How Will I Be Charged for Legal Services?

How do lawyers charge for their services?

Most lawyers charge an hourly rate for time spent on your matter. This will include time doing research, writing contracts, negotiating on your behalf, telephone calls, being in court, and the like. Some lawyers will charge a flat fee for a specific project, like writing a will.

In certain cases, lawyers will take the matter on a "contingency fee" arrangement. The fee is only payable if you receive a judgment or settlement in your favor. A typical fee arrangement is 30%-40% of the recovery. Contingency fee arrangements often occur in personal injury or medical malpractice cases.

Lawyers may also charge for paralegal time, photocopy charges, fax, word processing, and other out-of-pocket costs.