Thinking of hiring a lawyer to assist you with your next case, but worried about the expense? Lawyers can be expensive, especially in and around Sydney. However, there are many different ways in which you can keep costs down. Professionals will almost always charge an hourly rate for their services. However, some lawyers also offer fixed fee packages or introductory offers where you pay a set fee upfront for their services. So how much do lawyers cost in Sydney? Here’s everything you need to know.
How Much Do Lawyers Cost?
Lawyers charge by the hour for their services. In other words, the more hours they spend on your case, the more you’ll have to pay. The hourly rate depends on several factors, including the lawyer’s experience, location, and the type of law they practice. For example, a lawyer who focuses on criminal law will generally charge less than a lawyer who focuses on family law. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere between $400 and $850 per hour for a lawyer’s services. However, the more experienced the lawyer (depending upon the type of law), the higher the hourly rate. Experienced commercial lawyers may charge as much as $1,200 per hour. Lawyers generally quote their fees exclusive of GST, so be aware that GST will be added on top.
Lawyers are required to disclose their fees, including hourly rates, estimate of total fees and/or fixed fee – see here for a detailed explanation of the specific requirements.
Fixed Fee Packages
Many lawyers offer fixed-fee packages for specific and straightforward cases, such as obtaining a divorce (without finances or children involved) or drawing up a Will. There are also lawyers who offer standard fixed-fee packages for a range of common legal cases. These include immigration, criminal defence, and business-related issues. There are, of course, some cases where you can’t expect to pay a fixed fee, such as complex family law matters, and commercial matters. However, many lawyers offer fixed-fee packages for a wide range of cases.
How to Find the Best Lawyers for a Fixed Price
When finding lawyers who offer fixed-fee packages, it’s important to find a lawyer you’re comfortable with. How do you do that? Primarily by calling and speaking to them.
You could read online reviews, or you could check with friends or relatives as to their experience with particular lawyers. You also need to make sure the lawyer is willing to work on your case. Most lawyers focus on certain areas of law and are therefore unable to work on certain cases. Or if they don’t focus primarily on the area of law you need, they may not be the best lawyer for you anyway. You should ask if the lawyer is willing to offer a reasonable fixed fee package. Some lawyers offer extremely low rates for cases, but you should be wary of these offers. You should check that the fixed fee actually covers everything you’re going to need the lawyer to do for you, and particularly where the lawyer is offering an especially low fee, you should ask around or check out their reviews.
Sydney Lawyers with Fixed Fees
Criminal Lawyers Sydney and Suburbs offer fixed fees for a variety of criminal matters. Please take a look at our fixed fees page – click here. And if you have any questions after looking through those fixed fees, please don’t hesitate to give us a call – (02) 9533 2269.
What are the Benefits of a Fixed Fee?
If you go with a fixed-fee package and the lawyer ends up spending more hours on the case, you receive the benefit. If you go with a fixed-fee package, and the case is finished faster than expected, you still have to pay the fixed fee. It is for this reason that fixed fees are usually set at a reasonable mid point of how much time the lawyer expects the matter to take, It’s a great option, because the lawyer carries the risk that the fixed fee will be too small. A fixed fee gives you certainty.
Hourly Rate?
Most lawyers will charge you by the hour unless they are prepared to charge a fixed fee. You should be prepared to pay an hourly rate unless you have a specific agreement that a fixed fee applies.
Sydney Lawyers with Stated Hourly Rates
There aren’t many lawyers in Sydney who have a stated hourly rate on their website. However, there are a few. If you prefer the idea of paying an hourly rate, it may be a good idea to look for those who publish their hourly rates. Or you can simply ask when you call a lawyer of your choice what their hourly rate is.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to hiring a lawyer, you want to make sure you know how much it’s going to cost. However, there are many ways to keep costs down. You can try to negotiate a lower hourly rate with your lawyer. Or you can try to find a lawyer who offers a stated hourly rate so you know exactly how much it’s going to cost. But one of the best ways to reduce costs is to find a lawyer who offers a fixed-fee package. Hint: We Do ! – click here for info
Criminal Lawyers Sydney and Suburbs offer fixed fees for a variety of criminal matters – check them out or call us – (02) 9533 2269.
