Our Services Terms and Fees

We aim to make legal services accessible and transparent. Here is a breakdown of our fees and how we work with clients.

Consultations

We offer consultations in person, over the phone, or via video conference.

• In-office or Online Consultation:
• With a Thai/English-speaking lawyer: ฿2,500 per hour (or ฿1,250 for 30 minutes).
• With an English-speaking international lawyer or foreign affairs client manager: ฿3,000 per hour (or ฿1,500 for 30 minutes).
• Initial Consultation Fee: If you retain our services after a consultation, we will typically deduct the consultation cost from your final professional fee.

Fixed Fee Services

For most services, we operate on a fixed-fee basis. Once you have instructed our firm and or work has begun, the agreed-upon fees are non-refundable. This policy is part of our standard terms and conditions, which you agree to by retaining our services.The same applies to where either clients discontinue our instructions or where we for professional reasons or where we have recieved either insulting, abusive, threatening behaviour or communications from clients that we discontinue our services to those clients. Examples can be but are not limited to abuse, threats, intimidation, challenging behaviour, acusations, complaints, name calling our staff being subjected to verbal abuse such as swearing and so forth. Fees remain non-refundable should you change your mind, decide to cease the legal work, alter your instructions, or if the other parties reach an agreement without further action. Further, fees are non refundable where clients discontinue thier instruction of us or where for professional or other reasons above we terminate services to clients where, for example, abusive conduct has been incurred to any staff member, negligance or professional character is alleged or where a complaint has been recieved or percieved by us regarding your matter and there is a clear breakdown of the lawyer client relationship. This policy is in place because much of our legal work, particularly in litigation, is front-loaded and requires significant preparation time. For documentary services, we invest time in client conferences, email exchanges, reviewing and replying to messages on any and all platforms, team advice sessions, and information preparation from the outset. By instructing our firm and transferring professional fees and or retainers, you are entering into a mutual agreement to abide by these terms and conditions. Fees for court litigation cases can only be refunded, in part or in full, if an independent Thai regulatory body or court finds us negligent. We commit to performing to the best of our abilities and exercising due diligence in the conduct of all services.

Please also refer to our Legal Fees Policy https://isaanlawyers.com/legal-fees/

The fixed fee does not include:

• Court fees or financial application fees (2% of the amount claimed).
• Appeals or the execution of court decisions (e.g., selling a property awarded in a judgment).
• Foreign translations, legalization of documents, or court translators.
• Expenses such as travel or interpreter fees for out-of-office matters.

Hourly Rate Services

For legal matters not covered by a fixed fee, we offer the following hourly rates:

• General Legal Matters: ฿4,500 per hour, plus any required expenses.
• Detailed Advice:
• Secretaries or paralegal staff: ฿2,750 per hour.
• Junior lawyers: ฿3,250 per hour.
• Senior lawyers Management Partners and consultants: ฿5,500 per hour.
• Directors, Partners, and internationally qualified lawyers: Rates available upon request.
• Accountant advice: ฿3,000 per hour.

Out-of-Office Services

• If you require a Thai attorney to accompany you to a government office, the fee is ฿2,750 per hour, plus any expenses, government fees, and transportation costs.

Initial Online Communication and Inquiries

We offer advice through email with a clear fee structure based on the length of your inquiry:

• Very Short Advice: Free of charge.
• Short Inquiries (1-2 paragraphs): ฿500.
• Medium Inquiries (3-5 paragraphs): ฿750.
• Long Inquiries (more than 5 paragraphs): ฿1,000 + ฿150 for every 6 minutes of review and research.

Ongoing or Excessive Online Communication and Inquiries

We offer advice through email or online social platforms such as Whatsapp, Line, Messenger email and so forth with a clear fee structure based on the length of your inquiry. Our Policy on Communications and Billing, Our firm bills for all client communications,whether to office platforms or staff members personal platforme etc, including telephone calls, emails, and messages sent via any platform, because every interaction requires a lawyer’s time and intellectual effort. This includes the time spent reviewing your message, conducting any necessary research to formulate a response, and preparing and delivering that advice. Consistent with the standards of leading Western legal firms, all of our work, including communication, is recorded and billed in six-minute increments. This globally recognized practice ensures that you are charged fairly and precisely for the actual time spent on your matter, preventing overbilling from larger time blocks while providing a clear and transparent record of our work. By engaging our services,or working with us, you agree that any communications or advice that we provide, or that you request, will be billed at the appropriate professional’s hourly rate.Fees for the same will either be billed independantly or where a retainer exists for our services fees will be deducted from the same at the appropriate rate periodically or upon update request. This policy, which is further detailed in your retainer agreement, is also referenced in the terms and disclaimers found in our email footers.:

Our team has over 75 years of combined legal experience in Thailand. We are dedicated to making the law work for you by providing expert guidance at a reasonable price, ensuring that you, your family, and your assets are protected every step of the way.

