Billing options
Our fees, i.e. the remuneration of the Firm for the work carried out on your case, are always discussed in a transparent manner, right from the first meeting.
They are determined in accordance with ethical principles, i.e. according to the nature of the lawyer’s intervention, the complexity of the case, the volume of work required and the degree of urgency of the Client’s situation.
Your first appointment
The first meeting is a fundamental step in the treatment of your case. It is a unique opportunity to identify what the problems are together and to adopt an appropriate strategy accordingly.
It can be held face-to-face in our offices, by videoconference or by telephone.
The first meeting is invoiced at 83,33 € exc. VAT (100 € inc. VAT).
Fixed fees invoicing: more predictability for Clients
CITIZEN always favours fixed-fees billing. This allows you to know exactly, and in advance, the amount that will be due. Our fixed fees cover all the services identified in the fee agreement, in particular all the regular communications between us.
Entrepreneurs special rates
CITIZEN supports entrepreneurs by applying a 15% fee discount for mandates relating to the creation of their business.
These special rates cover all the various aspects of starting their business (e.g. company registration + partners’ agreement + standard contract). This allows them to optimise their costs at a time when financing is most important.
Billing on a time spent basis
In some cases where the scope of the lawyer’s mission is difficult to determine in advance, or for certain tasks ancillary to the main missions, the firm may propose billing on its time basis.
The result-based fee
In litigation, a result fee may be added to the fixed fee formula. This result fee corresponds to a percentage of the gains or savings granted by the favourable decision obtained.
CITIZEN generally opts for this additional billing method in two types of cases :
- when financial stakes are low, in-order-to balance the amount of the fixed fee;
- particularly complex or uncertain cases, to reward the fact that a difficult or important decision has been obtained.
Monthly subscriptions
CITIZEN offers companies with frequent advisory needs monthly subscriptions covering an agreed number of work hours at a preferred rate.
Legal framework: fee agreement, engagement letter and the prohibition of exclusive result-based fees
In accordance with the law and our ethics, any mandate entrusted to CITZEN will be defined in a confidential engagement letter, completed by a fee agreement.
For consultancy services, the engagement letter summarises the history of the case, the reasons why the Client has turned to his lawyer and what precisely he expects from him.
In litigation, this document recounts the history of the dispute, defines the contentious situation and outlines the avenues that the lawyer will consider in order to resolve the dispute.
For all cases, the fee agreement defines the methods of calculation of the fees, according to the formulas described above, as well as the fate of the costs advanced by the lawyer in the interest of his Client.
Lawyers cannot, under French law, base their remuneration on a “no win no fees” formula (this is called the prohibition of quota litis agreements). The result-based fee, which shall always remain secondary, may nevertheless be modulated for certain foreign Clients used to the “no win no fees” system.
Legal insurance and legal aid
When we start working on your case, we will ask you to check whether you have a legal insurance covering all or part of your legal fees. Many litigants actually benefit from such insurance coverage, sometimes without being aware of it.
Legal aid is the partial or total coverage by the State of the costs incurred by litigants for their proceedings, subject to income levels.
CITIZEN invites you to check whether you are eligible for legal aid, by consulting this website : https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F18074
