Florida Family Law Advisory · Compare
How Carolan Family Law compares to the alternatives you are weighing.
Three honest comparisons. Independent advisory only. I will not take over your case. Each path begins at a flat $695 consultation.
Every engagement begins with one 60-minute consultation. Flat fee $695. Credited in full toward any engagement signed within 48 hours.
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Carolan Family Law vs. Hiring a New Litigator
Switching counsel of record in an active Florida family law matter is a major structural decision. An independent written read on the current strategy is a smaller one. The two solve different problems.
| Dimension | Carolan Family Law | New Litigator |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Independent advisory only. Never counsel of record on a second-opinion matter. | Counsel of record. Files, appears, litigates. |
| Fee model | Flat fee, scoped at the $695 consultation. Standard Second Opinion range $3,500 to $12,500 by depth band; Bespoke matters quoted custom. | Hourly against an evergreen retainer in Miami-Dade. $350 to $750+ per hour, retainers commonly $7,500 to $25,000+ with replenishment. |
| Deliverable | Written report you own. Issue map, posture analysis, settlement-range realism, strategic options. | Ongoing representation. Pleadings, motions, hearings, mediations. |
| Conflict posture | No financial incentive to litigate. No case takeover. Structurally independent of the strategy under review. | Compensated for activity on the matter. Strategy and revenue point in the same direction. |
| Transition cost | None. Current counsel of record stays in place. | Substitution of counsel, file transfer, ramp time on the matter, often a new retainer. |
| Timeline | Standard 30 days from countersignature. Expedited 14 days or Rush 7 days available as flat-fee upcharges. | Tied to the docket, depositions, mediation, and final hearing calendar. |
Choose Carolan Family Law when
- You want an independent read on whether the current strategy is the right one before you change anything.
- Mediation, deposition, or hearing is on the calendar and you want preparation independent of the team executing.
- You are weighing settlement and want a written sanity check on the numbers before signing.
- Current counsel may be doing fine and you want that confirmed in writing by a senior attorney.
Choose New Litigator when
- Trust in current counsel has fully broken down and you have decided to substitute.
- You need someone to file, appear in court, or actively litigate the matter going forward.
- The relationship cannot be repaired and a written read will not change that.
Independent advisory. No case takeover. Begin at the $695 consultation →
Carolan Family Law vs. Mediation Only
Florida mediation is a powerful settlement vehicle, and a neutral mediator is exactly that, neutral. A Second Opinion adds an independent advocate's read on what is in front of you, before or after the mediation session.
| Dimension | Carolan Family Law | Mediation Only |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Independent advisory for one party. Written analysis of posture, options, and the deal on the table. | Neutral facilitator. Same room with both parties. Cannot advise either side. |
| Output | Written report and two video calls. Portable. Yours to keep. | Mediator's report on impasse or signed Marital Settlement Agreement at session end. |
| Whose interests are scoped | Yours. The work product is written from your seat at the table. | Both parties at once. No party has the mediator as advocate. |
| When it fits the calendar | Before mediation, between sessions, or after impasse to scope what comes next. | On the day of the scheduled mediation session. |
| Fee model | Flat fee, scoped at the $695 consultation. Standard Second Opinion range $3,500 to $12,500. | Per-session flat fee for the mediator. Separate from each party's counsel fees. |
| Strategy independence | Conflict-free by design. No appearance, no transfer, no ongoing matter. | Neutrality by design. Cannot tell either party what to do. |
Choose Carolan Family Law when
- You want an independent advocate's written read before walking into mediation.
- Settlement language is in front of you and you want a sanity check before signing.
- Mediation ended at impasse and you want a strategic plan for what comes next.
Choose Mediation Only when
- Both parties are ready to negotiate together and want a structured session.
- The matter is uncontested or near-uncontested and you need a vehicle to paper the deal.
- Court-ordered mediation has been scheduled and both sides need a neutral.
Independent advisory. No case takeover. Begin at the $695 consultation →
Carolan Family Law vs. Hourly Family Law Consultation
A focused hourly consultation produces a verbal read. A Second Opinion engagement produces a written, portable strategic asset. The price difference reflects the difference in depth, time, and deliverable.
| Dimension | Carolan Family Law | Hourly Consultation |
|---|---|---|
| Fee structure | 60-minute consultation at flat $695. Credited in full toward any engagement signed within 48 hours. | Hourly rate, commonly $350 to $750+ per hour in Miami-Dade. Initial conversation often billed at one to two hours. |
| Format | Video, structured, with a follow-on written engagement letter and scoped flat fee. | Phone or office meeting. Notes optional. Usually no written deliverable. |
| Deliverable | Engagement quote in writing within one business day. Second Opinion produces a full written report. | Verbal read. Memory-dependent. No portable record. |
| Predictability | Flat fees throughout. No clock. No retainer replenishment. | Hourly accrual. Conversation length and follow-up correspondence on the meter. |
| Depth of review | Full record reviewed under the engagement. Financial affidavits, MSA, parenting plan, major discovery, procedural posture. | Whatever the attorney can absorb in the billed hour. |
| Independence | Never counsel of record on a second-opinion matter. No transfer. | Depends on the firm. Many hourly consultations are intake funnels for full representation. |
Choose Carolan Family Law when
- You want a written record of the analysis, not a verbal read you have to remember.
- You want the consultation fee to count toward the engagement, not vanish into an hourly bill.
- You want the reviewer structurally barred from taking the case over.
Choose Hourly Consultation when
- You want a quick verbal gut check from a litigator you are considering hiring.
- You are interviewing prospective counsel of record and want to meet several firms.
- The matter is so narrow that one billed hour fully answers your question.
Independent advisory. No case takeover. Begin at the $695 consultation →
Related reading. The Divorce Lawyer vs. Second-Opinion Attorney page covers the role distinction in depth. The Services page walks the five paths in order, and Who This Is For maps common Florida situations to the right path.