Hourly & Fixed Rates

We have proven expertise in handling complex commercial litigation cases in all courts for 25 years.  We also have proven expertise in corporate law, family law and estate litigation.

We have represented businesses and companies, large and small, as well as financial institutions including NAB, United Credit, Bank of Melbourne and Bank of Queensland.

We provide clear and concise information as to our costs before you engage us to undertake legal work.  If an initial estimate needs to be revised, we do it before the work is carried out, so you never receive a surprise bill. 

We understand that transparency on costs is essential.  Our fixed fees/rates for commercial contract work are extremely competitive compared to the rates charged by other commercial law firms. We deliver practical cost effective fixed prices for all of our legal work. For all litigation cases we also offer fixed payment plan fees as an alternative.

We provide top tier services and top tier experience at substantially better rates than those of our competitors and we provide fixed fee costs wherever possible for all of our matters.

Having worked at Freehills, one of Australia’s largest national law firms, for several years and becoming a partner of a middle sized firm, Marcus Ahern has seen the best and worst efficiency in legal practice.

Ahern Sierakowski Lawyers rates and prices for partners, solicitors and law clerks are fixed for all commercial work. Our rates and prices are extremely competitive when compared with the hourly rates of other law firms. Read on below to see our fixed rates.

Perth Lawyers Alternative Billing Methods/Fixed Fees

We can act for parties in litigation on the basis of a fixed, affordable, payment plan fee as opposed to charging an hourly rate. If we are engaged on that basis you can pay a set fee, in return for us remaining on the record as acting for you in the action for a fixed period. During that fixed period we will represent you and deal with whatever matters arise in the litigation during that time, including all court appearances and drafting of all court documents.

Overcharging

The most important factor in selecting a law firm is to plan who will appear for you at trial and assess how many staff are needed to work on the case. It is inefficient for several solicitors and partners to spend time perusing a file and all working on it and charging their hourly rates. The cumulative effect of law clerks charging $280 per hour, solicitors charging $430 per hour and partners charging $520 per hour is that well over $1000 per hour is spent on the file. The most efficient practice is to have tasks carried out by the least expensive person available who has the experience necessary for the task.

The Supreme Court of Western Australia Scale of Fees is calculated on the basis of an hourly rate for Senior Practitioners of $506.00. The hourly rates charged by most senior practitioners on commercial and commercial litigation matters in other law firms are way in excess of that hourly rate.

The highest hourly rate charged on our complex commercial litigation files in the District and Supreme Courts is $520 per hour.

Our rates are generally 20% lower than most Law Firms.

In our experience sometimes clients shop around with quotes that we provide, which of course is their right. We always tell clients, therefore, if they receive what they think is a better price they can forward it to us and we will match it.

Fixed Prices

Our aim is to have transparent pricing at commercially sensible rates. We prepare the best commercial contracts for companies and individuals. We generally charge a fixed rate for drafting contracts, subject to the complexity of the contract.

Please note that all fixed prices are exclusive of GST and disbursements.

Fixed prices are as minimum prices subject to variation and confirmation:

Please note that all fixed prices are exclusive of GST and disbursements.

Our Hourly Rates

Directors / Partners – $550.00/hour plus GST

Solicitors – $450.00/hour plus GST

Law Clerks / Paralegals – $280.00/hour plus GST

Financial Review

The following extract is from an article in the Australian Financial Review on 16 May 2005 which discussed fees charged by law firms and supports the philosophy that is held by Ahern Sierakowski Lawyers.

“The cheapest qualified person to do each task that is required to be done on a file should do that task” Please see our fees and hourly rates above which sets out our approach in this regard.

Australia’s largest law firms are coming under pressure from corporate clients to deliver more services for less money as organisations search for new ways to reduce costs. David Krasnostein, general counsel for the National Australia Bank, said ‘If you step back and think about how a law firm can be efficient, what you want is the fewest number of hours put in a matter by the most expensive lawyers’ he says. ‘And you want the most amount of hours by the cheapest lawyers or paralegals, while at the same time maintaining a level of quality that you need’.