A lawyer is a self-employed professional, which means that the lawyer's income comes solely from the fees paid by clients.
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It is important to note that the lawyer must cover overhead costs (such as staff, secretaries, office space, IT, documentation, etc.), which constitute a significant portion (approximately 60%) of the fees billed to clients.
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Lawyer's fees are negotiable but are agreed upon mutually with the client.
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The fees proposed to the client by the firm will always be determined considering several essential criteria, including the complexity of the case, the extent of research and synthesis work required, and the client's financial situation.
Time-Based
This billing method is typically offered and allows the client to know the hourly rate applied and the estimated number of hours of work by the lawyer.
Fixed
In this case, the fee is determined upon reviewing the case and will include a number of foreseeable tasks (reserved for certain cases such as amicable terminations, real estate sales, etc.).
Success
A success fee may be considered for certain types of cases in which the client is expected to receive a monetary sum at the end of the procedure related to the matter entrusted to the lawyer.
This success fee will necessarily be supplemented by a fixed fee.
The firm announces the billing method to the client and obtains their approval before proceeding with any actions, then formalizes this agreement through a written convention, in accordance with Law No. 2015-990 of August 6, 2015.