Bret Gilliam: 2021 - Professional Fee Schedule

 

This will detail general billing fees for Bret Gilliam to serve as an expert witness and litigation consultant. Standard initial $5000 retainer for preliminary review of case materials and governing standards based on an hourly rate of $300/hour for time within the office. This retainer serves as a deposit for fees in the initial review of file materials. A detailed invoice will be sent itemizing fees and expenses deducted from this retainer. If the work exceeds the initial retainer, then an invoice for additional professional fees will be forwarded. (For defense cases funded by insurance companies, the original retainer is $10,000 due to the bureaucracy of getting paid on time.) Retainer is to be paid immediately upon receipt.

 

Depending on the client, once work is initiated, an advance invoice may be submitted for funds based on an estimate of projected work schedule and expenses including travel. That advance of funds varies from case to case. Terms: Net 30 days on all invoices (except advance travel expenses) for established clients with proven payment history.

 

Billing rates:

Out-of-office work is billed at $400/hour or a flat daily rate of $2500.

 

Deposition appearances are billed at a flat rate of $3500/day

 

Trial attendance (non-testifying) is $2500/day.

 

Trial testimony appearances are billed at $4500/day.

 

Trial consulting on location can be billed hourly at $450/hr. or at a flat day rate of $2500/day including meetings with attorneys, trial attendance, input and advice on witnesses, scripting of direct and cross-examination testimony, etc.

 

Travel days are billed at $1500/day for up to 10 hours in transit. After 10 hours of travel, an additional $150/hr. will be charged.

 

When deposition fees are the responsibility of opposing counsel, the flat rate fee of $3500 is payable in advance to Ocean Tech or by presentation of payment check before deposition begins. If the deposition is scheduled out of Maine, then payment must be received prior to travel.

 

Ocean Tech is a foreign British Virgin Islands consulting corporation (ID #BVI-447398) and there is no required U.S. tax reporting or 1099 forms to be completed.

 

Hotel and airline arrangements will be booked by Gilliam personally. Invoices for such expenses will be paid in advance or, with prior approval, within 10 days of normal billing cycle.

 

Gilliam has worked on over 350 cases as an expert witness since 1973. Work is nearly evenly divided between files for plaintiff and defense litigation. He has been appointed to serve as an expert in formal court martial proceedings for the U. S. Marine Corps and U. S. Navy. He has also tesified in criminal trial venues and served as a government forensic accident investigator and analyst.

 

Terms: retainer requirements, daily flat rates, and hourly fees are subject to change based on the client, payment record, and the amount of initial materials sent for review.

 

Policies for professional fees are set by Gilliam and Ocean Tech, not by clients. Without established record of payment, advance of fees will be required.

 

Contact:

Bret Gilliam, President

 

U.S. Address:

OCEAN TECH, 54 Stonetree Rd., Arrowsic, ME 04530

Phones: Direct Phone: 207-442-0998 (24 hrs.) Cell Phone: 207-841-0998

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.bretgilliam.com

 

International clients please email or call for specific shipping address. Routine mail correspondence may be sent to above address.