Undoubtedly, legal fees or costs are one of the most important considerations for most people who are seeking a solicitor. And when it comes to legal fees in Ireland, considering legal costing becomes crucial, as it is one of the most expensive countries in Europe.
Therefore, we’ve come with this guide, which will help you to get a clear understanding of how much does it cost to hire a solicitor in Ireland.
While most Irish lawyers charge fees on an hourly basis, and the average cost of a solicitor is anywhere between €200 to €400 per hour. The exact cost varies due to several factors, which we’ll discuss in this guide. So, to know more, let’s dive into this guide.
Can I Talk to a Solicitor for Free?
Yes, for the first-time meeting or consultancy, you’ll find solicitors who offer free consultancy for legal advice. A free legal consultancy is the best way to find the best-suited law firm for commercial litigation, personal injury, Family Law Solicitors in Dublin, etc., for your case. It helps to find out the rights, legal positions, and if the solicitor is worth your case to deal with.
Therefore, you should make the most out of this free consultancy and try to get the best out of it. To do this, you can make a note about your needs, issues, and expectations before meeting or contacting the solicitor. You can even note down some questions to ask your solicitor related to your case. For example,
- How long have you been practicing law?
- What kind of case do you usually handle?
- Have you represented a case like mine before?
- How do you charge a client?
- How often will I be updated on the progress of the case?
- Will you personally handle my case?
- What could be the possible outcome of my case?
- How long will this whole process take to complete?
- When will I be required to pay?
While consulting with a solicitor, you can also discuss payment options. They may offer you-
- A no-win, no-fee agreement (pay only if you win the case, though, in some circumstances, you may need to pay).
- Damages-based agreements (If you win your case, pay a set percentage of the compensation)
- Free or one-off payment advice
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Solicitor in Ireland?
Several people wonder about a common question is how much does it cost to hire a solicitor in Ireland?
Well, there are certain rules in place, where everything is set for how a solicitor can charge their clients. These rules are known as Section 68 of the Solicitors (Amended) Act of 1994. Here it is clearly stated that a solicitor must inform their clients in writing of the following information regarding their fees-
- How much they are going to charge the client
- Estimation of fees that may be charged (when it is impossible to calculate the actual charges, especially in contentious legal services)
- A detailed list of charges on which the fees or bill has been made.
Solicitors generally charge for their time and services. The total cost depends on their hourly rate and how much time they have spent working for you or advising you. A medium-sized law firm or solicitor may generally charge €400 per hour. On the other side, the associate solicitors charge on average €300 per hour.
But this range may vary. The most common way for solicitors to charge clients is to charge on an hourly basis. Generally, there is no fixed hourly rate, and mostly a solicitor base a specific client’s charge considering the following factors:
- The specialisms, location, size, and reputation of the solicitor.
- Type of legal service like conveyancing, divorce, wills and trusts, lasting power of attorney, business law, personal injury claims/litigation, family law, etc.
- The complexity, urgency, and importance of your case
- Difficult level of your case’s circumstances
- Skill, specialized knowledge, and the staff needed for your case
- Amount of time and staff involved in your case
- The number of documents they have prepared
- The involved transaction value
- If the solicitor need to travel to deal with the case
- The amounts or values of money, and property
- If any research or investigation is undertaken and the time spent on it
- The use and costs of expert witnesses or other expertise
Apart from these, you should remember that, for contentious legal service (where courts are involved), your solicitor can’t calculate the fees or other charges. The only exception to this rule is that percentage charges are permitted and considered a common practice in debt collection.
What To Expect When You Receive Your Bill From The Solicitor?
When it is time for you to pay for the legal services you’ve received, you’ll get a bill of cost. It is a written breakdown of all the charges. This bill of costs must include the following-
- Solicitor fees for their work
- A summary of all the legal services you have received so far
- Itemized statement of charges and nature of these charges which were incurred
- Amount of VAT charged
- Total time spent on your case (only when the cost is calculated based on time and the per hour rate)
- The financial outcome of your case.
- The amount of costs that have been paid or are due to your lawyer by the other party.
- Other charges where third-party professionals or organizations have been brought into your case.
Lastly, your bill of cost must include an explanation about how you can challenge any of the aspects of this bill of costs.
Conclusion
We hope now you know how much does it cost to hire a solicitor in Ireland. Actually, what is more important is the fees should be transparent, clear, and fair for the clients. So, you should focus on choosing the best solicitors for your case.
It will be better if you ask questions and clear all your queries and doubts to ensure your solicitor can meet your needs and interests at all stages. So, whenever it comes to legal fees and charges, you must consider asking questions; your solicitors are always there for you to answer and walk you through the case.