Difference between revisions of "Lawyers' Fees: Preventing and Solving Problems"

Fixed fees are most common for routine work like wills and real estate. Some lawyers also use fixed fees for uncontested divorces and routine criminal cases, like impaired driving, theft, and assault. You pay the amount the lawyer quotes you, regardless of how much time the lawyer spends on the case.

:Hourly rates are the most common type of fee, probably because it is hard to predict at the start of a case just how much time it will take. A lawyer keeps detailed records of all the time spent on a case. Then they multiply the total hours by their hourly rate to get your bill. Most lawyers have a trial rate, by day or by court appearance, and it’s often higher than their normal hourly rate. Both hourly rates and trial rates depend on several things – the most important one is the lawyer's experience in an area of law. More experience means a higher rate.