In the article below:
- We explain in what situations it is worth using the services of law firms
- We describe in detail how to independently calculate the cost of preparing a letter by a lawyer
- We present several examples of valuations of legal services
We encourage those interested in obtaining a detailed estimate of the costs of conducting a specific case and the proposed action plan online booking of an inexpensive initial consultation. We handle cases throughout Poland.
Introduction – is it worth using the services of a lawyer and when?
W każdej istotnej i bardzo istotnej sprawie należy skorzystać z pomocy wykwalifikowanego prawnika. Zarówno w życiu prywatnym, jak i w działalności biznesowej.
Paradoksalnie, skorzystanie z pomocy radcy prawnego albo adwokata bardzo często pozwala zaoszczędzić pieniądze. I mamy na to wręcz tysiące przykładów z praktyki. Niestety, wiele jest także zazwyczaj dosyć smutnych historii klientów, którzy myśląc, że w ten sposób zaoszczędzą, nie skorzystali z pomocy prawnika. To czasami wywołuje katastrofalne skutki, mniej więcej podobnie do zakupu auta bez zagłówków w fotelach. Taki zagłówek teoretycznie nie zawsze się przydaje, ale w praktyce jego brak oznacza bardzo realne zagrożenie.
It's not like only large companies and wealthy people can afford a lawyer. Everyone - both the poor and the rich - cannot afford to make mistakes in key life matters. Using professional legal services is usually the best way to minimize the risk of error. Some of them can be extremely expensive.
No i teraz nasi czytelnicy, zapewne z dużą trwogą, zadają sobie pytanie „A ile taka usługa w kancelarii prawnej będzie kosztować?”
To answer this question accurately and precisely, we first need to describe:
What is the cost of preparing a letter for a lawyer in a given case?
The costs of legal services in a given case, including, for example, preparing a letter or providing legal advice or preparing an opinion, consist of several different elements. The most important of them are:
- Expected number of working hours lawyer. The lawyer spends this time on:
– analysis of documents presented by the client (letters, e-mails, etc.),
– analysis of relevant legal provisions, comments and judgments
– preparation of appropriate documents
– entering additional customer comments, printing and shipping
– ongoing contact with the client and informing him about the progress of his case
- The degree of complexity of the case.
There are cases in which preparing a letter and verifying the legal status takes at most two hours. There are also cases where we spend two or three months, and the result is, for example, a lawsuit for several million or a well-negotiated sales contract for a large business.
- Type and level of legal specialization required.
As in many other industries not related to law, the same in the legal industry - the fewer specialists in a given field, the higher the remuneration rates. It is important to remember that each lawyer specializes in different types of cases. We, for example, deal primarily with pharmaceutical law, civil law and rental agreements. We also prepare objections to the payment order. You can find the full list of specializations on our website home page.
- The lawyer's experience and reputation.
Just as when ordering a painting from an artist-painter, we will probably pay less from a fresh graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts than from the professor teaching him, we should also expect higher fees from legal advisors with extensive experience in a given field.
- Possible need for urgent action.
There are less urgent matters and those that absolutely cannot wait. An express service requiring, for example, a weekend is usually associated with a salary that is several dozen percent higher.
It is also important what stage the case is at. Usually, the most expensive thing is to prepare an appeal or cassation, because these activities are demanding and, at the same time, strictly timely.
How do lawyers settle accounts with clients?
We are getting closer to presenting valuations of specific legal services appropriate for given categories of cases, but for it to make sense - we must first present you the methods of settlement between lawyers and clients:
- hourly remuneration - in this variant, the lawyer settles with the client only for the time effectively spent on his case, at an hourly rate agreed in advance by the parties.
- lump sum fee - in this variant, the lawyer estimates in advance the time he will have to devote to handling a given case (writing a lawsuit, response to the lawsuit, etc.) and agrees with the client on a predetermined fee
- mixed model - based on a lump sum remuneration, subject to a limit on hours - a kind of emergency clause in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Therefore, if you want to independently determine the costs associated with providing legal advice or handling a given case law firm, to musisz wykonać kilka czynności. W pierwszej kolejności przemyśl, ile czasu prawnik będzie musiał na nią poświęcić, uwzględniając opisane wyżej czynności. Następnie wybierz odpowiednią dla danego zlecenia kancelarię prawną i zorientuj się jakie stosuje stawki. W kolejnym kroku pomnóż oszacowaną liczbę godzin przez stawkę godzinową wybranej przez siebie kancelarii prawnej.
