How Much Should it Cost for a Small Business to Hire a Lawyer?

If you’ve found yourself needing to hire a lawyer, you’ve probably thought of the costs, the process and the unpredictability. It can be overwhelming. As a small business, you’re particularly cautious, and Law in Check want to ensure you’re as prepared as you can be when you need to hire a lawyer.

Take control of your legal spend so there are no surprises along the way. We’ll break down exactly what your lawyers will charge you for and how you can navigate your legal advice. It’s important to understand what is fair and reasonable for your scenario. But how? Law in Check can help.

Legal Fee Structures: A Breakdown

The truth is, different lawyers will have different approaches to their fee structure. So, your billing could look different, and you don’t want to be caught off guard. The two most common structures are:

• The Billable Hour: This fee structure means you pay for your lawyer’s time, not your legal outcome. The time your lawyer spends on supporting you is usually measured in six-minute increments, and the amount you’re billed for can vary depending on your lawyer’s professional level. For example, if you’ve engaged a junior lawyer, their billable hour will be lower than those of a partner.
• The Retainer: With a retainer fee structure, you pay your lawyer an upfront amount for their legal advice and support. Depending on the type of retainer that your lawyer operates by, they may require you to maintain a constant balance as they complete work on your case, so you’ll need to replenish the retainer amount.



These methods are more traditional approaches to legal fees. However, they are unpredictable and risky for small businesses. For instance, with the billable hours, you’re not in control of how much you’re spending as your legal case unfolds and develops. And, with retainer structures, you could end up paying much more than expected, as you’re required to pay upfront without any indication of what your legal advice could look like.

How Do I Know If I’m Being Overcharged?

For a small business, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of your legal fees and ensure that it’s clear what you should and will be paying for. So, how do you identify if you’re being overcharged for your legal support? Some things to look out for include:

• Unclear Billing Descriptions: If your lawyer is billing you with descriptions like “legal research” or “internal meeting”, these are unclear and don’t identify exactly what legal actions have been taken to help you.
• Double Billing: This refers to billing where you’ve been charged for two lawyers to attend, where only one was necessary.
• Exceeding Cost Estimation: Your lawyer must provide you with a cost agreement that outlines estimated costs for their work, and if this estimate is likely to change, you should be informed.

3Navigate Your Legal Fees With Confidence

We’re here to help. With Law in Check, you can navigate your legal support and fees with confidence that you’re not losing control over the situation. How? As your cost lawyer, we can advocate for more reliable and predictable fee structures that keep your legal support stable. For instance:

• Fixed Fee: A fixed fee structure means you pay for the value and outcome of your legal advice (not their hours). This is a good option for the specific advice and support you need. For instance, if you want a contract review, you pay a fixed fee for this work.
• Legal Subscription: Like other subscriptions, you can pay a steady, monthly fee to have legal support ‘on-call’. So, if you need regular and minor legal support, you can have on-demand access to this without having to pay unexpected fees.

Get Started With Law In Check

How much should it cost is the wrong question. It is more important to consider if you’re paying fair fees and if you’re in control of your legal advice. With Law In Check cost lawyers, you can be. We’ll review your agreements to ensure everything looks fair, and we’ll advocate for you if it’s not.

As a small business, the last thing you need is to be faced with a hefty legal fee that you didn’t see coming. Be prepared with Law in Check by your side. You can get advice for exactly what you need, whilst understanding exactly how it will cost you.

Don’t do it alone. Contact Law in Check.

See here for 5 tips to ensure your legal fees remain reasonable.