Determining the cost of defending a case will depend on a number of factors including the nature of your criminal law problem, its complexity, and our legal objective. This is why your first meeting with Mr. Swartz will be at no charge to you. We generally require a partial deposit of funds (initial retainer) before taking active steps in your defence, with payment of the remaining fees as agreed upon. Fees and services are generally billed on a block-fee basis for criminal matters and on an hourly or contingency fee basis for civil matters