Terms of use

4. Basis of the agreed fixed fee

4.1. In relation to the agreed fixed fee, it is based on the following assumptions:

4.1.1. The ambit of work and true intention of the applicant/sponsor will not be materially different to that have been filed under the CQ;

4.1.2. The matter will proceed without undue difficulty;

4.1.3. No significant new issues will arise nor will the matter extend to any significant areas of work not contemplated when the instruction was accepted;

4.1.4. Meetings/telephone appointments with the client will not exceed sixty minutes on average; the matter will be capable of being carried out by designated legal representative and senior solicitor/partner involvement will not be required;
4.1.5. The agreed fixed fee quoted relates only to French Law advice to be given.

4.1.6. The fee does not include any non-standard steps including unexpected problems, instructions or complexities, further representations, a further application, an appeal and / or a challenge of the application should it be refused or rejected for any reason. The fee does not also include any material changes in instructions, circumstances or delays resulting in unforeseen work.

4.2. We are entitled to retain your file of papers and original documents while there is money owing to us for fees.

4.3. In cases where an instruction has been accepted on an agreed fixed fee basis but subsequently withdrawn, the agreed fixed fee will be retained in its entirety as the agreed fixed fee is non-refundable regardless of which stage the matter has reached and it is not dependent on tasks completed or case outcome.

4.3.1. Where an instruction is withdrawn prior to services being provided and a full refund is requested, a minimum administration fee of EUR 100 will be applied in all cases to cover the administrative costs of setting up the file, administering the refund and covering merchant refund fees. Agreed fixed fees are non-refundable once work has commenced on the file (work is commenced at consultation stage).

4.3.2. For non-agreed fixed fee matters, a minimum standard hourly rate of EUR 350.00(+vat) will apply for each hour of work billed. This also applies to all withdrawn instructions.

4.3.3. For non-agreed fixed fee matters, if, following a legal consultation, a bespoke document list and Client Care Letter is produced for the client, a minimum fee of EUR 500.00 (+VAT) will be billed.

4.3.4. All telephone calls (in and out), emails and letters will be billed at a flat rate of EUR 25.00 +VAT per item if the instruction is withdrawn by the client.

4.3.5. All Legal Consultations will be billed at a minimum flat rate of EUR250 + vat regardless of method of delivery or duration.

4.3.6. All consultations are offered on a strictly by appointment only basis and once booked, any consultations unable to take place as scheduled due to the client failing to present/making themselves available without a minimum of four hours advance notice in writing will remain billable at the flat rate of EUR 350 + VAT.

4.3.7. Instructions accepted on an agreed fixed fee basis that comprises of more than one clearly defined task/application offer a discounted rate strictly on the basis that the firm has been retained to pursue all components to conclusion. If the basis of instructions subsequently change prior to conclusion, the work already completed will not benefit from any agreed fixed fee discount and thus at the sole discretion of management, will be billed for at a pre-discounted standard rate of EUR250 + vat per hour in line with time spent on the file.