ATTORNEY MAG. MATTHIAS ZEZULA
Lawyers & defense attorneys
Liezen - Windischgarsten - Schladming - Graz - Salzburg
FEE
The principle of free fee agreement applies
We can invoice our services in the form of a flat fee or an hourly fee. If nothing has been agreed upon, the appropriate fee will be calculated in consideration of the tariff. Should our work achieve the success you hope for, a success fee can also be agreed upon.
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Below, you will find more information about the possible fee arrangements.
FLAT FEE
The flat fee offers the client the advantage of knowing the amount of the fee from the outset. This amount is determined in each case by the required scope of services and the specific negotiation result. In many cases, however, the agreement on a flat fee will fail because the scope of services cannot be estimated in advance by the attorney. While average values can be determined based on experience for the scope and duration of court proceedings, it is difficult or only partially possible to predict the opponent's behavior, the number of necessary negotiations, or the extent of evidence collection in advance.
TIME-BASED FEE
With hourly billing, the amount of the fee is agreed upon per unit of time, typically per hour. The hourly rates can vary and depend on whether the services are provided by the attorney, the trainee lawyer, or the law firm employees. It is essential to agree on whether billing is done per started quarter hour or per started half hour. If an hourly fee is agreed upon, the attorney must not only keep records of the type of service provided but, more importantly, the associated time expenditure, which forms the main basis for billing.
BILLING ACCORDING TO TARIFF
When referring to the tariff or statutory fee, the Legal Fee Act, the General Fee Criteria, or the Notary Fee Act form the basis for fee calculation. The Legal Fee Act is tailored to legal services related to court proceedings. According to this law, the court also determines the costs that the losing party must reimburse, and it applies in the absence of an agreement between the attorney and their client. If legal services are not covered by the Legal Fee Act, such as representation and defense in criminal proceedings, the General Fee Criteria are used to assess the appropriateness of the fee. Services that are legally regulated by the Notary Fee Act can also be billed by the attorney according to the Notary Fee Act. This is often the case when drafting contracts or creating wills and other testamentary dispositions.