Hi Mr. Freed,

Thank you for making time to speak. I understand this initial call is to gather information and determine next steps (not a full consultation yet). To make it efficient, here’s a brief, high-level background and a few questions.

Context
- I’m seeking a Missouri attorney trained in collaborative divorce. My spouse and I are aiming to keep this steady and out of litigation if at all possible, and we’re coordinating outreach to avoid conflicts.
- Parties: Karl Stiefvater (56) and Lisa Donahue (56) (for conflict checking: zinch@zizzerzinch.com).
- I’m currently in San Francisco, so phone/Zoom works best.

Immediate priorities (what I’m hoping to structure early)
- Timing: I’d like to slow the pace down responsibly while staying collaborative.
- Interim cash-flow/support so I’m not cut off while counsel/process is being set up
- Housing in San Francisco (rent is the biggest expense)
- Protect stability for my mom’s assisted living during the transition

Financial notes (high-level)
- Employment/income: I’m currently unemployed, have no current income, and don’t have anything lined up in the near term (I’m exploring options).
- I have no personal retirement savings and I’m concerned about retirement runway.
- Trust constraint: the corpus is locked in a trust to which I am not a beneficiary (I can’t access/touch the corpus). The trust limits on the inheritance came as a surprise to us, and we did not plan around access to those funds.

Questions
1) What specific information do you need from me first (intake form/questionnaire, or a short list)?
2) What do you recommend to slow the timeline down appropriately (e.g., a standstill/status-quo agreement while counsel gets aligned and interim arrangements are set)?
3) What’s a normal way to handle interim arrangements (shared accounts, bill-paying, avoiding either spouse feeling cut off) while counsel gets aligned?
4) What are the next steps/timeline if we decide to move forward (engagement, disclosures, first joint meeting)?
5) What are your rates (initial call/consult rate if applicable, hourly rates) and typical retainer range and billing cadence?

If you have an intake form, I’m happy to fill it out in advance.

Thank you,
Karl Stiefvater
+1 (415) 938-7275
qarl@qarl.com
San Francisco (Pacific)