Jakie stawki godzinowe oferują kancelarie prawne za skorzystanie z ich usług? Ile kosztuje godzina pracy prawnika?
95% law firms offer rates ranging from PLN 250 to PLN 1,000 for each hour of a lawyer's work. However, the price list of each law firm is different - the prices of legal services depend on the location, knowledge, experience and academic titles as well as the clients served.
What are the details of our Law Firm's price list?
The Law Firm's price list for individual clients
Price list of legal services for companies
How much does it cost to prepare an appeal by a lawyer or legal advisor?
The cost of preparing an appeal by a lawyer or legal advisor usually ranges from PLN 3,000 to PLN 7,000. Factors such as the stage of the trial and the type of case - whether it is a dispute over damaged shoes or life imprisonment - have a significant impact on the final price.
Another issue is availability - usually when a client contacts us Law Firm w sprawie przygotowania apelacji, to ustawowy termin na jej sporządzenie już biegnie. Zlecenie przygotowania apelacji przez (nowego) adwokata albo radcę prawnego wiąże się z takim problemem, że taki prawnik szybko wygospodarować dużą ilość czasu. Żeby znaleźć taki czas prawnik musi zazwyczaj częścią swojej przewidzianej na ten czas pracy podzielić się ze współpracownikami oraz pracować w nadgodzinach – często w weekendy i w nocy. To odbija się na wyższym koszcie napisania apelacji, w porównaniu do kosztów przygotowania pozwu.
Of course, you can look for a lawyer who does not have any other orders at that time. However, the reports of many clients, as well as the principles of logical reasoning, show that this strategy of choosing a lawyer - based on preferring those who have few orders - generally does not work well :)
The lawyer who has handled the case so far has an advantage in preparing the appeal because he knows the files and circumstances of the case. Therefore, the price for preparing an appeal offered by the lawyer currently handling the case is usually slightly lower. On the other hand, it is sometimes worth entrusting the case to someone who will have a new, fresh perspective on it.
How much does it cost to prepare a lease agreement by a lawyer?
The cost of preparing a lease agreement for a commercial premises, as a rule, rarely exceeds half of the planned monthly rent. The detail of the contract, and therefore the cost of its proper preparation, should depend on the value of the protected good. We use a different safe (box) to keep PLN 10,000, and a slightly different one when we need to store PLN 20 million. It is similar with lease agreements and other contracts, the details of the contract are adjusted to the value of the rented item and the associated risks.
Example I: Preparing an apartment lease agreement - it usually costs from PLN 900 to PLN 1,500.
In our law firm, this is the rate for 2.5 to 4.5 hours of our work. There is no universal template for a lease agreement that would provide an appropriate level of protection for every landlord. In fact, only the adaptation of our templates of lease agreements to the very specific expectations of the client and the arrangements of the parties can guarantee an appropriately high level of legal protection. A good suit is usually not the one hanging on a hanger in the supermarket, but the one chosen in a suit shop, or preferably tailored or even fitted by a tailor.
Similarly, a safe lease agreement is not one from the old template from the Internet, but one that is well suited to the specific arrangements of the parties and the condition of the apartment - which may be furnished or unfurnished, in need of renovation or refreshment, rented for half a year, or for 10 years, people with or without pets, etc.
Example II: Przygotowanie dla firmy wzoru umowy najmu lokalu użytkowego – na przykład biurowego, handlowego czy gastronomicznego – to koszt od 1200 do 4500zł.
It costs slightly less, as described below, to thoroughly analyze the template of the lease agreement already sent to the client by the other party and make appropriate corrections there. The large price ranges result from the fact that the level of detail and comprehensiveness of contract solutions will be completely different when renting a souvenir stand in a seaside shopping pavilion for two months, and completely different when dealing with a contract that is supposed to comprehensively protect the interests of both parties to the lease of 10 floors of a skyscraper or 500 m2. premises in a shopping mall. Yet another task that requires a broader perspective is to prepare a comprehensive contract template for such a facility that will meet the needs of various tenants.
How much does it cost to have a contract reviewed by a lawyer?
