Are your legal fees too high? Too low? Just right?
Pricing legal services is more art than science. If your rates are too low, you’re selling yourself short. If they’re too high, you’re driving away business.
How to find the sweet spot?
One way is to research your competition. Look at other firms in your geographic and practice areas. What do they charge for the services you offer?
“See how their consumers are responding to their set prices,” writes Lauren Wingo in this article on the US Chamber of Commerce website CO. “This doesn’t necessarily mean you must price your services the same, but it does give you a basic understanding of how services are being priced within your industry while gauging consumer interest.”
Another tip: decide whether to charge by the hour, by the project, or a combination of the two.
“If you know the amount of time it’ll take you to perform a service, you may prefer to charge by project in order to simplify the process,” writes Wingo. “If you’re offering a service that’s generally centered around your time, an hourly rate is usually the best pricing model. A third, less common option is utilizing a variable price point so you price your services depending on the consumer.”
Read “How to Price Your Business Services,” by Lauren Wingo, here.
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ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5: Fees
(a) A lawyer shall not make an agreement for, charge, or collect an unreasonable fee or an unreasonable amount for expenses. The factors to be considered in determining the reasonableness of a fee include the following:
(1) the time and labor required, the novelty and difficulty of the questions involved, and the skill requisite to perform the legal service properly;
(2) the likelihood, if apparent to the client, that the acceptance of the particular employment will preclude other employment by the lawyer;
(3) the fee customarily charged in the locality for similar legal services;
(4) the amount involved and the results obtained;
(5) the time limitations imposed by the client or by the circumstances;
(6) the nature and length of the professional relationship with the client;
(7) the experience, reputation, and ability of the lawyer or lawyers performing the services; and
(8) whether the fee is fixed or contingent.
(b) The scope of the representation and the basis or rate of the fee and expenses for which the client will be responsible shall be communicated to the client, preferably in writing, before or within a reasonable time after commencing the representation, except when the lawyer will charge a regularly represented client on the same basis or rate. Any changes in the basis or rate of the fee or expenses shall also be communicated to the client.
(c) A fee may be contingent on the outcome of the matter for which the service is rendered, except in a matter in which a contingent fee is prohibited by paragraph (d) or other law. A contingent fee agreement shall be in a writing signed by the client and shall state the method by which the fee is to be determined, including the percentage or percentages that shall accrue to the lawyer in the event of settlement, trial or appeal; litigation and other expenses to be deducted from the recovery; and whether such expenses are to be deducted before or after the contingent fee is calculated. The agreement must clearly notify the client of any expenses for which the client will be liable whether or not the client is the prevailing party. Upon conclusion of a contingent fee matter, the lawyer shall provide the client with a written statement stating the outcome of the matter and, if there is a recovery, showing the remittance to the client and the method of its determination.
(d) A lawyer shall not enter into an arrangement for, charge, or collect:
(1) any fee in a domestic relations matter, the payment or amount of which is contingent upon the securing of a divorce or upon the amount of alimony or support, or property settlement in lieu thereof; or
(2) a contingent fee for representing a defendant in a criminal case.
(e) A division of a fee between lawyers who are not in the same firm may be made only if:
(1) the division is in proportion to the services performed by each lawyer or each lawyer assumes joint responsibility for the representation;
(2) the client agrees to the arrangement, including the share each lawyer will receive, and the agreement is confirmed in writing; and
(3) the total fee is reasonable.
Source: US Chamber of Commerce and ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct
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