Our fees are benchmarked against the UNBR Guideline of minimum recommended fees, used as a professional reference and for transparency. On 12 June 2025, the UNBR Council updated the Guideline values by +10.33% (CPI for May 2023–April 2025). The Guideline is explicitly recommendatory (not mandatory) and is published in full with annexes. In practice, fees are freely agreed between lawyer and client in line with Law no. 51/1995 and the Statute of the legal profession.
1) Principles: predictability, proportionality, legality
- Predictability. Before any work begins we agree in writing the fee model (hourly/fixed/success/hybrid), exact scope, any caps and the payment schedule. The legal assistance contract is concluded in writing and fee clauses are agreed before assistance/representation starts.
- Proportionality. Fees reflect (among others) the complexity, scope and duration of the matter, the effective time and workload, the value at stake, urgency, and the experience/specialisation required.
- Legality & ethics. Permitted fee forms are: hourly, fixed (flat), success (strictly as a complement), or combinations of these. Quota litis (a fee set exclusively as a percentage of the outcome) is prohibited. In criminal matters, a success fee is allowed only for the civil limb of the case.
- Transparency & remedy. Fee complaints may be reviewed at the client’s request by the Dean of the Bar under the Statute’s procedure. The legal assistance contract constitutes an enforceable title under Law no. 51/1995.
2) Fee models we use
a) Hourly fee. A fixed amount per hour of professional services. Best when the workload cannot be predicted reliably (complex investigations, evolving litigation, ongoing advisory).
b) Fixed (flat) fee. A fixed amount for a clearly defined service or package (e.g., drafting a claim + advocacy at first instance). Useful where experience allows a realistic time estimate.
c) Complementary success fee. Agreed only in addition to an hourly or fixed fee; may be a fixed amount or variable amount tied to an objective outcome (e.g., claim admitted, licence granted, favourable civil ruling). In criminal matters, success fees may target only the civil limb. Quota litis is not allowed.
d) Hybrid (fixed + hourly). Our most common option when evolution is hard to predict: a fixed amount for foreseeable stages (analysis, drafting, set hearings), plus an hourly component for extra work (incidental motions, new evidence, unplanned hearings), possibly with a cap and—with care—an additional complementary success fee (within legal limits).
3) Using the UNBR Guideline
We use the UNBR Guideline as a reference floor and transparency tool. Real-world fees reflect the mandate’s specifics and complexity, as well as deliverable quality. The Guideline lists recommended minima for hourly work and for typical actions/filings, but does not replace free negotiation and does not set mandatory tariffs.
4) Objective factors considered in setting fees
We apply the Statute’s criteria, including:
• time and workload;
• novelty/technical difficulty;
• value or economic stake;
• urgency/time constraints;
• number of parties/evidence complexity;
• experience, reputation, specialisation;
• required co-work with experts;
• advantages/results obtained;
• the client’s financial situation.
5) What fees include—and what they don’t
Included: the professional services stated in the contract (e.g., analysis, advisory, drafting, attending the specified hearings, correspondence). Reporting format (activity summary, time log) is agreed at the outset.
Not included (as a rule): out-of-pocket client disbursements (court stamp duties, expert fees, sworn translations, notarisation, registry fees, bailiffs, travel, etc.). These are separate and borne by the client under the law; the firm may request retainers for expenses and advances.
6) Practical calculation & invoicing
a) Hourly. We can agree a monthly cap or an estimated range (e.g., 15–25 h/month).
b) Fixed per stage. For clearly delimited stages (initial consult, strategy, drafting claim, first instance), we agree fixed amounts; unforeseen extra work triggers the hourly component under the hybrid model.
c) Hybrid (fixed + hourly + complementary success). Typically:
• a fixed amount for predictable services;
• an hourly component for additions (with a cap, e.g., up to 12 hours);
• a complementary success fee (fixed/variable) defined strictly by objective indicators (e.g., “claim admitted”, “final favourable civil ruling”).
d) Retainers (periodic fees). For continuous advisory, a monthly flat fee covering a package of hours/services; extra hours are billed at the agreed hourly rate.
e) VAT & adjustments. Payment is made against pro forma/invoice; if the practising form is VAT-registered, VAT applies under current tax law (mirrored in the contract). For complex/long mandates, clauses may provide annual indexation (e.g., by CPI), consistent with the UNBR practice of periodic Guideline updates.
7) Illustrative “hybrid” calculations (random figures; final fees are negotiated case-by-case)
Example 1 – Administrative litigation (PUZ/permit):
• Fixed (Stage I – analysis + strategy + prior notice/pre-litigation): 8,000 lei
• Fixed (Stage II – action + first instance): 18,000 lei (drafting, briefs, 2 hearings)
• Hourly extra: 900 lei/hour, cap 10 h (max 9,000 lei) for incidents/exceptions/extra hearing(s)
• Complementary success: 12,000 lei if the final ruling is favourable (annulment + order to issue; clearly shown in the dispositive)
Totals: 8,000 + 18,000 = 26,000 lei (base) → with 6 extra hours: 31,400 lei → with success: 43,400 lei.
