It is important that you as our client understand the basis of the firm’s fees for any business for which the charge is calculated on the amount of time, and the level of seniority of the member or members of staff, involved. However in assessing our final charge we also consider factors additional to time including the complexity, importance and urgency of the matter and the outcome achieved. No two cases are alike and it is not always possible to tell you in advance exactly what your legal costs will be. Where possible, we can indicate the level of costs you might expect to incur, based on our experience of cases not dissimilar to your own, but this cannot constitute a quotation, and cannot take into account additional work or, indeed, early settlement which might either increase or decrease the level of those fees significantly.

The normal rate of charge is in the case of a partner $350.00 per hour, and solicitors between $150.00 and $250.00 per hour. Fees are exclusive of GST and disbursements e.g. registration and search costs, Court filing fees, agency charges etc.

Please note that in handling your instructions, it is not always appropriate to allocate a specific period of time for all tasks (as for meetings, drafting or attending hearings) and therefore for standard items such as routine phone calls, or letters sent and received we allocate a rate of 10% of the hourly charge. Phone calls or letters of more than six minutes duration or preparation (constituting 1 unit/item i.e. 10% of the hourly rate) are charged as the relevant number of units or time spent.

If you request us to undertake work on an urgent basis it will mean we do your work in priority to other work and may involve additional staff, personal attendances and meetings and personal delivery or filing of documents rather than correspondence and following usual office procedures and the time may be substantially increased as a result which will be reflected in the fees charged to you.

It is our desire to keep the cost of time to a minimum, and we exercise our discretion as to what level of seniority of staff is needed for any one task.

The firm reserves the right to review its charging rates from time to time, but notification will be given in advance. The rates set out above apply from 1 st January 2006, until further notice. Settlement of our invoices is due within fourteen (14) days of the date of invoice and we reserve the right to charge interest at the rate of 14% per annum from the date payment became due. We are also entitled not to undertake any further work until payment is made.

We require money by way of a retainer on account of our fees or disbursements in respect of all legal work undertaken other than legal work involving a sale or a purchase. In that case you will be invoiced prior to settlement and our fees will be allowed in the statement of the amount either required or received at settlement and will be deducted at that time. In all other cases you will be invoiced normally on a monthly basis in respect of legal services provided to you subsequent to your instructions or the last invoice forwarded to you as the case may be.

Client assistance to reduce costs
Because a large proportion of legal fees are calculated on time the more assistance you provide as a client in giving clear instructions, assembling documents and preparing statements and information, the less time it takes for us to be involved in those matters. It would be appreciated if any matters which are considered by you to be of particular importance to you are the subject of written instructions to ensure that there is a clear record of your priorities. It is also important that your instructions to us are full and complete and that you provide us with all documents or other papers or information relevant to your instructions.  

File destruction
At the termination of our services, our files are stored for a minimum period of five years. Those files may contain certain documents which are your property. Unless you tell us that you want any such property returned to you within five years, we reserve the right to destroy the file, (including your property) after the expiry of five years from storing it, and without further notice. (This of course excludes wills and deeds).