It is very challenging to get an accurate quote of your total bill for your legal services at your first consultation. There are a lot of fees that could be added onto the bill during the course of the case. These include: consultation fee, standard billable rates, contingency fee, and referral fees.
Consultation Fee
A consultation is the initial meeting between you and your potential lawyer. This is where you will generally discuss your case and learn about the lawyer. As mentioned in our previous blogs about reputation and experience, this is the time to get to know your potential lawyer. Different lawyers may or may not charge for this initial meeting. If money is tight, make sure you communicate with the office to determine if there will be a charge or not.
Standard Billable Rates
Lawyers charge for everything related to your case, there are three general types of billable rates.
Contingency Fee
A contingency fee is paid to a lawyer only if a case is successful. A lawyer agrees to take a percentage of the recovery amount. A contingency fee is often used in personal injury cases, medical malpractice, workers’ compensation, or other large lawsuits involving money.
Referral Fees
A referral fee is when a lawyer refers you to another lawyer and charges you for that service. This is typically used only on large cases with multiple parties involved.
There are many other little fees that can pop up during your court case such as filling fees, travel fees, and postage charges. You should always review your bill for discrepancies, but be aware that the initial quote given in the beginning of the case can vary from the final bill.