A: Stephen
E. Gillen, Authoring Attorney, Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC:
"Agents (and
attorney-agents) will represent you, help you place your work, and assist
with the negotiation of the contract for 15 percent of whatever you
earn from that work for as long as it is being sold.
Attorneys generally
work on an hourly basis at anywhere from $150/hour to more than
$600/hour (with the rate driven largely by their years of experience
and location -- major metro areas on both coasts have the highest
overhead rates and thus the highest per-hour fees). It can take
anywhere from 2 to 20 hours to review, mark up, and negotiate a publishing
contract. The time is more a factor of: (i) the value and complexity
of the deal and (ii) the role you want the lawyer to play, than
it is a factor of the number of pages. Many lawyers will provide
a brief initial consult at no charge and, after a quick look at the
contract, give you an estimate of how much time they think it will
take."
A: Paul
Rosenzweig, TAA Council member:
"Cost is secondary
to WHICH attorney. If you're considering the guy or gal "down
the block" who also does wills and real estate closings, then
any price is too much, ie: walk away. If you are considering
a specialist in intellectual property, then ask for his/her hourly
rate, because it's a function of time (and the publisher). Further, just
having the attorney reviewing the document may be only part of the assignment,
since you should utilize the attorney as your contract negotiator for
all changes."
