
Shea Meehan
Shea Meehan is a human being with a license to practice law. He created Consult With Shea because he has a passion for helping people. He believes that sound legal advice can promote well-being—mental, physical, and economic—which is what he wants for each of his clients.
Why are so many attorneys so expensive?

In general, private-practice attorneys are very expensive. Only the well-off or people can afford their services. There are many reasons for this.
Perception of Price and Quality
There is a perception amongst clients that more expensive attorneys are better. While many top-notch attorneys demand high rates, it is not always the case. The perception of higher rates equating to greater quality causes attorneys who are not necessarily the best to charge very high rates too because many people perceive that paying a lot means getting the best. So, all attorneys are encouraged to charge top dollar so that they are not perceived as being less capable than attorneys who charge more.
Perception of Supply and Demand
There is a perceived lawyer shortage in America. In reality, there is a lawyer shortage in parts of America—particularly rural areas—but growth of the number of attorneys overall has generally kept up with or exceeded population growth. There are also particular practice areas, including but not limited to public defense, that are perennially short of attorneys because of low pay and bad working conditions. Nonetheless, the perception of a lawyer shortage supports high prices for legal services.
Tradition
Law is not just expensive for those who pay out of pocket—generally by the hour. It is also expensive for those who are working with attorneys on a contingent fee basis. People who work with attorneys on a contingent fee basis often feel like they are getting free legal services—until the end, when the attorney keeps between 30% and 40% or an award or settlement. Generally, the client also covers the out-of-pocket costs of representation too. In some states, like Washington, it is an “ethical” requirement that a client remain responsible for costs. In the case of a million-dollar settlement, it would not be unusual for an attorney to get $350,000 and the client to get $500,000 to $600,000 after costs are paid. Even though there is benefit to the client in not having to pay money up front and not risking fees paid in the event there is no recovery, contingent fees are still very expensive. High contingency fees also make it difficult for people with good personal injury cases to find attorneys who are willing to represent them on an hourly basis.
Law Firm Overhead
Operating a traditional law firm involves substantial overhead expenditure. Attorneys are highly paid, which is part of the issue. But it also costs a lot to have a receptionist, secretary, paralegal, and other staff. Even a very small firm will most often need one professional dedicated just to business operations—billing, account reconciliation, payroll, etc. While these functions can be contracted out to third parties or accomplished using technology, that costs money too. Then there is IT, legal research, and software. Law firms don’t have the expense of maintaining paper libraries anymore, but the electronic publishing companies that provide legal research services are not inexpensive by any means. Office space costs money too. And clients have an expectation that good attorneys have good office space. All of this adds up and makes up a substantial portion of the fees at most firms. Often, overhead takes up between 35% and 70% of a firm’s net revenue—before partner compensation is paid.
Price of Legal Education
A long time ago, colleges and universities realized that they could make a lot of money with law schools. They set tuition very high. Often the tuition is covered by federally guaranteed student loans. So, the schools get rich while the students go into enormous debt. The average law school graduate has $130,000 in student loan debt! This makes earning money a necessity. It also shapes the perception of attorneys that they should be highly compensated throughout their careers. No doubt the “law school industrial complex” contributes to the high price of legal advice.
Why does Consult With Shea cost less than other law firms?
Consult With Shea is my attempt to make law more affordable so that everyone can have the opportunity to talk to a lawyer. I will have to battle against the perception that “more expensive means better.” My background as a successful attorney in a traditional practice and how I work with people are my primary weapons in the battle. It is a battle I am willing to fight. I have also eliminated unnecessary overhead that I would need to pass along to clients in my fees. Consult With Shea, P.C. is Shea. Now and in the future it is intended to be a virtual, attorney only practice. If people need services offered by a more traditional law firm model with attorneys, secretaries, paralegals, and other staff, that’s fine. But people should not have to pay traditional law firm prices just to talk to an attorney if they don’t need all that additional support. In my practice, clients only pay overhead that is necessary to satisfy their needs. Lastly, I have been an attorney for a long time. I was blessed to go to law school in a day when it was not so expensive, and debt was not such an issue. So, my perception is different than many other attorneys practicing law today. Ultimately, Consult With Shea costs less by design and because of my desire to make legal advice accessible.
Conclusion
Lawyers are generally expensive. Some of it is justified. A good lawyer truly can be worth their weight in gold. Some services could be delivered more efficiently, but that will require adjustments by attorneys and clients. Some of the high prices arise from tradition. Some of it comes down to ego and greed. Hopefully, more and more attorneys see the opportunity to tailor their services and overhead to offer more opportunities for everyday people to get legal advice. Making headway with that trend is part of my goal.