Consultations

Employees generally visit our website for three (3) main reasons:

1.  They know their employer is violating the law and they want to learn how to take action.

2.  They suspect that their employer is violating the law and want to better understand their rights. 

3.  They received a severance agreement, non compete or non-solicitation agreement, or other employment agreement, and they want to better understand it and make sure they are protected before signing it. 

If you fall into one of these categories, a consultation is the place to start.

Dallas employment lawyer Barry Hersh offers consultations to executives, professionals, and other employees seeking understanding and strategic advice in connection with their employment circumstances, including whether an employer is violating the law, breaching an employment agreement, or wants them to sign an agreement relating to their work. Barry also helps employees develop strategies to minimize the legal headaches associated with changing jobs.

Below we've assembled answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about consultations.

• All consultations are confidential and by appointment only.
• Most consultations are conducted at the law firm's offices in Dallas. Telephone, Zoom, and Skype consultations are available for persons who reside outside the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex or have a physical or mental impairment that prevents them from attending an in-office consultation.
• Consultations generally last between one hour and an hour-and-a-half, sometimes longer, depending on the issues being discussed. Most often, an employee’s rights, duties, and options can be explained during a single consultation. If this isn't the case, however, Barry will make every effort to notify you in advance that additional attention may be necessary.
• Consultations are offered on an hourly and flat fee basis depending on the type of consultation. They generally are not free. In our experience with law firms that offer free consultations, you often get what you pay for. The one exception is consultations for overtime pay violations. Barry does not charge a consultation fee for consultations for overtime pay violations.
• Fees should not deter you from obtaining a consultation. Barry offers reduced fee consultations on a limited basis based on a number of factors, including the nature of your legal dispute and Barry's interest in your case. If you believe your circumstances merit a reduced fee consultation, please don't hesitate to ask.
• Barry reviews and provides advice in connection with severance agreements and non-compete agreement on a flat fee basis. The fee is based on, among other things, the length of the agreement, the number of agreements, the complexity of the issues, the existence of any deadlines, and other factors. All fees are communicated in writing before the consultation is scheduled. We've found that this flat fee approach for reviewing agreements affords executives, professionals, and others a level of cost certainty that allows them to better focus on their employment issues.
• For consultations with a fee, payment is due at the end of the consultation unless other arrangements are made. Cash and checks are accepted. Credit cards also are accepted.

If you're interested in scheduling a consultation, the first step is to complete and return the law firm’s Contact Us form. Be sure to include an e-mail address and telephone number where we may reach you. The law firm may not respond to incomplete forms.

• After we receive your Contact Us form, the law firm will provide you an intake questionnaire if we believe that we may be able to help you. If we don't think we can help you due to our caseload or any other reason, we will notify you.
• The intake form covers more detailed information so we can better understand your situation and prepare for your consultation.
• Be sure that your intake form answers are legible.
• Provide as much information as necessary for Barry to understand your situation.
• If your matter involves a contract, commission plan, e-mail, or employment policy, be sure to attach a copy of the document(s) when you return your intake form.
• It is also helpful for you to create two additional documents, time-permitting. The first is a "cast of characters” providing the name and a short description for each person relevant to the dispute. The second is a simple "timeline of events" detailing what happened and when. Both documents should be brief.
• In our experience, employees benefit more from our consultations when they spend a little extra time preparing their answers to the intake information.
• Intake forms may be returned to the law firm by e-mail, fax, or mail. Please return your intake information with enough time for Barry to properly review it.

Protecting the confidentiality of the information you send to the law firm in connection with your consultation is always important. If your workplace issue concerns your current employer, we strongly discourage you from communicating with us (or any law firm) using a computer, e-mail address, network copier/scanner/fax machine, or other device provided by your employer. This is because employers often monitor employee use of their resources. Information transmitted from a work computer or work e-mail address or over an employer's network may lose its protection as confidential.

Barry Hersh is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law
by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.