Request an Appointment.
Options available for complimentary consultations and paid strategy sessions.
30-minute call
Choose between Lauren or Alex based on practice area or location, or schedule with first available.
Situation overview
Tell us why you are seeking legal counsel and what your priorities are.
Candid read fit
A candid read of whether we are the right fit for one another. If not, a referral when we can offer one.
Scope and next steps
If we are a fit: scope discussion, fee structure, conflict checks, and next steps.
Clear, candid, concise.
Share
Tell us a little bit about your organization and what brings you to Commonlight.
Confirm
We run a conflict check and confirm we have the expertise you need.
Meet
Phone or video. Zoom or MS Teams. You tell us what is happening; we tell you what we see.
Decide
If an engagement makes sense,
we send an engagement agreement.
No surprises.
If an engagement follows, fees are structured around three things.
Sliding-scale rates by operating budget
| Tier | Operating budget | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Tier A | $5 million or more | $390 / hr |
| Tier B | $1 million – $5 million | $310 / hr |
| Tier C | $500,000 – $1 million | $275 / hr |
| Tier D | Under $500,000 | $230 / hr |
Fees tied to what you can afford.
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No. We represent the full range of tax-exempt entities (e.g., public charities, private foundations, 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations) and mission-driven companies with related legal needs, including AI and technology policy counsel for nonprofits and the companies that serve them.
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Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia. If you operate in one or more of the se jurisdictions, we have you covered. We cannot advise on issues beyond these four jurisdictions but can do our best to offer referrals upon request.
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Flat fees when scope is clear, subscription hours when ongoing counsel is the right fit, hourly when neither works. You always know what the bill will look like before we start.
We ask for a deposit for our work upfront. We then draw down on that deposit as the engagement proceeds. All of our work is documented and you have the opportunity to review our billed work monthly but without the headache of monthly payment processing.
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Yes. We have appeared before the Connecticut State Department of Education and prevailed on a complex administrative appeal in Connecticut Superior Court that is currently before the Appellate Court.
Our commitment to education matters runs deep. Lauren is a former Connecticut public school teacher and worked at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education. Alex is also a former U.S. Department of Education attorney in Washington, D.C., and currently serves as a trustee of Salem State University in Massachusetts.
Scheduling a consultation does not create an attorney-client relationship. That relationship is formed only after a consultation, our confirmation that no conflict of interest exists, and the execution of an engagement agreement. Until an engagement agreement is signed, no attorney-client privilege exists, and information you share through this site or in the initial consultation may not constitute confidential information. Our attorneys practice law only in jurisdictions in which they are properly authorized to do so: Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and New York.