Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do you accept clients out-of-state?

Answer: Yes with certain caveats. Generally speaking, a party `doing business' in Massachusetts or actually having a project located here is subject to Massachusetts court jurisdiction. If your company is a foreign corporation or foreign limited liability company, and if you do business in Massachusetts you should probably be registered as a foreign corporation/LLC with the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Office or otherwise risk having cases you bring here dismissed based on a certain statutory provision. And, if you are suing a party domiciled in Massachusetts (i.e. having an office here or organized here) on a construction project not located in Massachusetts, in many instances suit can be brought in Massachusetts.

2. Do you accept homeowners as clients?

Answer: Rarely. Many homeowners are actually looking for and/or actually need a lawyer who will work on a contingency basis (meaning, their fees will be a percentage of any recovery actually realized from the case), which is untenable for most attorneys concentrating in construction litigation. Further, many homeowners are understandably emotionally overwrought and hyper-involved in the problem. Long experience has taught us that distance and perspective are critical to resolving problems quickly, peaceably and inexpensively.

3. Can I do at least some of the mechanic’s lien process myself?

Answer: Yes! Please review our various mechanic’s lien articles on this web site for further assistance.

4. How long will my collection case take?

Answer: As each case is different, this is impossible to predict. However, many firms need cases/lawsuits to linger as long as possible because of their massive overhead. Sauer & Associates is the exact opposite: as a small, family firm with minimal overhead, and quite purposefully lacking the glittering chandeliers and expensive mystique of the Boston law firms, it is our goal to turn your case around as quickly as possible, and earn your “word-of-mouth” referral for the next case! Obviously, cases against better-heeled defendants, and cases with some security interest (payment bond, mechanic’s lien) tend to get resolved earliest.

5. Why is a payment bond so important?

Answer: Because, many times, this is the only way you will get paid! In these cases, most of the time, giving the problem to us well before one year has expired from when you last worked can transform a bad debt into an accounts receivable. Our combined experience on both sides of the bond claim against the surety company is a must-have resource for your bottom line!