Example 2 – Civil claim (debt recovery):
• Fixed (claim + first instance, up to 2 hearings): 12,000 lei
• Hourly (extra evidence, interrogatories, multiple pleadings): 750 lei/hour, cap 12 h (max 9,000 lei)
• Complementary success: 8,500 lei if a final enforceable title covers the full claim (no direct % of claim—not quota litis)
Range: 12,000 – 29,500 lei, depending on hours and whether the success fee triggers.
Example 3 – Criminal defence:
• Fixed (investigation stage, through the prosecutor’s first decision): 10,000 lei (file review, 2 hearings, memos)
• Hourly extra: 800 lei/hour, cap 8 h (max 6,400 lei)
• Success: not for the criminal limb; only a complementary sum for the civil limb (e.g., 6,000 lei if the final ruling orders restitution/rejects the civil action).
Example 4 – Ongoing advisory (monthly retainer):
• Monthly flat: covers up to 10 h of advisory (priority booking, 24–48h response)
• Hourly extra over the package: 900 lei/hour
• Adjustment clause: annual review by CPI (contractual), in line with UNBR’s indexation practice.
The figures above are illustrative arithmetic only and do not bind the firm. Final fees are negotiated directly with the client in the context of each mandate.
8) What we do not do: quota litis, pure outcome percentages, business participation
We do not accept or propose quota-litis arrangements. The Statute prohibits (i) setting fees exclusively by outcome and (ii) any fee that would imply taking an equity/benefit in the business or the subject of the dispute. Where appropriate, a success fee is complementary and defined as a fixed/variable amount tied to an objective result and to the service delivered—without turning the whole fee into a share of the gain.
9) Process: standard pre-engagement steps
- Initial meeting & conflict check. We screen conflicts, set objectives, outline a preliminary strategy.
- Assessment & written proposal. You receive a proposal with the fee form (hourly/fixed/success/hybrid), scope, our view on disbursements, expected deliverables, indicative timelines and assumptions.
- Legal assistance contract. We sign the contract (parties, scope, fee/disbursement clauses, confidentiality, termination, dispute resolution). The contract is registered and, by law, is an enforceable title.
- Advance/retainer. For resource-heavy or expense-intensive projects we may request an advance and an expenses retainer (later reconciled).
- Reporting. During the mandate we provide status updates and, for hourly/hybrid work, time logs (monthly/weekly) for verifiability.
10) FAQs
Q1: Why aren’t our fees identical to the UNBR Guideline values?
Because the Guideline is recommendatory. It provides a reference floor; actual fees are freely agreed based on each case’s specifics. The +10.33% 2025 update is a CPI-based indexation of those recommended minima, not a mandatory tariff change.
Q2: Can we agree on a “success-only” fee with no fixed or hourly component?
No. The Statute forbids quota litis. Success fees are permitted only as a complement to a fixed or hourly fee.
Q3: In criminal cases, can a success fee apply if the defendant is acquitted?
Not for the criminal limb. A success fee is allowed only in relation to the civil limb (e.g., restitution, civil claim outcome).
Q4: If we have a fee dispute, what’s the path?
The Statute provides a Bar Dean review/conciliation procedure, with a motivated decision and further appeal to the Bar Council.
Q5: Do disbursements (stamp duty, experts, bailiff) sit inside the fee?
As a rule, no. They are separate client disbursements under the law; the firm may request retainers/advances for them.
11) Quality standards & team
For complex matters (white-collar criminal, administrative/fiscal litigation, IP, urbanism/real estate) we use mixed teams (lawyer; where needed, technical consultant/expert). When an hourly component is in place, each team member’s time is recorded separately; for fixed fees, deliverables are clearly delimited. This gives you verifiable performance and control over interim costs.
12) How to request a proposal
Please send a short brief (key facts, objectives, key documents). Within 1–2 business days, we’ll propose an appropriate fee structure (hourly/fixed/success/hybrid) with estimated time and stages. For urgent matters (injunctions, interim measures, short deadlines) a priority policy applies (possible uplift of hourly/flat fees due to urgency, agreed in writing).
13) Conclusion
Our fee policy combines the normative framework (Law no. 51/1995 and the Statute) with client-side transparency, using the UNBR Guideline as a reference—not a substitute for negotiation. The hybrid fixed + hourly model, with a strictly complementary success fee where appropriate, offers predictability, cost control and aligned incentives. For every mandate we document what is included, what is extra, how time is tracked and what the success assumptions are—so you know in advance what you receive and what you pay.
Contact
Phone/WhatsApp: +40 756 248 777
Email: alexandru@maglas.ro
References for verification
- UNBR Council Decision no. 230/12 June 2025 updating the Guideline of minimum recommended fees by +10.33% and confirming their recommendatory nature (unbr.ro).
- Statute of the legal profession (UNBR), arts. 127–132: criteria for setting fees; fee forms (hourly, fixed, success, combinations); success fee as complementary; criminal cases – civil limb only; ban on quota litis; fee complaints before the Bar Dean. (unbr.ro)
- Law no. 51/1995, art. 30(5): the legal assistance contract, lawfully concluded, is an enforceable title (plus ICCJ decisions confirming this interpretation). (Portal Legislativ)
- Law no. 51/1995, art. 30(1): the lawyer’s right to a fee and to recovery of expenses incurred in the client’s interest. (Sintact)