You may approach a lawyer's office like you approach a dentist's office – you believe it's going to be painful – not in your mouth, but in your pocketbook. You don't know how much it's going to cost, and you're afraid to ask. All you know is it could cost a lot.
 

You are the client and must pay the fee and expenses. In some cases that go to court, a judge may award a partial or full fee to be paid by the other side, but this does not release you from the obligation to pay your lawyer. Some fee judgments are not collectable and others cover only a part of the services rendered.