In Queensland a law practice must give you a costs disclosure before, or as soon as practicable after, it starts work. Read it. It is the document that tells you what the matter will cost and what happens if the estimate changes.
The three ways fees are charged
Fixed fee. One agreed price for a defined piece of work — a will, a conveyance, a straightforward application. Best where the scope is predictable.
Hourly rate. Charged in units for work actually done. Used where the scope depends on what the other side does — litigation, contested family matters.
Disbursements. Amounts the firm pays out on your behalf: filing fees, search fees, barrister's fees, expert reports. These are additional to professional fees and are usually not negotiable.
Six questions to ask
- What is the total estimate, including disbursements and GST?
- What is not included in that estimate?
- What events would make the estimate change, and will you tell me before that happens?
- Who will actually do the work, and at what rate?
- How often will I be billed?
- If I stop the matter halfway, what do I owe?
You are entitled to ask for an itemised bill, and to have costs assessed if you believe they are unreasonable. General information only.