Probably the most basic ingredient in any fee charged by a lawyer is the amount of time spent on a particular problem, depending on the circumstances of the case as well as the experience, expertise and reputation of the lawyer.

An experienced lawyer may be better trained to handle your problem. If your lawyer is well known as an able lawyer in one field, a higher fee may be charged because those specific services are in special demand. This situation is similar to that found in the field of medicine when a doctor charges more for a complex operation than for a routine one.

In some cases, the result itself may decide the fee. An example of this is the "contingency" agreement, often used in personal injury cases. The lawyer receives no fee unless money is recovered for the client. If money is recovered, then the lawyer is paid an agreed-upon percentage of the recovery.

The client, by law, is responsible for court costs such as filing fees and subpoena fees. The client must also reimburse the lawyer for any actual expenses paid out of the office funds (for items such as long-distance telephone calls, investigators, medical reports and depositions).

A four-page document and the advice given in a few minutes are actually the products of many hours of work. In addition, this end result may have involved time spent by other persons in the lawyer's office, i.e., a legal assistant, a lawyer associate or a legal secretary and the cost of operating equipments involved.

Do not hesitate to discuss fees at any time during the handling of your legal matter. If you receive a statement and believe the fee isn't proper, talk it over with your lawyer. Usually, misunderstandings about fees result from the fact that the client is not aware of the extent of the lawyer's work on the case.

A written fee agreement is highly recommended for the mutual benefit of both the client and the lawyer.
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