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You are here: Home › Vermont Drone Services › Vermont Drone Data Collection › Expert Testimony for Drone/sUAS Cases and Prosecutions › Consulting and Witness Service Fees

Consulting and Witness Service Fees

  • Retainer. $3,500 in advance. To be paid before starting work for a new client, or on a new case. Will be applied only toward daily or hourly fees. Cannot be applied toward expenses, travel costs, or any other fees/costs. Additional time over the above retainer is billed at specified hourly rates. This retainer fee is non-refundable.

  • Regular Hour Fee. $300/hour, per person, plus expenses.

  • Travel Time/Expenses. $150/hour, per person, plus all expenses. Any travel and/or transit between, to, and from any location.

    Travel expenses include all means of travel from portal to portal plus meals and lodging at our discretion. Airfare to include Business Class or First Class (unless unavailable). Lodging to include TripAdvisor 4 to the 5-star rated hotel (unless unavailable). Car rental to include Premium SUV or Luxury SUV (unless unavailable). Costs of all air travel, car rental(s), and hotel(s) are to be prepaid by the client before the start of travel. Other travel expenses and costs payment may also be required in advance for any trip. Photocopies/prints, meals, taxis/Uber/Lyft, ferries, parking, and all other miscellaneous travel and other expenses, fees, and costs incurred will be billed after the trip.

  • Deposition. $1,250.00/day plus $425/hour, per person, plus expenses. Client rate or opposing party if applicable. $1,250.00 is to be paid at the beginning of a deposition and includes a maximum of three hours. $425.00 for each additional hour is to be paid after the deposition, on the day of the deposition. A $750.00 fee will be charged for any deposition, arbitration, mediation, or trial testimony canceled or rescheduled with less than 72 hours notice. If the opposing attorney does not pay the fee in full on the day of the deposition, fees will be billed to the retaining client’s law firm.

  • Arbitration, Mediation or Court Appearances. $1,250.00/day plus $500/hour, per person, plus expenses. $1,250.00 includes a maximum of three hours. $425.00 for each additional hour is to be paid after each arbitration, mediation, or trial day. A $750.00 fee may be charged to for any deposition, arbitration, mediation, or trial testimony canceled or rescheduled with less than 72 hours notice. If the opposing attorney does not pay the fee in full on the day of the arbitration, mediation, or trial, fees will be billed to the retaining client’s law firm.

    Includes expert witness sworn testimony at any trials, arbitrations, mediations, and hearings. Nonclient rate or opposing party if applicable. All outstanding fees, travel expenses, plus a flat rate of $1,250.00 are to be paid at least 3 days before the day of trial, mediation, or arbitration testimony.

  • Stand-by/On-call Fee. $1,250.00/day, per person, plus expenses. Fee per day when placed “on-call” or “on stand-by” but not called on to testify or perform other services.

  • Emergency Services. Rate x 1.5. Quoted fees are for work performed during our normal working hours, Monday through Friday, 10am-5pm EST or EDT. For emergencies, high-priority jobs, or any time work is scheduled by the Client outside of our normal working hours, on a Weekend, on a State or Federal Holiday, or should extend beyond eight (8) consecutive hours, any excess time will be 1.5 times the respective rate.

  • Subcontractor Work. Fee + 15%. Testing, rental of specialized equipment, and professional services requiring the hiring of a subcontractor will be charged at full cost plus 15%.

  • Secretarial and Inspection Assistance. $150.00/hour, per person, plus expenses.

  • Additional Expenses. Client will be billed for any additional time not covered by the retainer, all materials, and expenses associated or incurred on the file or production thereof. Payment of such billing will be due on receipt. Auto milage: $0.56/mile. RAW Photographs: $25/each. Edited Photographs: $50/each RAW Video: $25/minute. Edited Video: $125/every 2 minutes. In-house photocopies/prints: $0.15/page. Photocopies/prints by Copy Center/Print Shop: cost plus 15%.

Consulting and Witness Agreement

This agreement between usrbingeek LLC/Vermont Drone and the client listed below will serve as a binding contract.

usrbingeek LLC/Vermont Drone reserves the right to request payment in advance for the time, materials, and projected expenses for any deposition, hearing, trial, or any work or consultation performed outside Chittenden County of Vermont.

ALL FEES MUST BE PAID PROMPTLY AND IN FULL REGARDLESS OF A THIRD PARTYʼS FAILURE TO PAY THE CLIENT, OPINIONS EXPRESSED, OR OUTCOME OF LITIGATION.

All contracts or agreements with usrbingeek LLC/Vermont Drone are entered into in the judicial district of Burlington, Vermont (Chittenden County). If it is necessary to file a claim to collect on outstanding charges, any legal proceedings will be brought in the Vermont jurisdiction closest to where Steven Mermelstein resides and usrbingeek LLC/Vermont Drone offices are located. Client submits to such jurisdiction and waives any objection to venue and/or claim of inconvenient forum.

Any interest, penalties, reasonable attorney fees, time spent, Small Claims Court filing fees, collection agency fees, or other costs incurred by usrbingeek LLC/Vermont Drone in an attempt to collect on past due accounts will be added to the total amount owed by the client.

Clients must pay a retainer and all invoices by US check and/or credit card in US Funds. Clients are required to provide valid credit card information and pay at least $1,000 of the retainer by credit card. Client shall agree to the option to save credit card during checkout to allow us to charge future invoices to the credit card if payment is not received within 30 days of receipt of invoice. Any outstanding charges will automatically be billed to the credit card. If a credit card is declined and/or invoice is not paid in full within 31 days of any billing date, a monthly service charge of $45.00 will be added to the account along with interest applied to the balance at a rate of 18% APR until paid in full. We reserve the right to refuse to perform additional work on any file until:

  1. (i) the previous billing is paid in full, and
  2. (ii) advance payment in full is made for any additional work requested.

I am authorized to sign into an agreement and fiscally obligate my firm, company, or organization, and have read the attached fee schedule and terms, and agree to the fees, terms, and conditions.


Client Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ___________________
Client Name (Print): ________________________________________________________________________
Witness: _____________________________________ Date: ___________________
Witness Name (Print): ________________________________________________________________________
Firm, Company or Organization: _________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________________
City: ________________________________ State: ________ Zipcode: _____________________
Phone: __________________________________ Fax: ___________________________________
Email: ____________________________________________________________________
Credit Card Authorization (Circle one): Visa Master Card American Express
Name on Credit Card (Print): ____________________________________________________________
Credit Card Number: ____________________________________________________________
Expiration Date: month:________ / year:________ CRV (3 or 4 digit Security Code on back): _______
Amount of $3,500 Retainer to be charged to credit card: $_____________ (Must be at least $1,000.00).
Balance of $3,500 Retainer paid by enclosed check: $_____________ (if applicable).

Please email the above to us.