The fees for lawyers’ services in civil affairs
are, usually, dependent on items value and regulated in the
Lawyers Fee Law [RVG]. In addition, all lawyers are entitled
to take an advance payment before they have started to work
for their clients.
In this regard, lawyers can suggest the agreement of a service
contract for out-of-court activities according to § 4 Abs.
2 RVG, in which the charge can be lower than the RVG demands.
In some cases, I will suggest the agreement of a service
contract with a higher fee as the RVG demands if the case
is too time-consuming to cover costs.
There is the possibility that persons are entitled to claim
governmental consulting support or court costs support under
German law. In this regard, the government will bear the expenses
for lawyers if for the case exists a high chance on success.
Further, private insurances cover lawyers’ fees and court
fees if you have an insurance policy covers legal costs.
You should always demand an estimate regarding the expected
costs for legal proceedings. Generally, I discuss the estimated
costs for legal services with my clients up front. On this
base, you are able to do an economic calculation and estimate
the financial risks.
The possibility of service contracts is advisable if you can
foresee that you need legal services several times over a
steady period or for a special project, for instance, the
establishment of enterprises or the administration of premises.