Economic success and legal certainty require clarity — including on costs. I rely on transparency rather than surprises.
The Fee Basis
In specialized legal advice, the statutory fees (German Attorney Remuneration Act, RVG) often do not reflect the complexity of the subject matter.
- Fee agreement: As a rule, I work on the basis of hourly fees. This ensures the level of substantive depth your project requires.
- Transparency: On request, you receive a detailed statement of activities with every invoice. Every unit is traceable.
Cost Control
- Budget alert: We can agree that I will inform you as soon as a certain amount has been reached.
- Status updates: You can request an interim statement of fees accrued so far.
- Prioritization: We discuss in advance which type of processing effort and which steps (e.g. a detailed legal opinion vs. a brief assessment) are necessary for your economic objective.
Reimbursement by Third Parties
If litigation is successful or an out-of-court settlement is reached, the opposing party is legally obliged to reimburse costs.
- Important: Usually, only the statutory minimum fees (RVG) are reimbursable.
- Difference: Any difference between the agreed fee and the statutory reimbursement is borne by you as an investment in your legal certainty.
Efficiency Through Cooperation
Cost control is the result of professional collaboration. You can actively influence the efficiency of the work:
- Clarity of goals: Define your economic objective early on (e.g. a quick settlement vs. a fundamental ruling). This avoids time-consuming changes of strategy and unnecessary side issues.
- A fixed point of contact: (For companies) designate a central person for communication. This consolidates the flow of information and avoids redundant queries or coordination loops within your organization.
- Chronology: A short, bullet-point timeline of events saves research time. A simple bullet-point list is sufficient.
- Structure: Please provide documents fully digitized, sorted, meaningfully labeled, and in searchable formats.
- Timeliness: Inform me of deadlines or new developments as soon as they become foreseeable.
- Bundling: Collect your questions and submit them together in a single email or phone call, rather than in multiple separate emails or calls.
Dynamics and Limits
Legal disputes are dynamic processes. While I plan my own work precisely, the total effort involved and the recoverability of costs depend on external factors:
- Opposing party: The tactics and scope of the opponent’s submissions require a corresponding response effort.
- Court: The duration of proceedings and the taking of evidence (e.g. expert opinions) are determined by the court.
My promise: I handle your matter with the economic prudence of an entrepreneur. In the event of significant changes of course or cost developments, I inform you proactively.