Justice should not come with a price tag. But there should be some monetary support to the judiciary system that will help it function smoothly. When you hire a lawyer to file a case in court, you are required to pay a certain fee to the lawyer for representing your case in court.
However, if you have a no win no fee agreement with the lawyer, you are not required to pay any fees to the lawyer. Here are things you can expect in this arrangement with the lawyer.
What Is a No Win No Fee Contract?
The no-win no fee is also known as contingency fees. The agreement mentions the sum of money the lawyer will receive if he wins the case. The fee could be a part of 20-30% of the total compensation amount you receive after court rules in your favor. If there is no recovery in the case, the client need not pay any fees to the lawyer.
What Will the Fee Include if You Win the Case?
The no win no fee agreement mentions the charges you have to pay to the lawyer if you win the case. The fees could include
Professional fees – These fees for providing you legal advice while filing the case in court.
Disbursements – In every case, the lawyer incurs ongoing costs that include inspection fees, administrative expenses, court fees, and medical reports. Make sure the disbursements section mentions all costs borne by the lawyer throughout the case.
Barrister Fees – In some court cases, the lawyer might hire a barrister to represent your case in court. Ensure the barrister fees also comply with the terms and conditions of the no win no fee agreement.
Hidden Charges to Look For
Before signing a no-win no-fee contract with the lawyer read the agreement carefully and check for any hidden charges.
Disbursement payments– Some agreements will include all costs in the no-win no-fee contract. It means you do not have to pay a lawyer anything if you lose the case. However, if the agreement only mentions professional fees, you might have to pay disbursement fees if you lose. Check with the lawyer before signing the agreement.
Upfront payment of disbursements– Some agreements require you to make an upfront payment of disbursements. It means you will have to pay for medical records, court fees from your pocket.
Uplift fee – Lawyers are generally taking a risk when signing a no-win no-fee contract with their clients. Hence lawyers are allowed to charge an “uplift fee” for such contingency agreement. The uplift fee is an additional fee other than professional fees, disbursement fees, or barrister fees.
The uplift fee is calculated as a percentage of the total compensation amount you receive. According to experts, the uplift fee should not be more than 25% of the total compensation. If the lawyer is demanding more, it should be mentioned in the contract.
To sum up, the no win no fee contract between lawyer and client provides many benefits to the client. However, you need to read the contract carefully and discuss important aspects of the contract before signing it.
