Fees
As far as Cécile ZAKINE's office is concerned, the fees are fixed taking into account the complexity of the case and its specificity, the time spent studying the case and the steps to be taken, whether before the authorities, the courts or with the opposing party.
The relationship of trust that I aspire to establish with my clients is established through the payment of fees, which I apply with complete transparency and integrity.
Depending on the case handled by the firm, the client will be offered either a time-based fee or a fixed fee.
The fee will then be fixed, in agreement with the client.
The client will be asked to pay a deposit when the file is opened.
During the first consultation, the Law Firm will be obliged to ask whether the client is eligible for legal aid or whether he/she has legal protection covering all or part of certain disputes.
A fee agreement will be signed when the case is opened, so that the firm is mandated to carry out all of its activities, but also to create a contractual relationship of trust.
Read a real case in VEFA treated by Me Zakine
Extract: " "There is no communication. The promoter does not respond to my emails and letters of formal notice. "In any case, I re-read the contract and the promoter is within his rights. There is a clause that allows him to justify his delay. are the classic phrases I hear most from the promoter and the clients.
Why is there a charge for the first consultation?
The first consultation can be arranged with the secretary of Me ZAKINE or directly via the tab "book a first consultation", which is located on the home tab of the website of the Law Firm.
Me ZAKINE has chosen to offer two types of consultation, of 30 minutes (only in videoconference) or of one hour (in videoconference or in person), depending on the needs of each person.
During the first consultation, Mr ZAKINE already analyses the file and reads all the documents.
Advice is provided on all points and the client's questions: content of a letter of formal notice, strategy to adopt, assessment of damages etc...
The customer already receives a lot of advice.
This is why the first consultation is subject to a fee, and is different from a simple estimate in which the client is invited to contact the firm after a few lines of information about what could be done.
Finally, it should be noted that Me ZAKINE takes care to deduct the first consultation from the overall cost of the case if a case is opened.
It is possible to get a free quote, but it will be done without an examination and without any advice on the parts.
The answers to the questions to make it all clear...
What is the content of a consultation?
The first consultation answers various questions that the client will ask:
Do you think the chances of a successful action are high?
- Can we try an amicable procedure?
- Can you take up the case and send a letter of formal notice as my letters have had no effect?
The first interview will define, in broad terms, what should or should not be done.
Of course, if the client decides to entrust the case to ZAKINE's office, a more detailed analysis of the case may sometimes lead to a redefinition of the strategy in view of an element discovered during the analysis of the case.
The first consultation is thus handled in a serious and careful manner and is carried out on the basis of documents brought by the client.
Are you a doctor of law? Are all lawyers?
No, not all lawyers are doctors of law. This is not a requirement for the title of Lawyer.
It is a complementary diploma which allows to finalise, completely, a study course. In this case, the course of study is in law.
I just need help with a demand letter, why charge me?
A letter of formal notice is charged as it requires a full analysis of the case.
In the context of a letter of formal notice, all the facts must be recalled.
The client's requests are then set out.
The content of the letter is based on an analysis of texts and case law, the latter being particularly important in order to substantiate the claims.
A letter of formal notice may require several hours of analysis, research and drafting.
Moreover, it is followed by the return of the other party, who will usually call in a lawyer.
An exchange of correspondence will take place, which will require time.
For this reason, this type of mail is invoiced.
Why is the first consultation crucial?
The first consultation helps to reassure the client about what is possible and what is not.
The first consultation may sometimes remain at the stage of a consultation when the client has only wished to be reassured or wishes to act on their own.
This is also the time to find out whether the lawyer and the client wish to work together.
The lawyer-client relationship is a human one, based on a relationship of trust specific to the legal profession. It is necessary that communication be fluid and trusting from the start.
What is the added value of a lawyer in the age of the internet where I can claim my rights on my own?
The Internet provides answers to all the questions one might have.
Searching the Internet is not in itself a bad thing.
However, if one does not have a legal background, one will not know where exactly to look for and detect the right information.
Nor will it be possible to detect any errors.
The difficulty with the action is that very often the other party will be assisted by a lawyer. The person alone will therefore have a lawyer as an opponent, which makes the task more difficult.
Finally, the presentation of the facts, the case, the claims as well as the chosen legal grounds are very complex to put in form, while the form and the presentation definitely influence the decision of the judge.
This is why it is preferable to use a lawyer to assist you in court.
The procedures are very complex and often require the presence of a lawyer at his side.
How much does a procedure cost?
It is difficult to provide fee schedules as fees depend on the size of the case.
It is also possible to arrange for a contingency fee so that the main sum to be paid by the client is lower.
It is important to understand that being a lawyer is not just about preparing a case.
There are a multitude of additional tasks: exchanges with the Bailiff and with other legal professionals, answering letters, exchanges with the opposing party, research, travel, etc.
Is a free quote possible?
A free estimate is possible.
An estimate is a precise estimate of what an action will represent. Our role as advisors is first to assess whether a procedure should be carried out, then whether the procedure is interesting and then, on the basis of the documents produced, to decide on the best strategy.
This is the work carried out during the first consultation.
A lawyer is also called a counsel. There is a reason for this. Our role is to advise those who wish to assert their rights.
To help you decide, we can only urge you to take an initial consultation. If you decide to proceed, the fee will be deducted from the procedure if we wish to continue working together.
I have never hired a lawyer? What is the procedure for hiring you to defend my rights?
A person who wishes to be accompanied by a lawyer should first consult him or her not only to understand what he or she can or cannot do.
In addition, she needs to know if she can trust him to take care of her case.
This is how a person engages the services of a lawyer.
There may be a recommendation from a bailiff or from people I already work for.
In any case, it is the first exchange that will be decisive.