"The lawyer shall inform his client, as soon as the matter is referred to him, and thereafter on a regular basis, of the methods for determining the fees and the foreseeable change in their amount. If applicable, this information is included in the fee agreement. »

Initial contact / first consultation (face-to-face, telephone, or video conference)

The first meeting does not give rise to invoicing if it corresponds to a simple presentation of the file and results in the firm taking charge of the file.

However, if the first appointment corresponds to a consultation, allowing for an immediate response to all or part of the client's problems, or if the client does not follow up on this appointment, it is invoiced on a time basis.     

Billing procedures for files 

Fees are determined in accordance with the criteria set out in Article 11 of the Rules of Procedure of the Paris Bar and are set in complete transparency with the client.

Fees are proposed in advance in accordance with the planned assignment.

The methods for setting fees are as follows:

• Invoicing by time spent

As a general rule, the firm's fees are determined on the basis of the time spent on a case according to a fixed hourly rate: 

• between 300 and 350 euros (excl. tax) for services provided by Mr. AUPOIX
• between 150 and 300 euros excluding tax for services provided by Mr. AUPOIX's collaborators.

The hourly rate to be applied is fixed according to various criteria linked to the experience of the lawyer in charge of the case, as well as to the nature and complexity of the case.

At the end of the first appointment, the lawyer communicates the hourly rate that will be applied as well as an estimate of the amount of fees related to his intervention when possible.

The Firm also undertakes to provide a statement of its fees at any time during the case to the client who requests it.

• Invoicing of a fixed fee

In agreement with the client, a fixed fee may be decided for a given and precisely defined mission.

The fixed price then covers all legal and/or tax due diligence carried out in the context of the given mission, but does not include the disbursements, costs or remuneration of any other parties involved in the case.

• Invoicing of a result fee

This invoicing method gives rise to the establishment of a fee agreement indicating the amount of the fixed fee as well as the method for determining the profit fee. This may include a percentage of the tax savings or rebates obtained.

• Acquisition of shareholdings

Because cash flow is often a scarce asset for entrepreneurs, and because it is crucial that start-ups can benefit from high-quality legal and tax support, an equity investment system can be granted to certain clients who so wish.

It may thus be agreed that the fixed price established for the mission be broken down into:

- a provision paid in cash at the beginning of the assignment;
- an equity investment in your company, based on a valuation accepted by all stakeholders. The shareholders or partners of the company undertake to repurchase from Caroline Aupoix the shares for the amount of the second part of the fixed price plus an agreed interest rate and at the end of a fixed term, provided that she so requests. Otherwise, Caroline Aupoix is free to keep her shareholding in the company.

• Pro-bono files

Cabinet Aupoix also intervenes free of charge on certain files, accepted at its own discretion.

Funds intended for AUPOIX Firm's clients are received and forwarded by the CARPA of the Bar Association