Pricing legal services: how to set fees with confidence

"How much should I charge?" is one of the hardest questions in legal practice, especially early in your career. The answer isn't copying a colleague, but combining benchmarks, costs and value.

1. The Bar's fee table as a benchmark

In Brazil, the state sections of the Bar Association (OAB) publish fee tables with minimum recommended amounts for each type of service. They are a starting point and protect the dignity of the profession — the Code of Ethics forbids demeaning fees.

2. Your hourly cost

Add up the firm's monthly expenses (including the income you expect) and divide by the truly productive hours. That's the minimum not to work at a loss.

3. Complexity and estimated time

Consider the difficulty of the subject, the number of filings, the court level, the need to travel and the likely duration of the case. Timesheet data from similar cases makes the estimate far more precise.

4. Amount at stake and outcome for the client

The economic benefit involved and the importance of the case to the client are also part of the fee — criteria recognized by the Code of Ethics itself.

5. Billing models

• Fixed fee per act or stage;
• Monthly retainer for ongoing advice;
• Success fee, alone or combined with an upfront amount;
• Hourly, common in corporate advisory work.

Present value, not just price

A proposal that explains the scope, the stages and what's included is perceived as more valuable — and gets negotiated less.

How IntegraLegal solves this

IntegraLegal records time, expenses and revenue per case, showing the ROI of each matter. With that data, your next proposal is based on real numbers. And proposals and agreements are organized in the CRM Hub, linked to each opportunity.

Price with data: try it free for 7 days.

Read also

• Timesheets in legal practice: find out what each case really costs
• Fee proposals that convert: structure, deadline and follow-up
• Fee agreements: clauses that prevent conflicts with clients

Notice: this content is for information only. It does not replace a lawyer's analysis of the specific case. Always check the legislation, case law and rules in force on the date of your consultation.