Fixed fees are quite straightforward and are a practical alternative to the hourly rates usually charged by lawyers. Fixed fees are especially useful where you wish to get your matter settled quickly and at a cost that is known and agreed beforehand, putting you in control of how much you spend. That way you get no nasty ‘surprises’ when the unanticipated legal bills start arriving.
You and we would first meet to discuss your matter, the work required to get the result you want and the amount to be paid for that work. We would then discuss how you will pay for the work required and arrive at a fixed fee proposal. To do so, we would have to carefully consider all facts, what legal issues are involved and develop a ‘battle plan’ about how to arrive at the result you want.
We would then propose a fixed fee proposal that sets out the work that is to be included (or excluded) in discreet ‘stages’ of work and the fee which is to be paid for the completion of each stage.
If you agree, you sign a fixed fee agreement in the accordance with the fixed fee proposal, which is a binding contract, and we then get started. You would then be billed the agreed amounts at the completion of each stage.
If you do not agree with the fixed fee proposal, then you sign nothing and the matter goes no further with us. We will not perform any work and you will have no obligation to pay any further costs.
The fixed fee proposal may involve all stages of a matter or only the earlier stages of the matter if we consider that the matter will most likely settle early.
If the matter settles early then no further estimates are required or provided. However, if the matter does not settle early we would then provide you with a further fee proposal for the advanced stages to be undertaken.
Depending on your financial circumstances you may be asked to guarantee financial arrangements for the payment of each stage of work before it is done and may be required to pay money into trust in advance for some or all stages.
Fixed fees are not for everybody. If we determined that you have a highly complicated case with complex legal or financial issues or if the level of conflict between you and your former partner is greater than usual we may offer you a fee arrangement other than fixed fees.