Our Fees
Retainer
Wherever possible, we work with our clients on a retainer basis. This means that we provide our clients with the services they need, when they need them and for a fixed monthly fee. We become as involved in our client’s business as they desire and work closely and effectively with their managerial staff and internal advisers. Our services include advice (including in-house clinics to assist managerial and supervisory staff), employment documents, representation in Courts and Tribunals, legal education and workplace investigations. A retainer gives you the best of both worlds – a senior lawyer who is dedicated to your business and its needs (without the add-on costs of an employee) and fixed legal fees. For more information – Retainer Information
Fixed Fee
For clients who require our services only occasionally or otherwise prefer not to have a retainer arrangement, we provide the majority of our services on a fixed fee basis for each service provided. These services include:
- Contracts, Agreements and Deeds
- Policies, Procedures and Manuals
- Legal health checks
- Briefings, workshops and seminars
- Management assistance
- Workplace mediation
- Workplace investigations
We begin by obtaining a full briefing from our client regarding their objectives and requirements and then we assess a fair rate for the services requested of us, having regard to the expertise, skills and time involved in the provision by us of a service which meets our client’s objectives and requirements. Clients are asked to pay the fixed fee either in a single payment or in instalments.
Hourly Rate
Where our clients prefer legal fees to be charged on an hourly rate, we charge an all-inclusive hourly rate. This means that clients are not charged an extra fee for more than one team member; legal research; clerical or administrative services. Face-to-face meetings and attendances at a Court, Commission or Tribunal are charged on a minimum one-hour basis. All other services are charged for on the basis of six-minute units. For example, if we perform work requiring 20 minutes of our time we will charge 4 units.
We charge disbursements at cost. We do not charge for photocopying, faxes, scanning or telephone calls.
Invoices for ad hoc work are issued at the end of the month and they are payable within 14 days. Invoices for fixed fee work are payable upon delivery.
An itemised schedule of work, detailing all work performed, is attached to each invoice.
Prior to the commencement of any work, we provide our clients with a detailed Costs Disclosure and enter into a Costs Agreement with them.
