solicitor fees is 375 per hour +vat high

tinybee

Question is 375 + Vat expensive for a solicitor fee? I was never given a list of charges from the outset and have looked to get balance due on account during the legal process but never got a response case related to a contested will in circuit court if anyone can advise that would be great thank

Shank Williams

Lol good luck getting transparency on costs from a solicitor- complete cartel

ohnonotgmail

Have you received a Section 68 letter?

Victor

If it was a senior partner in a major firm, it might be justifiable for as many hours were worked. However, I would expect most hours on an account isn't done by such people.

If it was a single hour, by a senior in an ordinary firm and there were substantial overheads or outlays, it might be justifiable for the one hour.

macvin

Are you one of those people that think only the time you see is the time charged?

Like those who say a TV presenter does 2 hours a week, but disregard the preparation?

Rarely is a case done with one hour's work.

Eggs For Dinner

Regardless of the size of the fee, professions which quote a figure "plus VAT", boils my piss. Give me the figure I have to pay FFS

Robbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177265#Comment_119177265

I don't know how to break this to you but VAT rates have been known to change. It's all well and good quoting an all inclusive price when the time between the quote and the invoice being raised is short but this timeframe may be years when you're talking about legal services. Further to this, the final bill of costs may include items subject to VAT at differing rates.

chops018

Solicitor here but I don't work in a law firm at the moment, I'm working in-house the last while. In a town I would have said a junior associate in a firm would be billing €200 or €250 an hour. A principal or a partner around €300 or €350. So it's not too far off that. Most likely they have increased their hourly rate with inflation etc.

You said it was for contesting a Will in the Circuit Court. Generally litigation type matters are billed hourly but they should keep you in the loop as to how many hours are being recorded now and again rather than let it just build up to a massive fee.

Ask them for a reduction. They most likely will give a small reduction of the overall fee if you ask.

Eggs For Dinner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119178291#Comment_119178291

How often has the VAT rate for solicitors fees changed in the last 5 years and we're talking about fees, not costs

Robbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119178467#Comment_119178467

I have no idea how many times VAT has changed in the last 5 years (you can do your own homework on that) but I can tell you many active practitioners can well remember periods where the rates were tweaked with great regularity budget-to-budget.

Further to this, it's a requirement of s.150(4)(b) of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 that a s.150 notice shall "specify the amount of value-added tax to be charged" in respect of professional fees.

Claw Hammer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058249298/solicitor-fees-is-375-per-hour-vat-high

You can have your costs taxed if you think they are too high. If you are being billed in litigation you should certainly talk to a cost accountant about it.

Addle

Relative has a similar issue. Charged an exorbitant fee just to find a folio! Nearly €2k plus vat!!

Not justifiable at all and no advance notice of fee or breakdown.

Can they dispute the fee?

Claw Hammer

Yes. they can complain to the legal services regulatory authority and also demand a Bill of Costs and have the bill taxed.

whippet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119185434#Comment_119185434

You can dispute anything.

how long do you think it should have table to 'find the folio'?

Addle

I was able find it online in about 5 minutes.

I know ignorance is not a defence, but the client is this case was filled with cr@p about the work involved.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177265#Comment_119177265

Plenty of businesses are registered for VAT and go by the VAT exclusive cost. The solicitors firm obviously has commercial clients as well

FFVII

Ridiculous prices like everything else

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119172929#Comment_119172929

This is the key question. What quotation of costs did you get up front?

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119178291#Comment_119178291

It's immaterial. You are supposed to quote ordinary consumers the price Inc vat unless there is an exemption for professionals.

What annoys me is to see sundries added at the end things like postage or photocopying especially where the requests are fairly straightforward.

I had such a discussion with a solicitor once. I made the point that a plumber or a garage if you ask for a quote do not add a load on afterwards.