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:

You only pay €189 to get started — each later step applies only if it is needed.

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). On recovery cases, the success fee on sums actually recovered is 8% ex VAT up to €15,000, 7% ex VAT from €15,000 to €30,000, and 6% ex VAT above.

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 (PayPal), 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 by the court, which takes into account fairness or the economic situation of the party ordered to pay, and may even decide that nothing is due. In practice:

• For standard B2B claims, the amount awarded varies from one case and one court to another, and may cover only part of the fees incurred
• For complex cases with extensive proceedings, the award may be higher, at the court's discretion
• Reimbursement is not automatic — it must be requested from the court, which rules only on what is asked, and the parties may produce evidence of the sums they claim

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

A written fee agreement is required by French law (Art. 10 of the Law of 31 December 1971), save in limited cases such as urgency, and protects both sides. It is provided for review before any commitment.