Fees
As required by law, and in the absence of an agreement between the lawyer and the
client, fees are established in accordance with normal practice, depending on the
client’s financial situation, the complexity of the case, expenses incurred by the
lawyer, his reputation and his diligence. A lawful agreement can also make prevision
for, in addition to the payment of services rendered, the determination of a supplementary
fee according to the result obtained or other services provided.
According to the unified rules of procedure of the French Bar Association, the remuneration
of a lawyer is determined taking into account the following elements:
- the time spent on a case
- research work
- the type and complexity of the case
- the importance of interests involved,
- The incidence of costs and expenses supported by the firm to which
the lawyer is associated
- The advantages and the result obtained for the client’s benefit through
his work
- The financial situation of the client
- The reputation, qualifications, experience, seniority, and the specialization
of the lawyer. The lawyer is entitled to obtain the payment of complementary contingency
fees according to results obtained or services rendered.
The firm invoices its fees on the basis of time spent
on a case which, if required, are adjusted upwards or downwards according to the
rules indicated above in addition to an adjustment according
to the results obtained.
Fees based on the time spent
The lawyers’ hourly fees are as follows :
- Lawyers MERMET, BALTAZARD, LUCE et NOETINGER-BERLIOZ: 300 € excluding
tax or 358,80 € including tax
- Lawyers JAMES & BAQUE-WILLIAMS : 250 € excluding tax or 299 € including
tax
- Lawyer BERTHÉ : 220 € excluding tax or 263,12 € including tax
- Lawyer VOISIN : 175 € excluding tax or 209,30 including tax
All the time passed on a case is invoiced on this basis,
this includes travel time and waiting time at audiences and time passed on the telephone.
Written consultations, including e-mails, are also invoiced on the basis of time
passed, with a minimum billing value of 250 € excluding tax or 299 € including tax.
Certain services are invoiced at a fixed rate.
These are as follows:
- reconvened hearings, preliminary hearings or court orders: 15 minutes
- oral consultations: from 125 € excluding tax or 149.50 € including
tax to 300 € excluding tax or 358.80 € including tax, according to duration and
complexity
- auctioning following repossession sales: 150 € excluding tax or 179.40
€ including tax
- funds management (CARPA - Lawyers' Pecuniary Payment Fund): from 50
€ excluding tax or 59.80 € including tax per dossier
Contingency fees
When the outcome of an intervention by a lawyer leads to a quantifiable result,
a contingency fee is invoiced in addition to fees for the time passed on a case.
These contingency fees vary, depending on the case in question, from between 7%
and 20% excluding tax (or between 8.37% and 23.92 % including tax) of the amounts
recovered or saved.
A fees agreement may be signed between the client and the lawyer in which it is
specified if a contingency fee has been agreed upon or not, along with the procedure
defining the valuation of this complementary fee, if applicable.