Frequently Asked Questions

+ Why should I choose Pagin + Mak Lawyers?

Whilst we could spruik our credentials and years of experience - what truly makes us stand out is that we care. Our dedicated and down to earth team values every client and achieving the best possible outcome is our number one priority. Unlike some of our competitors, we do not see our clients as another number or matter to be processed. That’s why we encourage and welcome you to first meet with us in person or to have a chat with us over the phone - free of charge. We offer this to commence what we hope will be the first step in our journey together as your trusted advocates and advisers, through thick and thin.

+ What do you charge?

We understand that you wish to be informed and in control of your money which is why we pride ourselves on giving you realistic estimates of our fees right from the beginning. We also offer competitive rates, tailored fee-billing arrangements, as well as second to none service. We can do this thanks to our size and our adoption of cloud-based technology which enable us to keep our overheads down. We offer a variety of billing arrangements:

Hourly rate billing

There are some types of matters which can be more difficult to predict than others. These matters usually include most civil, family and commercial disputes as often it is in these matters that a range of issues can appear which are not at first foreseeable. In such matters, we will charge you an hourly rate and bill you for the time we spend on your matter. You will receive an itemised bill at appropriate points along the process (or whenever you so desire) explaining exactly what our team has been doing and the time spent on each task. We will also provide you with regular cost disclosures at every important stage which will keep you informed of the fee estimate for any further tasks you may instruct us to do.

Fixed fee billing

We can offer you fixed fees for specific matters where we can predict with near certainty the course your matter will take. Such matters are usually criminal and traffic law matters (such as appearing at Court on your behalf to plead guilty to an offence) or for a residential property conveyance. If we spend more time completing the work than we had initially anticipated, we will ‘write-off’ the extra time spent so that you only need to pay the amount that was agreed.

Hybrid billing

In some circumstances, we may be able to fix a portion of the work which we can predict with greater certainty whilst charging you at an hourly rate for the portion of the work which cannot be predicted with certainty. For example, you may instruct us to provide you with written advice on your prospects of obtaining a favourable outcome in Court. We can provide you with a fixed fee for the written advice as this is something we can accurately predict. However, should you wish to commence court proceedings, we will charge you at an hourly rate given the many paths that court proceedings can take.

Our team is more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the way we bill, your rights, obligations or any other options which may be available to you. We offer a no obligation consultation and can act for you on short notice.

+ What types of matters do you handle?

Resolving disputes is what we do – regardless of the subject matter. See our homepage page for more information on specific practice areas.

+ How much will my matter cost to resolve?

Every matter is unique which is why we encourage you to either meet with us or speak to us over the phone to enable us to assess the likely costs involved in bringing your matter to a resolution. We pride ourselves on providing realistic cost estimates right from the start rather than “low-balling” as some of our competitors.

+ How long is the entire process likely to take?

Every matter is unique which is why we encourage you to either meet with us or speak to us over the phone to enable us to better assess your matter. If parties involved are willing to compromise and "meet in the middle" then the matter will likely be finalised within a short space of time. This is always our goal. However, there are instances where the relationship between parties is far from amicable which means reaching a mutually satisfactory resolution is difficult without the, costly and time consuming, intervention of the judicial system.