer. The additional time must be prepaid before continuing the mediation session and/or immediately paid in full at the end of the mediation session and will be charged at the reduced rate of $100 per participant for the additional hour ($200 total for the additional hour).

7. How long do I need to mediate to satisfy the Court ordered Mediation?

A one-hour minimum appointment will satisfy the Court Order requiring mediation (explanatory time used to satisfy the mandatory part of the mediation uses 15-20 minutes of the first hour). Therefore, for mediation to be as effective as possible it should be scheduled for a minimum of two hours. To help reduce your cost we reduce the fee for any additional hours scheduled after the first two hours.

8. What happens if I cancel my mediation appointment?

If you must cancel your appointment, cancellation must be made at least 48 hours in advance of your scheduled appointment or you each will forfeit your entire mediation fee.

9. What should I bring with me to mediation?

Bring with you any documents, legal pleadings (financial affidavit, Child Support Guidelines Worksheet), calculations, calendars, prior agreements, drawings, photographs, appraisals, etc., that would be helpful to illustrate your position.

10. Can my attorney attend the mediation with me?

Yes, but it is not necessary, particularly if you are participating in a regular mediation session. On the other hand, having attorneys at facilitated settlement sessions may be helpful or necessary. If you do choose to have your attorney accompany you to mediation, please contact your attorney and they will advise you in this matter. If your attorney will be accompanying you, please let our Mediation Assistant know.

11. What happens before the mediation session?

After making an appointment, you will be sent a letter confirming your appointment. Also sent with the letter will be a two-page Initial Pre-Mediation Questionnaire. You will need to fill it in and return the Initial Pre-Mediation Questionnaire to arrive at our office at least three business days prior to your mediation session.

12. Does the mediator take sides in the dispute?

No. The Mediator provides a non-adversarial environment for the participants to work together with the mediator to explore alternative ideas and ways to reach agreement. The mediator is a neutral facilitator working to create a positive atmosphere conducive to settlement for all parties.

13. Can mediation involve more than two parties?

Yes, it is better to limit those attending to those directly involved and not spectators or support people. Please advise us if you desire to have someone other than your attorney attend mediation with you.

14. What type of issues are mediated?

Family law disputes including both Temporary and Permanent child custody and physical care, child support, contempt matters, health insurance coverage, noncovered medical expenses, post-secondary education subsidy, miscellaneous and extracurricular fees for the children, transportation costs for visitation, life insurance for the benefit of the children, tax dependency exemptions, alimony, health insurance for the parties, life insurance for the parties, income tax credit/liability, pension and retirement accounts, bank accounts, stocks, bonds, securities, vehicles, real estate, personal property, attorney fees and Court costs.

15. What if one or both parties is subject to a “No Contact Order”?

Please disclose this information to the Mediation Assistant right away. If a No Contact Order is in place this will prevent the parties from lawfully being in each other’s presence and communicating. In such circumstances, Mediation cannot take place. You must contact your attorney to consider whether to have the No Contact Order modified in order for the mediation to occur.