How Our Pricing Actually Works

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Legal fees are one of the most common sources of frustration and distrust between clients and attorneys. Hourly billing creates uncertainty. Clients avoid calling because they are afraid of being charged. Bills arrive at the end of the month with line items that are hard to evaluate. The cost of a matter becomes unpredictable in ways that make it hard to make informed decisions.

We built our pricing model around a different philosophy: you should always know what something costs before we begin, and the structure of our fees should never create a reason for us to do more work than necessary.

Out-of-Court Work Is Always Flat-Fee

For any matter that does not involve court appearances or active litigation, we charge a flat fee. This covers demand letters, cease and desist letters, contract review, document drafting, probate administration, estate dispute negotiation, pre-litigation settlement work, and all other advisory and transactional services.

Before any work begins, we give you a written quote that defines exactly what is included. You approve the fee and the scope in writing. We do not start until you have agreed. There are no hourly meters running in the background.

Flat-fee pricing works for out-of-court matters because the scope of the work is defined and manageable. We know what a well-researched demand letter requires. We know what probate administration involves. We can price accurately because we have done this work many times, and we take the risk of any inefficiency on our side, not yours.

Litigation Is Hourly, Agreed Upon Before We Begin

Litigation is different. Once a matter enters active court proceedings, the scope becomes genuinely unpredictable. The other side files motions you did not anticipate. Discovery takes unexpected turns. Hearings get continued, rescheduled, and added. Trying to price litigation as a flat fee would either require us to dramatically overcharge to account for uncertainty, or to underprice and then stop working when the matter got complex.

So for in-court representation, we charge by the hour. Our rates start at $500 per hour. The exact rate depends on the attorney handling your matter and the complexity of the case, and it is agreed upon in writing before any work begins.

We will always tell you our hourly rate before you engage us for litigation. We will also give you a realistic estimate of the total cost based on the likely scope and trajectory of the matter, so you can make an informed decision about whether to proceed and what approach makes the most sense given the amount at stake.

Why We Do Not Do Hourly Billing for Everything

Hourly billing for routine matters creates a specific problem: it puts the attorney’s financial incentive in conflict with the client’s interest. An attorney billing by the hour has a financial reason for work to take longer. A flat-fee attorney has a financial reason to work efficiently.

We want our incentives and yours pointing in the same direction. For matters where we can accurately scope the work, flat-fee pricing achieves that. For matters where the scope is genuinely outside our control, like contested litigation, hourly billing with a transparent rate and an honest estimate is the most straightforward approach.

What Happens If Scope Changes

If a flat-fee matter expands materially beyond what was originally scoped, we will tell you before doing additional work. You will receive a revised quote or a change order, and you approve it before we proceed. We do not absorb unlimited scope expansion silently and then present a larger bill.

For litigation, we will update you regularly on hours billed and provide estimates for upcoming work. If the matter is developing in a way that will significantly affect cost, we will flag it proactively so you can make decisions with full information.

The Case Assessment Is Free

Your initial case assessment with Amicus Lex is at no charge. We need to understand your situation before we can give you an accurate quote, and you should understand how we work and whether we are the right fit before you commit to anything.

That first conversation is an opportunity for both of us to evaluate fit. We will tell you honestly whether we think your matter is strong, what approach we would recommend, and what it is likely to cost under our pricing model. If we are not the right firm for your situation, we will tell you that too.

Transparency is not just a pricing policy at Amicus Lex. It is how we operate across every part of the client relationship, from the first call to the resolution of your matter.