Why do the downtown firms charge $500.00 to yes - $1,000.00 per hour?  More importantly why are you paying that rate!?!  Are attorneys that good?  Or can they simply charge that fee because they can?!?

Helpful ways to avoid costly attorney fees: (1) Massachusetts Trial Court Libraries have free access to Westlaw and Lexis/Nexis and you can ask librarians to conduct a search without leaving your desktop - and NO you don’t have to be a lawyer to access them! (2) search the Internet! Free legal search sites are everywhere! 

As a solo practitioner, these free resources are extensive and very helpful to me.