Typically, i''s very one-sided in favor of the lawyer. Clients who passively accept what their attorneys put in front of them are likely to wind up fighting those attorneys, Toothman says. There's such a thing as being too trusting. Lawyers are notorious for thinking they can run a business because they've had one case that somehow touched on it. Remember there are many ways to pay for the services you need.
Hourly rates are the norm for most law firms, but there can be other ways to pay for legal services.
Because many services are so routine, and the time required for them so predictable, attorneys should be willing to quote a flat fee. One practice that started in Silicon Valley involves exchanging an equity stake for legal services. Alexander, whose firm has taken such equity stakes in some of its clients, thinks they're more widespread. Don't give an attorney 10 percent to 15 percent of a small company in exchange for routine legal services. You never used to see that.