Where We Practice

Doug is actively licensed to practice law in California and Nevada and also holds an inactive license in Ohio. Commonly, business disputes occur entirely within state lines and all of the parties involved reside in the same state. If that is your situation and the dispute arose in a state where Doug is licensed, we are ready, willing and eager to assist you.

But business disputes often cross jurisdictional lines, and it is not uncommon for a business — or its opponent — to have a choice of venue. These venue choices may involve not only selecting the appropriate state, but may involve a choice between federal and state court, or between court and arbitration. With so many potential options, it is important to select counsel who understands the strategic implications of venue and has the experience to position your case in the forum most favorable to your objectives. Doug is a veteran of “venue fights” and has been admitted pro hac vice (for purpose of a single case) in federal and state courts throughout the country — including in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and other jurisdictions.

Thus, while our practice is focused on California and Nevada, we encourage you to contact our office with any matter to discuss your situation, your venue options, and whether we can be of assistance.

Fees

It is no secret that business disputes — whether in litigation, arbitration or even mere negotiation — can be expensive. At the Law Office of Douglas J. Billings, we are sensitive to these concerns and we vow to always be vigilant when it comes to controlling the legal fees and expenses our clients are incurring. With this in mind, we have two principals that we consistently apply.

First, we always seek to create a fee structure that is in the best interest of helping our client’s reach their legal objectives. For many clients, a classic hourly fee works best. But we are also happy to consider a contingency fee (a percentage of any recovery you may obtain), an hourly/contingency blend (a reduced hourly rate plus a smaller percentage of any recovery you may obtain), or a flat rate (a one-time fee, or a set fee per month) in any given case. Please contact us to discuss the best fee arrangement given your budget and the nature of your dispute.

Second, we know that your legal objectives cannot necessarily be divorced from the costs you incur to achieve them. We promise to always consider your legal expenses in determining the potential benefits of any given action, and to be transparent with you in this process. While no attorney can guarantee any outcome, a client has an absolute right to know that the expenses they are incurring are designed to be as cost effective as possible.