The case for clear-fee closings
Percentage Billing May Be Common. It Is Not Always Best for the Client.
A buyer purchasing a 5 million NIS resale apartment is not necessarily receiving twice as much legal work as a buyer purchasing a 2.5 million NIS apartment. Clear tiered pricing keeps the fee connected to the work, not just the property price.
Important Work Deserves a Fair Fee
A lawyer still needs to review documents, check the legal status of the apartment, communicate with the other side, help protect the client, deal with registration issues, and guide the transaction through closing.
Those jobs matter. They should be done carefully. But the client should not face percentage surprises simply because the property has a higher price tag.
Our belief
- Legal fees should be clear.
- Legal fees should be predictable.
- Legal fees should be fair.
- Lower-priced apartments should not be overcharged.
- Higher-priced apartments should not create percentage surprises.
But Don't Lawyers Say Percentage Fees Are Necessary?
Some lawyers explain percentage billing by pointing to responsibility, risk, liability, and the lack of title insurance in Israel. Israeli real estate transactions do require serious legal work, and mistakes matter.
Our view is simple: important work deserves a fair fee. It does not always require an uncapped percentage fee, and clients should know the bill before we start.