Example III: Having the contract checked by a lawyer, or to put it more elegantly: verifying the content of the contract proposed by the other party, is one of the legal services that clients often request from a law firm for the first time. Typically, the price for checking the draft contract by lawyers at the law firm is PLN 120/page. If necessary, we also estimate the costs of contract analysis at hourly rates. However, both models usually lead to similar conclusions.
Accepting settlement for each page is a method that usually corresponds to the actual workload. Of course, there are exceptions, especially where contracts concern narrow, less popular areas of law. A car or apartment rental agreement is checked differently than a 130-page lease agreement for space in a shopping mall or a sales agreement for a pharmacy. Some contracts require detailed knowledge, e.g. in the field of pharmaceutical law and its interpretation, and often, preferably, in addition to knowledge, several years of experience in the field and industry. The lawyer's goal is always to provide the client with a contract of the highest quality, i.e. to check the contract and introduce modifications to it.
In our law firm, we have extensive experience in real estate lease agreements, supply agreements, construction works contracts, agreements regarding the sale of shares in companies and the sale of enterprises, including agreements regarding pharmacy sales, employment contracts, management contracts, b2b contracts, advertising contracts, event contracts, NDA contracts, framework contracts, IT implementation contracts, partnership contracts, franchise contracts. There's a lot of it - but these are the problems with which our clients most often come to us.
How much does it cost to have a lawyer check the real estate purchase deed before purchasing?
Example IV: Professional legal support when purchasing an apartment, plot or house is one of the basic services you should use when planning the purchase of a selected property. It is worth contacting us, if possible, before concluding a loan agreement with a bank, a reservation or preliminary agreement or a development agreement. Verification of draft contracts and the legal status of real estate usually costs approximately 0.5% of the transaction value.
Celem usługi dla klientów indywidualnych jest sprawdzenie konkretnej nieruchomości, a także nieruchomości sąsiadujących, planów, kwestii administracyjnych i prawnych, a także projektów umów przedwstępnych, przyrzeczonych i kredytowych. Łączny koszt zależy od ilości dokumentów i stopnia skomplikowania sprawy.
For a commercial retail or office property, the cost of conducting due diligence taking into account significant risks is usually around 1,25% of the transaction value.
How much does it cost to have a lawyer write a request for payment?
Example V: Preparation of a request for payment by a lawyer in our law firm costs approximately PLN 700. This is a task that requires analysis of the case, including the analysis of documents and evidence. After all, when making a request, we must be sure that our client is legally entitled to the amount for which we are requesting payment. Such analysis and preparation of the letter takes at least 2 hours - hence the cost from PLN 700 upwards. In our office, we prepare summonses that explain very precisely, step by step, why the party we represent is right. Thanks to this, we are much more likely to encounter the case being taken seriously, payment made or the debtor entering into negotiations.
The final cost depends primarily on the complexity of the case, the amount of evidence, the required legal specialization, the need to obtain additional documents, etc.
How much does it cost to write a lawsuit?
How much does it cost to have a lawyer write a claim for payment?
Example VI: Przygotowanie pozwu o zapłatę w sprawie cywilnej – to koszt od 2% do 10% wartości sprawy, czyli dochodzonej kwoty. Zasadniczo ze względu na niezbędny nakład pracy wynoszący minimum 6h, koszt minimalny przygotowania pozwu w sprawie cywilnej to około 2000zł. Stawkę tę większość profesjonalnych prawników traktuje jako wyjściową.
The final cost depends primarily on the complexity of the case, the amount of evidence, specialization, the need to obtain additional documents, etc. In accordance with our company's policy, the client knows from the beginning how much he will pay - we determine the cost of preparing the lawsuit together during the initial consultation.
How much does it cost for a lawyer to write a response to a lawsuit? How much does it cost to write objection to the payment order?
Example VII: Preparing a response to a claim for payment in a civil case - the cost ranges from 2% to 15% of the case value, i.e. the amount claimed. Basically, due to the necessary workload of at least 6 hours, the minimum cost of preparing a response to a lawsuit in a civil case is approximately PLN 2,000. Most professional lawyers treat this rate as the starting rate.
