How Much Are Lawyer Fees and How Can You Pay Them?

 

How Much Are Lawyer Fees and How Can You Pay Them?

Lawyer fees can add up for any lawsuit, including for a settlement. How can you get those lawyer fees paid, and how much are lawyer fees?

If you’re thinking of hiring a lawyer for any reason, you might be worried about fees. But in many instances, it’s absolutely necessary and in your best interest to have a professional on your side.

In that case, you’ll want to learn more about lawyer fees so you know what to expect.

So how much are lawyer fees? And how can you pay them? We’ll explain in this article.

How Much Are Lawyer Fees?

When you hire a lawyer, the fees aren’t always the same. There are several ways they can charge you. Read on to find out more about each type.

Hourly Fee

This is a pretty straightforward way that lawyers charge for their services. It’s also one of the most common lawyer fees you’ll find.

In general, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $400 per hour for an attorney. The exact fee you’ll pay will depend on where you’re located, the firm, your lawyer, and the type of case you have.

No matter if you win or lose your case, you’ll have to pay your lawyer by the hour with this type of fee.

They’ll bill hours for all sorts of tasks, and not just court appearances. For example, they can charge for the time communicating with those involved in the case. Or they might bill you for the time spent analyzing your files.

Do note that most lawyers will charge by increments. For instance, they might track their time through 15-minute increments. If you’ve used up 3 hours and 10 minutes of their time, they’ll charge for 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Percentage Fee

Percentage fees are usually charged for probate and estate cases. Lawyers who act as agents or managers for clients who are in the entertainment industry usually charge in this fashion too.

Whatever you get out of your case, your lawyer will get a certain percentage. This amount will usually vary depending on the stages of your case. For instance, they might charge 5% for the first $100,000, then 3% for the next $500,000, etc.

Fixed/Flat Fee

A fixed/flat fee can also be pretty straightforward. After your initial consultation, the lawyer will then give you an estimate of how much your case will cost. It’s then up to you to accept it or find someone else to take your case.

Typically, lawyers will charge a fixed/flat fee for cases that are very simple to take care of. For more complicated cases, you’ll see them propose the other fee types on this list instead.

Common cases that have fixed/flat fees include uncontested divorces, bankruptcy filings, will preparations, and real estate transactions.

Contingency Fee

You’ll typically see contingency fees for things like class-action lawsuits and personal injury cases. These cases usually have a payout should you win.

Here, the fee is contingent on you winning. In other words, you won’t have to pay your lawyer a cent if they don’t win your case.

But if they do win it for you, then you usually pay them a percentage of your winnings. Expect to give your attorney up to 40% of the amount awarded.

Retainer Fee

Retainer fees are charged at the beginning. You can think of it like a deposit, like you’d pay with an apartment lease.

Should you be unable to cover the attorney’s future invoices, then they can still be compensated by the retainer fee.

Other Miscellaneous Fees

The above isn’t an extensive list as to what your lawyer can charge you. Other miscellaneous fees include:

  • Travel expenses
  • Investigator fees
  • Expert witness fees
  • Court fees

So be aware that there are other extra things you might have to pay for.

How Can You Pay Lawyer Fees?

Regardless of how your attorney charges for their fees, you might be worried about being financially able to cover these fees. Thankfully, there are several ways to do so.

Here are some avenues you can explore for paying lawyer fees.

Ask Your Loved Ones

Your loved ones will probably want to help you in any way, so it might be worth asking them for a loan. This is the best type of loan to get since the interest will be very low or non-existent, and repayment terms are very flexible.

Crowdfunding

If you’re not comfortable asking your loved ones for help, or you’re all alone, then the above option might not be feasible. In this case, you can turn to the general public instead.

The drawback to crowdfunding is you probably won’t get many donations if you don’t talk openly about your case. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, then crowdfunding might not be for you.

Credit Cards

If you have some credit lines open, it might be a good time to make use of them. While the APR can be high on these cards, as long as you pay off the balance in a timely fashion, it shouldn’t put you into financial ruin.

Lawsuit Loan

An excellent way to get some financial help before your case is through is with a lawsuit loan. These are also called pre-settlement loans.

Here at Legal Bay, we don’t check your credit, nor do we require employment for our loans. We also don’t charge out of pocket fees.

The best thing is, you won’t have to repay your lawsuit loan unless you win your case. And if you do, your lawyer will handle the payment.

Let Us Help You Out

So how much are lawyer fees? It really depends on several factors, such as who you hire, what your case is about, and how the lawyer charges for their fees.

No matter how much your attorney charges, and regardless of which type of fee they choose, you now know of several ways you can pay your lawyer fees.

So don’t wait to get what you deserve because you don’t think you can afford an attorney. By being proactive, you can improve your life much quicker.

Do you need some help paying lawyer fees? Then apply for a pre-settlement loan now. You can get a cash advance in as little as 24 hours!

 

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