FEES

According to French Law No. 711130 of December 31, 1971 and its subsequent amendments, the attorney’s fees are freely set.

After the first meeting, Violaine Motte Esq. sends you a proposal for a fee agreement on the scope of work, requiring your signature to formalize your consent.

In all cases, fees are set before taxes. They are generally subject to the Value Added Tax (VAT) of 20% for services provided for customers established in France (companies or individuals), as well as for individuals established abroad. They are set without VAT under the exemption conditions provided by the applicable legal and regulatory provisions, in particular for companies established in the European Union or in other third countries. Special rules apply on a case-by-case basis and are explained to the customer.

Violaine Motte’s fees are mostly invoiced on a time-spent basis with reference to an agreed hourly rate. Indeed, the vast majority of files entrusted to her do not allow precise determination in advance of the time necessary for the performance of the services. Detailed time sheets listing the services carried out and the costs incurred are communicated to the client at regular intervals – mainly on a monthly basis.

Upon client’s request, Violaine Motte may provide a non-exhaustive and non-restrictive estimate of the number of working hours necessary to perform the requested services. Alert thresholds can be agreed so as to inform the client when the estimated amounts have been exceeded.

Should the time required to carry out the due diligence be possible to be determined in advance, or when a success fee has been provided in addition, flat-rate and/or capped fees may be agreed.

In addition to fees invoiced on time-spent basis or fixed-rate basis, success fees may be foreseen, corresponding to a percentage of the sums obtained and/or saved by the client through the work carried out by Violaine Motte. It should be pointed out that French law does not allow an attorney to work exclusively on a success fee basis, no matter how high the latter would be.

When the client intends to use the services of Violaine Motte on a regular basis, fees may be subject to an annual subscription, payable monthly.

A provisional advance payment is generally requested upon signing the fee agreement. Invoices are payable by check or by transfer, upon receipt of the invoice and no later than 30 days following receipt.

Should the first provision or any other invoices not be paid despite a reminder, Violaine Motte is entitled to suspend her mission or withdraw from it, in accordance to the conditions provided in article 13 of the decree of July 12, 2005.

In accordance with applicable legal and regulatory provisions, should Violaine Motte’s mission be interrupted before its end, she is entitled to the payment of the fees due, to the extent of the work accomplished. In addition and where applicable, she is entitled to the payment of a part of the success fee that had been agreed, regarding the result obtained or to the service rendered to the client.

Violaine Motte’s fees do not include the following non-exhaustive costs, disbursements and expenses: bailiff, mandated lawyer, expert’s fees, registry, travel, photocopying, pleading fees.

These costs are paid immediately by the client, either directly to the professional who invoices them, or to Violaine Motte who will have made an advanced payment on behalf of the client.

Any dispute related to the amount or the payment of fees, costs and disbursements is submitted to the President of the Paris Bar.

In accordance with the provisions of Article L. 6121 of the Consumer Code, should a client be a consumer, he may seek recourse, free of charge, to the Consumer Mediator at the National Council of Bars (CNB) whose contact details are the following:

CNB-Médiateur à la consommation 180 Boulevard Haussmann 75008 Paris
Per e‑mail: mediateur@mediateur-consommation-avocat.fr
On the website by filling the form: https://mediateur-consommation-avocat.fr