Preparing an objection to a payment order (containing a response to the lawsuit) or the response to the lawsuit itself usually involves a similar cost to preparing the lawsuit. In accordance with the relevant regulations, it is assumed that the material necessary to prepare by both parties and the related workload are the same. Therefore, the information on the factors influencing the valuation specified in the previous example remains fully justified.
How much does it cost for a lawyer to prepare a rent reduction petition?
Example VIII: Preparing a lawsuit for the court to shape the real estate lease relationship in a different way than it was included in the fixed-term contract - most often for a reduction of the rent for the rented premises or termination of the lease contract - costs PLN 3,500 + VAT
We provide such a service only after analyzing all the documentation (lease agreement, annexes, correspondence of the parties), preparing a summons to the landlord and conducting negotiations with him (which in our package costs PLN 1,750 + VAT). Termination of a lease agreement or obtaining an effective rent reduction requires proof that in relation to a specific premises and a specific agreement there has been an extraordinary change in economic relations, resulting in the fact that the performance of the agreement will now involve a significant loss.
How much does it cost for a lawyer to prepare a lawsuit regarding the termination of an employment contract?
Example IX: In our law firm, preparing a lawsuit on behalf of an employee regarding the termination of an employment relationship and the legality of such a termination costs from PLN 2,000 to PLN 5,000, depending on the complexity of the case.
How much does it cost to prepare a lawsuit for adverse possession?
Example X: In our law firm, preparing a lawsuit in a case regarding adverse possession usually costs from PLN 2,500 to PLN 7,500, depending on the complexity of the case.
Is it worth using the services of a lawyer to handle my case?
Using professional legal assistance from a legal advisor or lawyer, even if it costs a little, in almost every case, ultimately helps you save significantly. Hiring a lawyer to handle a given case is like making an appointment with the dentist. This is never a small expense and is often postponed, but the sooner a professional deals with the matter, the greater the chance that the final cost will be much lower.
That is why large companies and wealthy people use the services of lawyers in even the smallest matters. As a result, it is cheaper this way. Paradoxically, this is why these clients can afford it because, thanks to the frequent use of professionals' help, they are much less likely to make seemingly small but costly mistakes.
Is it really worth spending this money to have a lawyer prepare the letter? Or maybe I'll write myself a letter?
Maybe you can ask about your case on some legal forum and prepare a letter, a lawsuit or a response to the lawsuit yourself? "It can't be difficult..."
Law is difficult, tricky, full of procedures and traps. Of course, ultimately, this decision is up to you. However, experience shows that in absolutely every case it is most economical to use the services of the best possible lawyer at the earliest possible stage. Most often, it turns out that acting "on your own" brings much more losses than benefits. The same as entrusting the case to non-professionals.
Sticking to the metaphor from the previous question - when your tooth starts hurting, do you make an appointment with the dentist or do you first try to treat it with a root canal using a drill on your own? In the vast majority of cases, acting independently in your own case brings similar effects.
About every fifth person or company that comes to our law firm finds it very difficult to help, precisely because they either took action in the case on their own or simply come to a lawyer much too late.
Does it make sense to hire a lawyer to write a contract?
Using a lawyer's help at the stage of preparing a contract or negotiating its terms is best compared to buying a car with headrests in the seats. Expanding on this idea - theoretically, of course, you can try to buy a slightly cheaper car without headrests. Millions of people used to drive such cars and still live today. The problem, however, is that quite a lot of people paid a very high, and often even the highest possible, price for the lack of these headrests. The situation is similar with people who have not used professional legal services before, but sometimes they manage to (survive) happily without it. However, it often ends very badly - unfortunately, we see clients who come to the lawyer too late even several times a day.
Should you use the services of a lawyer in Warsaw, Krakow or a smaller city?
We have offices in both of the mentioned cities. However, do the prices of legal services depend on the place of provision of the service? It seems that in a small town the prices of legal services may be slightly lower. However, due to low competition, quite often the opposite happens. It may be more cost-effective for the client to choose a lawyer in a larger city, where there is high competition on the legal services market. This most often also has a positive impact on the quality of these services.
In 2023 - in at least 40% cases, we will provide services from start to finish online, enabling our clients to very easily join teleconferences from a computer or telephone, exchange files by e-mail, etc. Therefore, the town where our client comes from no longer has any practical significance.
Is using professional legal services profitable?
