Lawyers’ fees

Our transparent fee structure gives you total control over your case.

Legal fees are governed by various laws and rules: articles 34 to 41A of the Geneva law on the legal profession, articles 18 to 23 of the Swiss national rules of professional conduct and article 12 of the Geneva bar association code of practice together with the association’s circulars.

Lawyers are paid based on time spent (via an itemised fee note detailing activities carried out), the complexity and importance of the case (in particular the value of the claim), the lawyer’s experience and level of responsibility, the outcome achieved and the client’s situation.

Lawyers are bound by an obligation of means, not an obligation of results. This means that attorneys-at-law are obliged to dedicate appropriate resources to pursuing a result, but there is no obligation on them to actually achieve it.

The firm will agree a method of calculating fees with each client. For certain case types, a flat fee may be applied. Alternatively, we may agree to charge a reduced basic fee plus a success fee dependent on the outcome of the case (pactum de palmario).

It is customary for lawyers to request advance payments when a case begins and as it progresses. Advance payments are an amount of money deposited as security for future fees, expenses and disbursements. They are deducted from the final bill.