How are legal fees determined?

The value of the professional services of the attorney are not easily measured since legal matters differ widely and no two factual situations are exactly alike. Therefore, in most instances, the fee will depend upon the factors involved in the specific case at hand and cannot be determined by any pre-established general fee schedule. The elements most often considered include:

• the time and labor required, the novelty and difficulty of the question involved, and the skill needed to perform the legal service properly;
• the likelihood that the acceptance of the particular employment will preclude other employment by the attorney;
• the fee customarily charged in the locality by attorneys with comparable experience for similar legal services;
• the amount involved and the results obtained;
• the time limitations requested by the client or by the circumstances;
• the nature and length of the professional relationship with the client;
• the experience, reputation and ability of the attorney or attorneys, performing the services;
• whether the fee is fixed or contingent.