Hiller Law

Michael Hiller is the attorney behind Hiller Law. The about page states: "With over 34 years of experience in family law and mediation, Michael Hiller is a Texas Board-Certified family lawyer committed to helping families navigate some of life's most challenging moments." It says he began his legal career "in a small Houston law firm nearly thirty-five years ago" and moved away from a litigation-first approach toward one emphasising relationships, communication and tailored solutions.

The high net-worth divorce page describes him as "a Texas Board-Certified family lawyer and member of the American Academy for Certified Financial Litigators (AACFL)" with "over 35 years of experience", and says he "was one of the first mediators in Texas and has confidentially handled high net worth cases throughout his career." The divorce page calls him "a Texas Family Law Specialist with over 35 years of experience, particularly in the Houston and Central Texas areas." The marital agreements and property division pages both say "over 30 years of experience." These figures are quoted as the site states them; they are not consistent with one another, and the site does not publish an admission date, bar number, law school or licence number.

Property division. The page states that in Texas, a community property state, assets acquired during the marriage are jointly owned "but may not always be divided 50/50 in a divorce", and that a split "could be 60/40, 55/45, or another proportion" depending on circumstances. It lists marital property such as real estate, furniture and artwork, bank accounts and investments, retirement accounts and pensions, vehicles and boats, and business interests and intellectual property, and notes that assets owned before marriage, inheritances and gifts may be separate property. The firm says it works with outside professionals to value businesses, collectibles and intellectual property, and that if a case focuses solely on property it can streamline the process.

Mediation. The mediation page says Michael Hiller "offers mediation with or without attorneys", that sessions "typically last two hours", and that half-day and full-day options are also available. It describes mediation covering child custody and parenting plans, spousal maintenance, child support, and division of assets and debts, and says it is "not recommended in cases involving abuse, coercion, or financial dishonesty." It distinguishes private mediation, where couples choose and share the cost of a mediator, from court-ordered mediation. No mediation rates, fees or prices are published.

Hiller Law describes a "life and legacy planning" estate planning practice covering Wills, Trusts, Health Care Directives and Powers of Attorney. The page says the firm helps individuals, couples, parents with children, middle and high net worth families, LGBTQ families, and pet owners.

On fees, the page states: "We have thoughtfully packaged what we do into customizable options for you and your family, and all of our fees are flat-rate and agreed to in advance so there are no surprises." That is the only published statement about how estate planning is priced. No dollar amount, rate or fee schedule appears anywhere on the site, so the cost of a particular plan has to be quoted by the firm.

Location and contact. The office address published on the contact page is 3701 Bee Caves Road Suite 102, Austin, TX 78746. The phone number is 512-360-9100, written elsewhere on the site as (512) 360-9100. Email is service@hillerlaw.com on the contact and home pages; the about page shows services@hillerlaw.com. The area served, per the home page footer, is "Serving Clients in Austin and Throughout Texas", with the property division page referring to "Austin and Central Texas" and the divorce page to "the Houston and Central Texas areas."

Consultation. The contact page states: "CONTACT US FOR A FREE 30 MINUTES CONSULTATION". The estate planning page offers "Schedule Your Free 30-Minute Consult" and describes it as a complimentary consult. A "Get Started" button appears in the site header on every page.

The divorce page describes representation in both uncontested and contested Austin divorces. It states that uncontested divorces "can move along rather quickly when the divorcing couple agrees on property division, spousal support, child custody, and child support", and that a case becomes contested when one spouse challenges any of those matters. It explains no-fault and fault-based grounds in general terms and notes that "Fault-based divorces are far more contentious and more expensive." It says a case may be resolved in court, through collaborative divorce, or in mediation.

The high net-worth divorce page lists the issues the firm says it handles: CEO and corporate officer concerns; investments including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate and annuities; family business valuations; family offices and charitable foundations; high income, profit distributions, commissions and bonuses; jointly held and multifaceted retirement accounts; life insurance policies and annuities; unique investments and trusts; multiple properties across states and countries; intellectual property including trademarks, copyrights and patents; and high-value assets such as recreational vehicles, watercraft and private aircraft. It says the firm can "Accurately value businesses and properties", "Uncover hidden assets", "Mitigate tax impacts" and trace separate property back to its source.

These are things people ask Hiller Law that its published information does not yet cover.

• prices
• availability
• retainer amounts, hourly rates or flat fees
• case outcomes, results or settlement values
• filing deadlines or statutes of limitation
• legal advice about a specific matter
• office hours or appointment slots
• bar admissions, licences or certifications