Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked on nearly every scoping call, answered before you have to ask them.
Are you a law firm, and is this legal advice?
No, on both counts. Deerfield & Falcone Law Consulting LLC is a business consulting firm. We are not a law firm, we do not employ the firm's clients' attorneys, and nothing on this website or in our deliverables constitutes legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship. Where an issue requires licensed legal judgement, we say so in writing and work alongside your counsel.
What happens on the first call?
Thirty minutes, no charge, no obligation. We ask what prompted the enquiry, what documents already exist, who owns them internally and what your deadline looks like. If we are not the right people, we will tell you on that call and, where we can, point you somewhere better.
How much does an engagement cost?
Most first engagements fall between $2,400 and $12,000 depending on document volume, headcount and framework. Retainers run from $3,400 per month. Every engagement is quoted as a fixed fee in a written proposal before work begins — see our pricing page for published ranges.
How long does an assessment take?
Two to five weeks from signed proposal to final report, with a median of nine business days from complete document intake to draft findings. Urgent audit-response work can usually begin within five business days.
Who will actually do the work?
A principal — in most engagements James Harris — from scoping through handover. We cap concurrent engagements specifically so this remains true. You will not be handed to a rotating team of juniors.
Do you work outside New Jersey?
Yes. Most clients are within an hour of Boonton, but we support document-led engagements across New York, Pennsylvania and nationally. On-site work outside the Tri-State area is quoted with travel agreed in advance.
How do you handle our documents?
Encrypted transfer and storage, access restricted to the named consultants on your engagement, no consumer file-sharing tools, and destruction on request at the end of the agreed retention window. Our confidentiality terms are mutual and signed before intake.
Can you work alongside our existing attorneys?
That is the normal arrangement. We brief your counsel rather than duplicating them, and every deliverable flags which items require licensed legal review before adoption. We take no referral fees in either direction.
Do you resell software or take vendor commissions?
No. We are independent. If a tool is genuinely the right answer, we will name several options and explain the trade-offs, but we receive nothing from any of them.
What if we want to stop mid-engagement?
Cancel before intake and any deposit is refunded in full. Cancel during intake and we refund the deposit less documented hours. After the draft assessment is issued there is no refund, but the draft is yours to keep and use.
Still unsure whether we are the right fit?
Call the office. If your question takes two minutes to answer, we will answer it in two minutes and you will owe us nothing.