Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the matter. When you call, we tell you before anything is scheduled whether the initial consultation is billed and, if so, on what basis, and the arrangement is confirmed in writing before any work begins. Personal injury and Cook County property tax appeal matters are handled on contingency, and those pages explain how the first conversation works. For estate planning, real estate, tax and business matters, the answer is given before the appointment is made, never after.

By the kind of work. Defined work with a known scope, such as a will, a deed, a transfer-on-death instrument or an LLC formation, is usually quoted as a flat fee. Work whose length depends on the other side, such as an IRS collection matter, a probate or a negotiation, is usually billed by the hour against a written estimate. Personal injury claims are taken on contingency. Whatever the basis, it is stated in your engagement agreement before work starts, along with any processing fee on card payments.

Some matters begin with an advance deposit that is applied as fees are earned and invoiced; your engagement agreement says whether it is held in the firm's client trust account. We do not charge nonrefundable retainers: any part of a deposit that has not been earned is returned to you when the matter ends. The engagement agreement states the amount, where it is held and how it is applied.

Bring what shows the facts. Estate plan: a list of what you own and how it is titled, beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance, any existing will or trust, and the names of the people you would appoint. Real estate: the signed contract, any inspection report and your lender's contact. Tax: every IRS or Illinois Department of Revenue notice, the last three years of returns if you have them, and any letters already sent. Business: who owns what, any existing agreements, and last year's business return. If something is missing, come anyway.

It depends on who else is involved. An estate plan moves at the pace at which you return the questionnaire and make decisions, usually weeks. A real estate closing follows the dates in the contract. Probate runs on the court's calendar and the statutory period for creditor claims, so it is measured in months. IRS and Illinois Department of Revenue matters depend on the agency's processing times, which can be long for an offer in compromise or an appeal. At the consultation you get a timeline for your matter and the deadlines inside it.

No. An attorney-client relationship begins when the firm has run a conflicts check and you have signed a written engagement agreement. Until then, please do not send confidential or time-sensitive information: unsolicited information is not treated as confidential beyond what the law requires, and sending it does not prevent the firm from representing another party. If you have a deadline, say so on the first call.

The office is at 6600 W College Dr, Ste 207, Palos Heights, IL 60463, open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call (708) 722-2222 before your first visit if you need directions, parking guidance or step-free access, and we will tell you where to park and how to reach the suite. A map link is on the contact page.

Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and consultations are held at the Palos Heights office, or by phone where that suits the matter. If those hours do not work for you, say so when you call and we will tell you what can be arranged for your matter.

Invoices are paid online through LawPay, which accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. Payments are processed by LawPay and the firm never receives or stores your full card number. A retainer or deposit to be held in trust goes to a separate trust-account page, so call before paying one by card. The pay online page has the link and the details.

Both, split by whether a lawyer is required. Appeals at the Assessor and the Board of Review that do not need a lawyer, which covers most homeowners, are handled by Cook County Tax Appeals LLC, a sister company founded by Hani Khatib that shares the Palos Heights office, works on contingency and is reached at (708) 888-8880 or cookcountytaxappeal.com. Khatib Law LLC, with Hani Khatib as attorney, handles the appeals that need a lawyer or go past the Board of Review: property held in an LLC, corporation or partnership, Property Tax Appeal Board cases and tax objections in circuit court. IRS and Illinois Department of Revenue matters stay with Khatib Law LLC.

A law firm. Khatib Law LLC is an Illinois limited liability company established in 2017 that practices law. Hani H. Khatib, the firm's principal, is also a licensed CPA, and tax-related work described on this site is delivered as part of the firm's legal services, inside the attorney-client relationship. The attorney-CPA page explains what that combination changes and where its limits are.

Both are public records. Illinois lawyer registration is searchable through the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission at iardc.org, and Illinois professional licenses, including CPA licenses, through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's license lookup. Hani H. Khatib is an attorney licensed to practice law in Illinois and a Certified Public Accountant, and he holds an LL.M. in Taxation.