Firm
What legal advice costs with us
We sit below the rates of the large firms and keep up on substance. That works because we are small and because a good deal of our work comes out of research.
Where we sit
A boutique costs less than a large firm and more than the cheapest hourly rate on the market. In return, your matter is handled by someone who also publishes or teaches on the subject, and it does not pass through three layers before it reaches a desk where a decision is made.
For smaller undertakings we usually find a way. A start-up with a trade mark, an association with a data protection question and a group facing a public tender each need a different arrangement.
How we bill
- By time spentThe usual case in advisory work. We bill the time actually spent, itemised by activity so you can follow it.
- Fixed feeWhere the scope can be drawn, for instance a trade mark application, a review of terms and conditions, or an audit with a defined perimeter.
- Statutory feesIn court proceedings and wherever the law sets the fee. Where there is an amount in dispute, the range can be stated in advance.
Cost control rather than surprises
Arguments about legal fees rarely start with the hourly rate. They start when the final invoice shows more hours than expected. Three arrangements prevent that, and we offer them without being asked.
- A capBilling by time spent, but capped. If the figure is reached without a new agreement, it is the limit and not an interim reading.
- An alertWe tell you when an agreed share of the budget is reached, beforehand rather than with the invoice.
- StagesLarger undertakings are split into stages with their own budget. After each stage you decide whether and how to continue.
The basis
Our fees follow the German Lawyers’ Remuneration Act (RVG) or a fee agreement that we put in writing with you beforehand. Any agreement departing from the RVG we record in text form before we start. Section 3a RVG requires it. Both sides then know from the outset where they stand.
Disbursements such as court, agency and registry fees are passed through without a mark-up. Where third parties are involved, for instance translations or expert reports, we clear that with you first.
What will your matter cost?
Describe it in three sentences. You will get a view on the likely range and a suggestion for how to cap it.
Ask about the range