Fees and transparent pricing

Three pricing models

Depending on the case, one of three pricing approaches applies:

1. Flat fee — for standardised actions

Used when the scope is clearly defined upfront. Examples:

2. Hourly rate — for atypical work and ongoing advisory

For work that does not fit a standard scope (e.g. complex contract review, defence of a creditor in opposition proceedings, due-diligence work pre-claim). Rate disclosed in advance in the engagement letter.

3. Success fee — only as a complement, never as the sole basis

French Bar rules prohibit a pure contingency fee. Success-based fees are allowed only as a supplement to a base fee (flat or hourly). Where it makes sense (e.g. very large claims with significant uncertainty), a success-fee component can be added in the engagement letter.

VAT and currency

French clients pay 20% VAT on attorney fees.

EU B2B clients with a valid VAT ID benefit from the reverse-charge mechanism — no VAT charged.

Non-EU B2B clients (US, UK post-Brexit, Canada, etc.) are not subject to French VAT.

Invoices are issued in EUR. Payment can be made by bank transfer, credit card (Stripe), or in some cases by other arrangements. We do not currently accept cryptocurrency.

Recovering your attorney fees from the losing party

French Code of Civil Procedure, Art. 700, allows the prevailing party to obtain reimbursement of "irrepetable expenses" (attorney fees) from the losing party. The amount is set sovereignly by the court, taking into account fairness and the financial situation of the parties. In practice:

• For standard B2B claims that the debtor opposed in bad faith, courts typically award €1,500-5,000 in Art. 700 reimbursement
• For complex cases with extensive proceedings, the award can be higher (€5,000-20,000+)
• Reimbursement is not automatic — it must be specifically requested in the conclusions, with supporting documentation of fees actually incurred

Engagement letter (convention d'honoraires)

Before any billable work begins, an engagement letter is signed by the client. It specifies:

• The scope of work
• The pricing approach (flat / hourly / success)
• Estimated total fees and any uncertainty
• Out-of-pocket expenses (court fees, judicial-officer fees, translations)
• Payment schedule (typically: down payment + completion payment for flat fees, monthly billing for hourly work)
• Termination terms

This is required by French Bar professional rules (loi du 6 août 2015) and protects both sides. It is provided for review before any commitment.