No-win, no-fee arrangements
Contingency fee agreements are governed by the Contingency Fees Act 66 of 1997 and must be in writing and in the prescribed form.
Transparent billing information
Fees & Billing
A practical overview of LMA's fee structure, fixed-fee services, hourly billing, disbursements and payment terms.
Important
Fees are confirmed before work begins.
Attorney fees in South Africa are generally negotiable. LMA's fee schedule distinguishes between the firm's own commercial rates, applicable guideline tariffs and statutory rules. The applicable arrangement should be confirmed in a written fee agreement or engagement letter before work begins.
Fixed fees for common matters
Excluding VAT| Service | Fee | Scope / note |
|---|---|---|
| Basic will drafting | R1,500 | Single, uncomplicated will |
| Uncontested divorce | R6,500 | Summons to decree; unopposed |
| Company registration (Pty Ltd) | R2,500 | CIPC registration + founding documents |
| Antenuptial contract | R3,500–R5,500 | Drafting and registration; Deeds Office fees excluded |
| CCMA representation | R3,500–R6,000 | Single matter; arbitration day rate excluded if referred |
| Lease agreement drafting/review | R1,200–R2,000 | Standard residential or commercial lease |
If a matter becomes contested, complex or falls outside the assumed scope, the fee arrangement may convert to hourly billing from that point, with written notice to the client.
Hourly rates
Excluding VAT| Fee earner | Suggested hourly rate |
|---|---|
| Director / Principal Attorney | R1,200–R1,600 |
| Senior Associate Attorney | R900–R1,200 |
| Candidate Attorney | R450–R650 |
| Paralegal | R350–R500 |
| Arbitrator / Mediator | R1,500–R2,500 |
Time is typically billed in six-minute (0.1 hour) units and recorded against the matter. VAT at 15% is added where LMA is a registered VAT vendor.
RAF & personal injury matters
Contingency feesSuccess-fee structure
Where a success fee is used, the firm's fee schedule records the statutory cap as the lesser of double the normal fee or 25% of the capital amount awarded, with the 25% cap treated as VAT-inclusive following the cited Gauteng High Court judgment in De Bod v Road Accident Fund.
Disbursements
Medico-legal, actuarial, counsel, correspondent and other third-party costs are dealt with separately in the contingency agreement.
A contingency matter requires its own written agreement. The terms applicable to a particular matter should be confirmed before work begins.
Property transfers
Indicative pricingConveyancing fees are guided by the LSSA Conveyancing Fee Guideline. The uploaded LMA schedule records the guideline as a non-binding benchmark and says the final figure should be confirmed by a firm quote for each transaction.
| Transaction value | Guideline conveyancing fee incl. VAT |
|---|---|
| R2,000,000 | Approximately R42,406 |
| R5,000,000 | Approximately R78,976 |
| Other values | Calculated on the applicable sliding scale and confirmed before quoting |
Third-party disbursements such as Deeds Office registration fees, rates clearance, transfer duty or exemption certificates and applicable bond-related costs are additional.
Deceased estates
Statutory framework| Component | Maximum / amount recorded in LMA schedule |
|---|---|
| Executor's commission | 3.5% of gross estate assets, excluding VAT, before debts are deducted |
| Income collection fee | 6% of income collected after death, excluding VAT |
| Minimum fee | R350 |
| Master's Office fee | Capped at R7,000 |
| VAT | 15%, where LMA is a registered VAT vendor |
The LMA schedule notes that the applicable statutory framework should be considered together with the deceased's will and the Master's review of the final amount claimed. Other estate disbursements may apply.
Document shop
Self-service templatesLast Will & Testament
R250
Self-service template. Full-service basic will drafting is listed separately at R1,500.
Residential Lease Agreement
R350
Self-service template. Lease drafting/review is separately priced from R1,200–R2,000.
Non-Disclosure Agreement
R300
Self-service template. Custom drafting is quoted on request.
Template sales are not legal advice and do not carry attorney sign-off.
Disbursements & third-party costs
Billed separatelyDisbursements are amounts paid to third parties on a client's behalf and recovered at cost, without a mark-up, according to the LMA fee schedule.
Court & legal costs
Sheriff's fees, counsel's fees and correspondent attorney fees may apply.
Registration & official fees
Deeds Office, CIPC and Master's Office fees may apply depending on the matter.
Experts & administration
Medico-legal, actuarial and expert witness fees, advertising, travel, printing, courier and relevant bank charges may apply.
Where material, disbursements should be estimated and disclosed to the client in advance.
Billing & payment terms
Standard terms| Item | Standard term |
|---|---|
| Fee agreement | Signed engagement letter or fee agreement before work begins |
| Invoicing | Monthly for open matters; on completion for fixed-fee matters |
| Payment | 7 days from invoice date, unless otherwise agreed in writing |
| Trust deposits | May be required for fixed-fee and contingency disbursement matters |
| Overdue accounts | Interest may be charged at the prescribed rate, on written notice |
| VAT | 15%, itemised separately where LMA is a registered VAT vendor |
Before you instruct
Need to discuss the scope first?
Start with the consultation page. The applicable fee and scope can then be confirmed before substantive work begins.