The fees that lawyers charge for their services vary, so if you are wondering what a military discharge upgrade lawyer will cost, you will probably need to inquire with several law firms to obtain pricing information. At National Security Law Firm, we aim to provide transparent and reasonably priced legal services to our clients. More importantly, however, we pride ourselves on providing our clients with experienced and high-quality legal representation.

When it comes to your military discharge upgrade, it is important that you understand that your case may involve a two-step process. You will first have the opportunity to petition the board for an upgrade in writing.  In the event that your written submission is denied, you will then have the opportunity to request an in-person hearing to present your case.  Thus, it is important that you understand the fees that your chosen lawyer will charge for both of these scenarios so that you can plan accordingly.

At National Security Law Firm, our fees are as follows:

  • Free 30 minute consultation

  • $4,500.00 flat-fee for a written petition with exhibits

  • $6,000.00 flat-fee should your case require a hearing (all costs, including attorney travel fees, are included)

Understanding How Military Discharge Upgrade Attorney Fees Work

At the National Security Law Firm, we are truly transparent in our fee structure.  There are never any hidden costs or fees and we will never ask you for additional money to represent you in the written petition or hearing process. Moreover, you should be aware that some attorneys are very clever in their fee structures and make it sound like their services are lower in cost when they truly are not. If you are shopping around for a military discharge upgrade lawyer, we cannot stress how important it is for you to understand how your attorney charges, as well as exactly what is included — and not included — in their fee.

More specifically, while an attorney may quote you a certain “flat fee” for their services, they may charge extra for travel expenses, additional time spent on your case, or try to sell you additional services to obtain information that is needed to competently complete your case. For example, the vast majority of our discharge upgrade cases require us to file a request under the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) for your complete personnel records.  Although this service (as well as any other service needed to complete your case) is included in our flat-rate fee, other attorneys charge additional, hidden fees to submit FOIA requests. Thus, when you are shopping around for a military discharge upgrade lawyer, it is important that you ask plenty of questions so that you understand exactly how their fees work.

At the National Security Law Firm, our fees are honest, simple, transparent.  Moreover, we believe that our fees are very competitive and reasonable, given the amount of time, attention, and effort that we will devote to your case. While we understand that hiring a military discharge upgrade lawyer is a significant financial commitment, the old adage, “you get what you pay for,” must be kept in mind. It is highly unlikely that an attorney who charges very low fees for written petitions is going to devote a substantial amount of his or her time to your case. In addition, attorneys who charge very low fees at the petition stage may be incentivized to have your case proceed to a hearing in order to earn additional fees.

No Charge Consultations

At the National Security Law Firm, we understand how important the consultation phase of the representation process is, and we never charge clients for consultations. Most law firms charge consultation fees ranging anywhere from $100.00 to $300.00 and, in fact, will not even release their pricing information to you until you pay the consultation fee.

We understand, however, that the consultation process is just as much — if not more — important for the client than it is for the lawyer. The consultation is your opportunity to interview the prospective law firm to determine whether or not they are a good fit for you not only financially, but also from a personal perspective. Your time is just as valuable as ours. Thus, we do not think it makes sense to charge you a fee in order for you to determine whether or not we are a good fit for you or can even help you.

Nationwide Military Discharge Upgrade Lawyers

If you have any questions about the military discharge upgrade process or wish to discuss your case with an experienced military discharge upgrade lawyer, call us today for a free, confidential, no-pressure consultation. You can reach us at (202) 600-4996.