Our hourly rate and fixed prices
If you are involved in legal proceedings, you already have enough worries on your mind. You don’t need to fret over high costs and hourly rates; instead you should have a fair price and certainty of costs.
We like clarity and transparency so we can avoid surprises afterward.
With us, you get clear visibility into costs and rates
- We make understandable and concrete agreements: you know at any time what work we are going to do and what result we are working towards.
- No nasty surprises: we send invoices monthly or more often, just what we agree on.
Free first consultation without obligation
If you need an attorney at law, we offer a free, no-obligation initial consultation. In that meeting, we will discuss your case together and see how likely it is to succeed and what the potential costs will be.
How do our rates come about?
In principle, we work on an hourly rate basis, unless you qualify for subsidized legal aid. In this case, you are entitled to an addition and only owe a co-payment. In specific cases, such as a second opinion or first name change, we can agree on a fixed price.
The initial consultation is free and without obligation. In that conversation, we consider your case’s nature, complexity and urgency. We will also see what rate applies to your case. There are four possibilities:
Hourly rate
During the initial meeting, we will discuss the hourly rate for your case. The fee depends on the nature and complexity of your case. Depending on your financial situation, we can make arrangements that suit your needs. You will get an indication of the expected costs in advance, we will keep you up-to-date during our work.
We charge an hourly rate between €195 and €250 excl. VAT per hour. The fee depends on the complexity and urgency of your case.
What does an hourly rate say?
Ideally, of course, you will find the attorney at law with the most advantageous hourly rate. Still, it is not good to rely on that blindly. A more experienced attorney at law with a higher hourly rate often works faster than a less experienced, cheap attorney. Ultimately, this means hiring a more expensive attorney at law may be more affordable. So do not be guided by the hourly rate but ask each attorney at law to estimate the hours required. Only then can you make an informed decision!
Each month you will receive an invoice for work performed and disbursements for the month in question. The invoice includes a breakdown of the work performed. We will pass on to you the costs we incur in handling your case, such as bailiff’s fees, legal fees and court costs. Please note you will never be invoiced a surcharge on these fees.
Fixed price
If the complexity and work of your case allow, we can also negotiate a fixed price agreement. This gives you the assurance that the cost will not be too high. Of course, we still provide the quality you would expect from an experienced attorney at law. If your case becomes more complex and that a fixed price is no longer possible, we will indicate that well in advance.
It is not always immediately apparent how much time should be devoted to your case. In those cases, we can make set arrangements for each step of the way.
Funded legal aid, addition
Each year, Law Office Simmelink conducts a limited number of cases on the basis of funded legal aid, also known as an addition. We do this because we think corporate social responsibility is important. This is also known as hiring an attorney at law pro bono.
During the initial consultation, we will see if you may qualify for an addition government-funded legal aid. If so, the Legal Aid Board will pay most of our costs.
If you qualify, you will not owe an hourly rate, but a small co-payment set by the Legal Aid Board dependent on your income. Want to know how high your co-payment would be? Then contact us, we can calculate this for you relatively quickly.
Especially for this purpose, Law Office Simmelink has a trust relationship with the Legal Aid Board: a valuable relationship of trust that allows us to quickly estimate the addition and the amount of the contribution you will have to pay. That way, you can have immediate clarity and we can both know where you stand. We think that’s important.
Discount on co-payment
Were you referred to us by the Legal Aid Office? You can get a discount on the co-payment of €54. The Legal Help Desk can be reached by calling 0900 – 8020.
Legal expenses insurance reimbursement
With legal expenses insurance, you are entitled to a free attorney at law in all legal and administrative proceedings. This also applies to proceedings for which an attorney at law is not required.
It means that you are not required to be assisted by a lawyer from your insurer. We can litigate on your behalf and your insurer will reimburse you for the cost of the proceedings.
Do you have legal expenses insurance and want a attorney at law to take over the legal proceedings? If so, please contact us.
