What are the statutory fees for a lawyer?
May 30, 2022 | 60,00 EUR | answered by Ralf Schröter
Dear lawyer,
I am writing to you today with a question regarding fee law. My name is Wilhelm Otten and I have recently used the services of a lawyer. Unfortunately, I am unsure about the costs that I will incur and whether they comply with legal requirements.
The situation is as follows: I have instructed a lawyer to resolve a civil law matter. I have been presented with a fee offer which seems quite high to me. Since I am not sufficiently familiar with fee law, I am unsure if the costs are appropriate and if excessive fees may be charged.
My concerns are primarily that I do not want to be taken advantage of and that I do not want to strain my financial situation. Additionally, I want to ensure that the fees being charged to me comply with legal requirements.
Therefore, my specific question to you is: What are the legal fees for a lawyer in my situation and what should I look out for to ensure that the costs are transparent and fair? Are there possible solutions to avoid potentially excessive fees and protect my financial interests?
Thank you in advance for your support and I look forward to your informed response.
Sincerely,
Wilhelm Otten
Dear Mr. Otten,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding fee regulations in relation to the services of a lawyer. It is understandable that you are concerned about the costs of your legal advice and want to ensure that they comply with legal requirements. I am happy to provide you with a detailed response to your questions.
First and foremost, it is important to understand that the costs for the services of a lawyer are regulated under the Lawyers' Remuneration Act (RVG). The RVG determines how a lawyer's fee is calculated and what amount is reasonable. The fees are determined based on factors such as the value of the dispute, the complexity of the matter, and the scope of the lawyer's work.
For civil law matters such as the clarification of a civil law issue as you described, the RVG provides specific guidelines for calculating fees. Typically, the fees are based on the value of the subject matter of the legal dispute. The subject matter value is the value at stake in the legal dispute.
It is important that when engaging a lawyer, you ensure that they explain to you transparently and clearly how the costs are composed and how they are calculated. Additionally, you should obtain a written fee proposal in advance so that you can estimate the costs beforehand.
If you have doubts about the amount of the estimated costs, you can also contact the local bar association. They can assist you with questions regarding fee regulations and verify whether the costs comply with legal requirements.
In summary, it is important that you inform yourself about the applicable legal requirements before engaging a lawyer to ensure that the costs are transparent and fair. Do not hesitate to ask your lawyer for a detailed breakdown of the costs and inquire about any uncertainties.
I hope that my response is helpful to you and I am available for further questions.
Best regards,
Ralf Schröter, Lawyer
