Austin · Travis, Williamson & Hays Counties

Know where you stand
before you spend
another dollar fighting it.

A business relationship went wrong — a partner, a vendor, a contract that didn't hold. Before you fight it, get a straight read on whether it's worth fighting, from a litigator who has spent twenty years on both sides of exactly this kind of case.

Two flat fees. No hourly clock. Priced before we start, not after.

Why Pay For An Assessment?

Most firms do this work. They just hide the bill.

A dispute isn't won in the courtroom — it's won in the decision about whether to fight at all. That's the read a litigator gives you before you spend a dollar: is this worth pursuing, what's it actually worth, and what's the smartest next move. Every firm worth hiring does some version of this thinking before taking a case.

The difference is most firms do that thinking after you've already signed on, then bill it to you hourly, buried inside the first invoice. You never see it as a line item — you just pay for it, whether or not the case turns out to be worth pursuing.

Confidence isn't the same thing as being right. An evaluation tells you which one you have.

We price that assessment upfront instead, as its own flat fee. You get the litigator's read before you decide anything else — and if you move forward, that fee is credited toward what comes next.

How It Works

Two flat fees. You choose where to start.

STEP ONE

Dispute Evaluation

$1,250
Credited toward a demand letter or representation if you proceed
  • • Full review of your contract, correspondence, and the relevant paper trail
  • • A written assessment of whether you have a viable claim, and how strong it is
  • • A realistic view of what the dispute is likely worth
  • • Your options laid out plainly — demand letter, negotiation, suit, or walking away
  • • A recommended path, and what the next step would cost
  • • A call to walk through all of it
Book a Free 20-Minute Call
STEP TWO

Demand Letter

from $750
The claim assessed, if you haven't done an evaluation (or credited if you have)
  • • A letter on firm letterhead: the facts, the legal basis, and the specific remedy demanded
  • • Certified delivery with proof of receipt
  • • One round of revisions before it goes out
  • • Handling the initial response it generates — scope defined with you upfront
Book a Free 20-Minute Call
Not sure which one you need? If you're not sure whether you have a case, or what it's realistically worth, start with the Evaluation. If you already know what happened and what you want, and you just need a lawyer's letter to apply pressure, start with the Demand Letter. Either way, the Evaluation fee is credited if you move to the next step.
Specifically chasing an unpaid invoice? Debt collection is its own flat-fee service — statutory demands at $1,500 per debtor, sworn account suits, and a free collectability screen first. See our collections process →
Need something drafted or reviewed instead of a dispute resolved? Formation, contracts, leases, and Outside General Counsel are all flat-fee too. See all business services →
Patrick Hotze — Founder, Ridgeline Legal
Experience
20 Years
Recovered
$200M+
Licensed
TX & D.C.
Education
UT Austin
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

A litigator's judgment, applied to the dispute in front of you.

Before founding Ridgeline, Patrick spent two decades in complex litigation, co-founding a practice that recovered more than $200 million for clients across mass tort, pharmaceutical liability, and industrial accident matters. Past results don't guarantee future outcomes — but twenty years of litigating disputes teaches you exactly where contracts break and how the other side thinks.

Every matter is handled and reviewed by Patrick personally — the same judgment, whether it's a partnership dispute or a six-figure vendor fight.

Common Questions

Straight answers, before you call.

What is a Dispute Evaluation, and why does it cost money?

It's a flat-fee assessment of a business dispute: we review your contract and paper trail, tell you whether you have a viable claim and what it's likely worth, and lay out your options and their costs. Most firms do this same work — they just bill it hourly after you've signed on, so you never see it as a line item. We price it upfront, and it's credited toward a demand letter or representation if you proceed.

How much does a demand letter cost?

From $750, with the complexity of your matter taken into account. It's drafted on firm letterhead, states the facts and legal basis, and specifies exactly what you're asking for. If you've already done a Dispute Evaluation, that fee is credited.

How do I know if I need an Evaluation or a Demand Letter?

If you're not sure whether you have a case, or what it's realistically worth, start with the Evaluation. If you already know what happened and what you want, and you just need a lawyer's letter to apply pressure, start with the Demand Letter. Either way, the Evaluation fee is credited if you move to the next step.

Does hiring you mean you'll win?

No one can promise an outcome, and we won't pretend otherwise. The Evaluation gives you a realistic, litigator's read on your position and options — not a guarantee. Past results, including the $200 million-plus recovered across Patrick's career, don't predict any individual case's outcome.

What areas do you serve?

Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties, from our office in West Lake Hills.

Twenty minutes tells you where you stand.

Free, no obligation. You'll know the flat fee and the path before you hang up.

Book a Free 20-Minute Call
Prefer to talk now? Call (512) 643-5185
Booking a call does not create an attorney-client relationship. This page is for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.