Flat Fee
A fixed, all-inclusive price for a defined legal service — regardless of the actual time the attorney spends on the matter.
A flat fee is a predetermined price for a specific, well-defined legal service. Common flat-fee matters include: simple wills ($300–$600), uncontested divorce ($1,500–$3,500), LLC formation ($500–$1,500), name change ($500–$900), straightforward trademark application ($1,000–$2,000), and basic real estate closings. The fixed price protects clients from billing surprises on predictable matters.
Flat fees work well when the scope is clear and the attorney can estimate effort reliably. They break down on matters that can expand unexpectedly — a "simple" divorce that turns contested, or a trademark application that faces office actions. Read flat-fee agreements carefully for scope exclusions and what triggers hourly billing.
Some attorneys offer unbundled flat-fee services (document review, letter drafting, court appearance) to make legal help affordable for people who cannot pay for full representation. This is called "limited scope representation" and is explicitly permitted in most states.
Real-World Example
The couple paid $2,200 flat fee for an uncontested divorce; when the ex-spouse began disputing custody after filing, the attorney notified them that contested proceedings would shift to $325/hour.