Legal Fees
Straight Talk About...Legal Fees
Having a clear understanding of how you will be charged for the legal services you receive is very important. Different kinds of cases frequently have different sorts of fee arrangements. Contingent fees are used in cases such as automobile accident injuries. Under a contingent fee agreement, the lawyer receives a percentage of the money generated by the case. If the client does not receive any money, the client is not responsible for legal fees.
Most situations are handled on an hourly basis. The lawyer charges the client an hourly fee and presents the client with an itemized bill showing exactly what it is the lawyer did and how much time it took. At Burkam, Fuller & Herzog, we attempt to provide our clients with itemized billing statements approximately once a month.
In a few cases, the attorney and the client may agree upon a flat fee. The most common example of this would be a specific fee charged for representation in a criminal or traffic matter if the case is resolved short of a trial. Many, if not most, criminal and traffic offenses are resolved as a result of negotiations.
At Burkam, Fuller and Herzog, we encourage our clients to thoroughly discuss the legal fee situation so that they can have a very clear understanding of exactly how they will be charged for the legal services they receive.