Why are legal services expensive?
Why are legal services expensive and how does Legal Tree help make it affordable?
Legal services do not have standard rates and it is common for lawyers to not publish their rates. While the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in certain provinces (e.g. Cebu City, Davao City, Iloilo City, Leyte) publish recommended rates for legal services in its province, these rates are not mandatory but serve only as a guide for pricing legal services.
This is because pricing legal fees has many factors behind it (e.g. the difficulty of the case, the lawyer’s experience and reputation). While some lawyers handle cases pro bono (e.g. for free), they usually offer their services only to indigent people, or those who are truly poor (click here for a list of legal organizations offering pro bono services).
Below is a description of legal fees for the usual legal services availed of:
A. Legal consultations
This is an ordinary consultation with a lawyer on a legal concern. This involves the client explaining to the lawyer his / her legal concern and the lawyer giving preliminary advise and recommended next steps. The consultation is normally a preparatory step before a more formal and detailed engagement between the client and lawyer.
The minimum for an hourly consultation is around PhP 1,000.00 outside of Metro Manila and PhP 2,500.00 in Metro Manila. The rate may be higher depending on the lawyer. There is no standard rate for an hourly consultation so ask for the consultation fee before booking a consultation.
B. Preparing documents
This involves preparing documents such as affidavits and contracts. This is more expensive than a consultation because it involves the lawyer preparing a document. The rate varies depending on the (a) complexity of the document; and (b) lawyer preparing the document.
In certain cases, such as a deed of sale, the price is based on the value of the property being sold (e.g. 3% of the fair market value). For example, the recommended rate for preparing a deed of sale in one province is 2% of the purchase price, but in no case less than PhP 1,500.00. Affidavits cost a minimum of PhP 1,000.00 outside of Metro Manila and around PhP 2,000.00 in Metro Manila.
Need simple and affordable legal services?
Legal Tree understands legal services are expensives, and strives to make them affordable.
If you need a legal consultation, use our “Ask an Attorney” service to consult a lawyer. The service is fixed at PhP 500.00 for a 30-minute consultation. Premium members enjoy unlimited attorney consultations.
If you need a document, Legal Tree offers a library of documents ranging from affidavits to contracts. Prices range from PhP 350.00 to PhP 450.00, depending on the document. Premium members enjoy unlimited use of documents.
Ready to use Legal Tree? Sign up by clicking here. You can also avail of Premium subscription at PhP 1,000.00 and get (a) unlimited use of our library of documents, from affidavits to contracts; and (b) unlimited use of our “Ask an Attorney” service which lets you consult a lawyer for any legal concern you have.
