How InformedFED Stands Out from Attorneys

InformedFED's unique value proposition is to provide a cost-controlled, timely, comprehensive, and task-oriented alternative to more expensive attorney representation. However, we don't intend to discourage you from hiring an attorney nor do we directly compete with their services. Instead, we're simply presenting an alternative option for you to consider. Our business concept originated when, while working at a high level of federal agency operations as a Chief of Employee Labor Relations, our Chief ELR Consultant and Analyst encountered a high profile situation where an employee acted on bad union advice from a local union representative and was subsequently fired.  Had the employee received accurate and timely advice, the employee would likely not have been fired. He believes every employee should have cost effective access to expert advice and services.

Note: An attorney is not required to appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) or to file a complaint or go to hearing with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), or to raise a personnel issue before any administrative or quasi judicial authority having jurisdiction over federal (or other public sector) personnel issues.

1. The Cost-Control Model

The most immediate noticeable difference in how InformedFED stands out from attorneys is its fee structure, which is designed to remove the high barrier of entry typically associated with attorneys.

• Avoidance of Large Retainers: Federal employment attorneys often require initial retainers ranging from $6,000 to $15,000 (as of our last survey). InformedFED eliminates this massive upfront financial risk by offering low-minimum hourly retainers (e.g., 4 hours minimum) and cost effective flat fees for specific services.

• Predictable, Unbundled Services: InformedFED offers distinct flat-rate services (like an Initial Case Assessment or EEO Preparation) that allow the employee to unbundle their needs. An employee can hire the consultant for a single task and then move forward on their own, controlling their total spend.  They can also elect to continue services as needed.

• Accessibility for Non Civil-Litigation Issues: The lower cost structure makes it feasible for employees dealing with issues where the potential financial recovery wouldn't justify the cost of an attorney (e.g., a 14-day suspension, performance-based action, initial EEO complaints, many terminations, or Federal Disability Retirement application).

2. Expertise & Focus Area

While attorneys specialize in strategy and litigation, as does InformedFED, InformedFED also incorporates a practical, subject-matter expert and cost effective holistic approach.  

• Administrative Focus: InformedFED positions itself as a credentialed specialist in administrative and transactional aspects of federal employment. This includes drafting responses to Proposed Adverse Actions, filing for Reasonable Accommodation and reconsideration of denials, preparing MSPB appeals, EEO complaint submissions, and navigating the nuances of Disability Retirement (OPM/MSPB) and Suitability Adjudication Issues for example. Our consultants possess Master's Degrees in relevant areas, advanced speciality training, decades of experience in employee and labor relations, and a vast network of contacts throughout the federal government.

• "Internal" Knowledge: Consultants at InformedFED have decades of experience in this federal and other public sector workspace with vast experience as former credentialed agency senior-level practitioners, agency officials, and/or union representatives. Our Chief Consultant and Analyst has served in all three roles.  This background provides a deep, "insider's understanding" of agency policies, HR procedures, and managerial mindsets—knowledge that can be invaluable in the early, pre-litigation stages of a dispute and in settlement negotiations.  They used to sit on the "other side of the table."

• Strategic Support, Not Just Legal Counsel: InformedFED focuses on "transactional support"—meaning we help you, or prepare for you, the required documents, develop your evidence file, and strategize your response, effectively helping the employee do the work of representation themselves without the cost of a full legal team.

3. Accessibility and Availability

InformedFED maintains a high level of availability and timeliness that goes beyond what nearly any other law firms offer.

• 24/7 Availability: InformedFED specifically provides high consultant availability, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, often for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This level of contact is may be critical to federal employees who need support outside of normal business hours, especially when facing tight deadlines (like a seven-day window for an oral or written reply to a Proposed Removal). We provide this level of access across all time zones throughout the world, having served employees overseas and domestically.  

• Direct Consultant Access: Clients receive direct contact information for their consultant, facilitating rapid communication for time-sensitive issues. No need to go through an assistant at a law firm.

InformedFED's primary competitive edge is its position as the high-value, comparatively lower-cost credentialed administrative expert that provides hands-on document preparation and strategic consulting for federal employees who choose to not retain an attorney, or whose case does not warrant full legal action in a civil court.