At Antigone Attorneys, we place great importance on transparency regarding the costs of the cases we handle.
Unfortunately, it is often difficult to provide an upfront estimate of the exact amount associated with a particular procedure, as this depends on many factors beyond our control. What we can do is communicate as clearly as possible about how our fees are calculated.
Thanks to our many years of experience, we can usually estimate how long we will work on a particular procedure and what costs you can expect.
1
Cost Estimate
For an initial brief consultation, we charge a fixed amount of 70 euros, including VAT. During this conversation, we will assess your problem and how we might resolve it. If the issue isn't too complex, we will immediately present the options we see and provide an estimate of the expected costs. If the problem is somewhat more complicated, we will first conduct the necessary research and only then provide you with advice. An additional fee will be charged for this, but it will, of course, be discussed with you beforehand.
2
Check Insurance
If you have legal assistance insurance, the problem you are facing might be covered by it. If you have such insurance, please inform us so we can verify this.
3
Legal Aid
If you qualify for pro bono legal aid (free second-line assistance), we will assess whether we can assist you under this system. If we cannot, we will refer you to the Bureau for Legal Aid or to another law firm that we trust.
The fee is charged at 150 euros per hour, excl. 21% VAT.
For all cases, we work with advances, known as provisions.
This means we ask you to pay a portion of the fee upfront to allow us to commence our work. In complex cases, multiple provisions may be necessary. At the end of the case, a final settlement will follow, if required.
In addition to the fees for the work our lawyers perform, there are also office costs. These include fixed costs, such as insurance, utilities, staff, and so on. Then there are variable costs, which are expenses incurred specifically for your case, such as the costs for setting up your file, scanning evidence you provide to us, answering phone calls, and so on.
For these costs, we apply fixed rates. These costs are charged at 16% of the hourly rate (€150/hr) and are also exclusive of 21% VAT.
Court costs are expenses that we ourselves must pay, such as court registry fees, roll fees, translations, bailiff costs, and so on.
These costs must, of course, be reimbursed by you and will be listed separately on your invoice.
If you win your case, in certain situations you can claim the so-called legal costs compensation from the opposing party. This is a reimbursement for having had to engage a lawyer, allowing you to partially recover the costs you incurred. It is only a fixed compensation, certainly not a full reimbursement of all your expenses. The judge determines the amount you are entitled to in the verdict.
Call us or send an email. We're happy to help.
