What mode of payment did you agree upon? Do not worry too much about how lawyer fees. Some lawyers will offer you flexible payment schemes that will fit well with your business budget. While you are at the peak of picking the right legal support, make sure to be open to talking about the rates and the details of what support they will provide you with and how much do they charge for each. This is to save you from paying a lawyer $200 for a document only to find out that you can ask a paralegal help to do it for $75.
No matter what type of billing you agree with, here are some of the things you can do to save on costs:
- Ask for an estimate.
There’s nothing wrong with asking for an estimate. It’ll help you decide whether something is worth pursuing or not. Some lawyers provide “caps” where they guarantee that the amount state would be the maximum cost to get the particular service provided for. Make sure that all of these are put in writing to protect yourself later on.
- Ask how they calculate the bill.
How will they charge you? If it is by the minute, will they include the phone call you made to them? How much will a five-minute meeting cost you? Make sure that you know all these, so you don’t end up wasting time and losing money in the process too.
- Ask for an itemized bill.
It always helps to know what items you are paying them for. Some lawyers wait until six months before they send an invoice. In your case, it always helps to ask for them monthly so you can keep track of the services you’ve been provided with. Excessive fees are always a red flag. It may be possible that you’ve been billed for a service that you did not get. It is best to have it all cleared out before you send payment.
- Ask for a discount.
There’s nothing wrong with asking for a discount, especially if you send prompt payments. A five percent less on legal fees can go a long way. Also, it’ll help encourage you always to pay your business bills on time.
- Ask for regular meetings.
At a glance, this might not seem to budget-friendly for you, but in the long run, it’ll save you from the endless rounds of meetings and phone calls. Moreover, a regular five to ten-minute meetings every month can save you a lot from legal problems that have been caught before they even get the chance to grow.