Fees

Some people think that lawyers are expensive.

That’s a ludicrous assumption, of course. Over your lifetime, you will most certainly spend more money on food, clothing, housing, cars, electronics, children, holidays and maybe even cigarettes than on lawyers.

For an initial consultation, I charge between 200 € and 400 €, depending on the complexity of the case.

After that, you will know if it’s worth to pursue the case further. And I will be able to give you a good estimate of how much it will cost.

The problem with calculating lawyers fees are the clients, I am sorry to say. Someone may tell me that “it’s just a simple divorce”. But in the process, I discover that the marriage wasn’t valid in the first place, that there are hitherto unknown children of questionable descent, and that the spouses were running several Ponzi schemes on off-shore islands, the proceeds of which they are now fiercely arguing about. Then obviously, if I had quoted a flat fee at the beginning, based on the “simple divorce” promise, I would make a loss.

That’s why hourly billing is the fairest method. You and me (and sadly, sometimes the opponent) determine how much time we invest, and whether it’s really worthwhile to fight over every little detail. (It usually isn’t.)

My hourly rate is 200 €.

I will charge a retainer to cover the first 10 hours or more, again depending on the complexity of the case. And then I will always keep you informed of your balance. You will never be surprised by a huge bill after years of litigation.

Because of this billing method, which deviates from the standard of how German lawyers operate (based on the amount in controversy), you can usually not recover the whole amount of my lawyer’s fees, even in case of victory. Nor will your legal insurance pick up the total tab.

But that doesn’t bother you, because you now think of a lawyer as something special. A once-in-a-lifetime treat that you indulge in. Like a cruise. Or that honeymoon.

Speaking of travel, you actually save a lot by hiring me, because during my vagabonding years, I have learned to keep travel expenses to a minimum. No first-class flights or luxury hotels for this hot-shot lawyer. I am much more into long train journeys, Couchsurfing and hitchhiking. I do not charge for the travel time itself.

Oh, and if you are really poor, there is legal aid. It is also available to foreign citizens who have a case before the German courts.