If you are still afraid that using professional legal services will significantly burden your wallet, after many years of experience we assure you that you will certainly spend much less on providing professional legal services than on covering the financial losses that you will most likely incur when using legal assistance. you won't benefit.
The real cost of professional legal services in a case, depending on its complexity, is usually several percent of the actual value of the transaction or case you intend to make. Using professional legal services is one of those things that makes the rich even richer. In turn, acting on one's own, i.e. not using professional legal assistance, in the vast majority of cases makes less wealthy people even less wealthy.
Take the following authentic story from one of our clients as an example:
Pewnego dnia do naszej Kancelarii zgłosił się przedsiębiorca wynajmujący kilka różnych lokali i zamówił u nas przygotowanie umowy najmu lokalu użytkowego, za którą zapłacił około 1800 zł. Kilka miesięcy później zadzwonił ponownie z prośbą o dostosowanie jej do zupełnie innych warunków wynegocjowanych z kolejnym klientem. Całkowicie zmienił on bowiem charakter wynajmowanego lokalu i profil działalności. Zaproponowaliśmy wówczas wynagrodzenie w wysokości 600zł za wprowadzenie zmian i poprawek. Klient nie skorzystał, bowiem uznał, że koszt jest zbyt wysoki – „Proszę Pana ja nie jestem dużą firmą, żeby móc za każdym razem zostawiać u prawnika 600zł”. Kilka miesięcy później, przy czwartym najemcy, wrócił z umową do napisania – i z problemem w postaci drugiej i trzeciej umowy z kolejnymi najemcami, które samodzielnie przerobił. Zbyt dużo niestety w tych sprawach się pomóc już nie dało, umowy były ewidentnie źle przerobione, a klient dokonując przeróbek niestety sam zadziałał na swoją niekorzyść. W tym przypadku klient działając na własną rękę stracił w sumie około 180 000 zł, Well, he saved a total of PLN 1,200 on lawyer's fees. The large companies he mentioned are large companies, among other things, because they usually do not save where it is not profitable. This means that they simply professionalize their activities and do not make such mistakes. The expense for a lawyer is always much smaller than the potential losses resulting from not using professional legal assistance.
Summary – how much does it cost to hire a lawyer or legal advisor? How much does it cost to have a lawyer write a letter?
Each lawyer has his own rates and valuation methods - we have described those used in our law firm above. We hope that the above article will make the answer to the question you were asking yourself before reading it a little easier and, above all, that you will decide to entrust your matters to a professional, i.e. a lawyer or a legal advisor. We do not want to impose our offer, as there are many different law firms on the market. Our satisfied customers provide us with a lot of work through their recommendations.
Below we present once again links to the Law Firm's price lists:
Cennik Kancelarii Radcy Prawnego dla Klientów Indywidualnych
Price list of legal services for companies
A tak po prostu – ile kosztuje zwykła porada prawna u prawnika?
Wstępna porada prawna trwa 45 minut i kosztuje 200zł – przynajmniej w naszej Kancelarii. Odbywa się zazwyczaj z udziałem prowadzącego Kancelarię – Radcy Prawnego. Ale oczywiście u każdego prawnika ten koszt jest inny.
Sometimes such a short initial consultation, i.e. initial legal advice, ends the whole case.
Równie często jednak porada wstępna, to tylko wstęp do przygotowania opinii prawnej, pozwu czy odpowiedzi na pozew, czy innej formy powierzenia całości sprawy naszej Kancelarii. Naszym celem jest zapewnić na tyle kompleksową obsługę prawną zleconej nam sprawy, by Państwo nie musieli się już o tę sprawę martwić. Dysponujemy doskonale przygotowanym Zespołem prawników, po studiach na Uniwersytecie Jagiellońskim – najlepszej uczelni prawniczej w Polsce, który jeżeli chętnie podejmuje się najtrudniejszych wyzwań. Oczywiście w miarę posiadania w danej chwili odpowiednich zasobów czasowych, prowadzimy i przejmujemy sprawy na każdym etapie: przedsądowym, sądowym i apelacyjnym.
If you want to obtain an individual estimate of the costs of handling a specific case, send its description to the following address: wycy@klodzinskikancelaria.pl – bezpłatnie albo book a date for a (paid but inexpensive) initial consultation, which can take place in our office in Warsaw, in our office in Krakow or online.