Fee Policies

Before we undertake any work, you will be given a costs agreement, which outlines how we calculate our fees for legal services. It will also include an estimated range of your legal costs.

A costs agreement could be:

1. "No Win - No Charge" Costs

Several of our departments offer "No Win - No Charge" legal services. "No Win - No Charge" may be offered by the following departments:

• Asbestos Diseases
• Catastrophic Injuries
• Class Actions
• Medical Negligence
• Superannuation & Insurance Claims
• Road Accident Injuries
• Work Related Injury

We offer "No Win - No Charge" legal services when appropriate and when we believe that your case is reasonably likely to be successful. "No Win - No Charge" only applies to our professional fees (that is the fees we charge for work performed by us). Disbursements (out of pocket expenses etc) must be paid whether you win or lose. In our Asbestos department, disbursements will only be payable if your claim is successful.

When we achieve a successful outcome which awards you money or a benefit; legal costs will be charged together with a 25% success fee.

The success fee is an amount which the Legal Practice Act 1996 allows us to charge in recognition of the risk involved and the additional expenses incurred by us in conducting your case on a "No Win - No Charge" basis. The success fee is not charged on expenses that you have paid during the course of your claim or that have been reimbursed by WorkCover or the TAC. The fee is not 25% of any damages you receive, it is a 25% increase on the legal costs due, ie for every $1000 in costs you would be charged an extra $250.

In the Commercial Litigation, Conveyancing, Employment & Industrial Law and Wills departments or when we do not act "No Win - No Charge" one of the following cost arrangements will be offered to you:

2. Deferred Professional Fees

This is an arrangement where expenses are payable as requested by us, and professional fees are payable shortly before or at the end of your case, regardless of outcome.

3. Pay As You Go

This is an arrangement where expenses are payable either when they fall due or in advance, and professional fees are billed and due on either monthly or quarterly, regardless of outcome.

4. Pay In Advance

This is an arrangement where legal costs are paid in advance and are payable regardless of outcome. The amount to be paid in advance will be determined by agreement between us and you.

For further information on Maurice Blackburn's fee arrangements, contact us on 1800 810 812.