Our Pricing Philosophy

We get it!

We understand that one of the biggest fears clients have when engaging lawyers is the cost involved.  There are a million horror stories out there about legal fees and how expensive some matters can be.  But they don’t have to be.  There a number of factors that go into a particular project or legal, all of which impact on the cost involved.

At Aventus, we are up-front and let our clients and prospective clients know what the likely cost of their matter will be, and how those are calculated.  It’s important to remember also that as with other professions, lawyers sell their time.  Time is our inventory just as a milk and bread is the inventory of the local store.  You wouldn’t walk out of a store with a loaf of bread under one arm and a litre of milk under another without paying.  Similarly, clients shouldn’t expect to take some a lawyer’s inventory without also paying.

Having set the expectation, we have been around a long time.  We have a fair idea of what certain matters involve and the likely costs.  Using this experience, and provided the client gives us all the information we require the handle the matter, we are always able to provide a firm quote for the work.  Unlike the local shopkeeper however, we DO give some of our inventory away in providing prospective clients we a free initial consultation.  This is important for two reasons.  Firstly, many matters that a client believes to be legal turn out not to be (often much a client’s relief), and secondly, we like to take the time to find out a little bit about the client themselves to ensure they are a good fit for our business, and that we are both clear in our expectations of one another.

When a client engages us for a particular project, we also provide fixed fee pricing.  This is due to the fact that we can anticipate the work involved and the input that the particular client will have into the project.  In other cases, we may charge an hourly rate (divided into 10 six-minute units).  This type of fee structure is common in disputes, where the scope of work may change as the matter progresses.  Having said that, our hourly rates are extremely competitive and far below those of persons of equivalent experience and expertise in mid to large legal firms.  And don’t forget, paying an expert twice the hourly rate of an inexperienced lawyer will still be better value when the expert can do the same work in a quarter of the time.

We do not provide ‘no win – no fee’ arrangement as these are generally limited to personal injury and other scheme based process law where the particular client has an overwhelmingly strong case, and the lawyer will generally work toward a negotiated settlement (the ‘win’) upon which they become entitled to a significantly enhanced fee.  We don’t operate like that.

For particular clients, such as franchisor clients, we provide special fee structures.  We like to be involved in the franchise for the long term, so provide attractive ‘up-front’ pricing to get them on their way, then manage the legal side of the franchise network on an ongoing basis, taking a fee where the franchisor successfully partners with a franchisee, and where we have been engaged to prepare the relevant documentation.  This type of arrangement has benefits both to the franchisor in providing a low-barrier to entry franchise system, while incentivising us to ensure the long term success of the franchise system.

To give you an idea of the types of fees we charge for particular matters, we have included some typical projects and matters, and their associated indicative pricing range below:

Indicative costs for common matters

Simple contract preparation (template employment contracts, supply contracts, customer contracts) – $800 to $1200

Variations in pricing depend on the type of business, the complexity of the drafting required, and whether the client provides sufficient commercial information.

Contract review and recommendations – $800 to $1200

Variations in pricing depends on the length of the contract and the extent of the recommendations required (for example many client’s just want to know about any ‘show stopper’ or particularly onerous clauses in a contract).

Franchise Documentation Review (Franchise Agreement and Disclosure Document) – Fixed Price $1500.  Variable pricing $1500 to $2500

At Aventus we are experienced in reviewing franchise documentation, so know how long it takes.  Because of this, we offer a $1500 fixed price franchise agreement review where the client provides us with soft copy documentation and receive soft copy advice as to the key components of the agreement, any clause to watch out for, and recommendations as to amendments that the client can then send off.   Often this is enough to satisfy the prospective franchisee, and requested amendments are regularly made.  This also satisfies, where applicable, a franchisor’s requirement that a prospective franchisee receives professional legal advice on the franchise documentation.

If the client wants us to become involved in direct negotiations with the franchisor or the franchisor’s solicitors to request amendments, these charges are additional as it is always difficult to accurately assess how long negotiations may take.  We do however update the client at all times, and only complete fee attracting work where specifically authorised.

Franchise System Establishment (New Franchise Systems) – $3,500 to $20,000

At Aventus, we know franchising.  While some law firms go straight to the preparation of documentation, we know that the key to franchise success is being as prepared as possible before the first word on franchise documentation is typed.  Because of this, we offer a tiered approach to franchise establishment, each with their own price point as follows:

  • Franchise Incubation – $3500

Franchise Incubation takes a client with an ‘idea’ through to the point where they are prepared to start the formal process of legal documentation.  While we guide the client, it is up to them to follow through with our recommendations.

  • Franchise Documentation – $12,000 to $17,000

Provided the prospective franchisor has completed the incubation process, Aventus will then commence the preparation of the Franchise Code compliant franchise documentation.  The information gained during incubation process will readily transfer into the Franchise Disclosure Document, and the franchisor will have a good idea of what they require in the franchise agreement.  It is during this stage that the franchisor will complete the operations manual, and develop its franchise marketing strategy and franchise recruitment policy.  At the end of this process the franchise system would be ready to be marketed to the world.

  • Franchise and Business Health Check – $3,500 – $5,000

Just like humans require regularly health checks, so do businesses.  At Aventus, our business health check product provides businesses with a comprehensive snapshot of their current status.  We provide a lengthy questionnaire and request certain information from the client to ty and identify any issues that may have gone unnoticed.  Think of it in the same way you think of a pre-sale check on a car, it is better to find out that the business is leaking prior to offering it for sale, rather than having a buyer pull out of a sale due to something that could have been easily fixed.

We offer this service to both existing franchise systems who may have gone many years without an expert eye going over their documentation for commercial and code compliance issues, and to non-franchise businesses who may just be looking for a independent view on the status of their business and the identification of areas of improvement.

It is rare for us not to find any areas of the business that with a minor tweak doesn’t return profits or efficiencies that pay for the review many times over.