Complaints Procedure

ISAAN LAWYERS: CLIENT COMPLAINTS HANDLING PROCEDURE

1. STATEMENT OF INTENT At Isaan Lawyers, we are committed to providing high-quality legal advice and client care. If at any point you become dissatisfied with our service, we encourage you to inform us immediately. Resolving your concerns transparently, fairly, and efficiently is a core operational priority.

This procedure outlines the exact steps, responsibilities, timelines, and operational rules involved when a formal grievance is raised.

2. STATUS OF ONGOING WORK DURING A COMPLAINT To protect your legal rights and maintain clarity throughout the grievance process, the following principles apply to your active legal matters:

• Continuation of Legal Representation: Lodging a formal complaint does not automatically terminate the lawyer-client relationship, nor does it mean work on your matter automatically ceases.

• Protection of Deadlines: Isaan Lawyers retains a legal and ethical duty to safeguard your legal interests. We will continue to handle urgent proceedings, court filings, and time-sensitive deadlines unless formally instructed otherwise.

• Separation of Functions: To ensure objective handling, your complaint will be investigated independently by senior management or compliance staff, allowing your case handler to focus on your legal matter without disruption.

3. WHEN DOES A COMPLAINT LEAD TO A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN? While lodging a complaint does not automatically stop work on your file, a complaint can lead to a complete breakdown of the relationship or the termination of the legal retainer under three specific legal scenarios:

A. Conflict of Interest (The Main Trigger) If your complaint asserts severe legal error, negligence, or misconduct, a direct Conflict of Interest is created between you and the law firm.

• The lawyer’s duty to act in your best interest comes into direct conflict with their need to defend themselves or the firm against your claim.

• In standard legal ethics, once an actual conflict of interest arises, the firm must cease acting for you and advise you to seek independent legal advice.

B. Irretrievable Loss of Trust & Confidence The lawyer-client relationship is built entirely on trust (uberrima fides — utmost good faith).

• If the grievance indicates that you no longer trust the firm’s competence or integrity, the essential legal foundation of the representation is broken.

• Under standard terms of engagement, either party may terminate the contract if essential trust between them has dissolved.

C. Formal Termination or Withdrawal

• By You (The Client): Submitting a complaint does not automatically fire your lawyer, but you retain the legal right to instruct us to stop work and hand over your file at any point.

• By the Firm: Isaan Lawyers may issue a formal notice of withdrawal if we determine that continuing to act is untenable or ethically problematic while investigating the complaint.

4. PROCEDURE OVERVIEW & TIMELINE The formal complaint lifecycle operates on a structured multi-stage framework designed to give both parties sufficient time to compile evidence, review facts, and arrive at an equitable solution.

• Stage 1: Formal Submission (Your final email communication is logged as the formal grievance)

• Stage 2: Initial Review – Up to 28 Days (Case review conducted; clarification requested if needed)

• Stage 3: Complainant Response – Up to 28 Days (Optional period for you to provide supplementary info)

• Stage 4: Second Review – Up to 28 Days (Deep-dive analysis of all facts and final written determination issued)

5. DETAILED STAGES OF THE PROCESS

Stage 1: Submission & Formal Registration

• Initiating the Complaint: To ensure clarity and avoid misunderstandings, your complaint must be submitted in writing. The last email sent by you regarding the dispute will be formally designated as your official grievance document.

• Acknowledgement: Upon receipt, your email will be assigned a unique Complaint Reference Number and logged into our internal Compliance Register. A formal acknowledgement of receipt will be issued within two (7) business days.

Stage 2: Initial Review Period (Up to 28 Days)

• Investigation: The Managing Director or a designated Senior Compliance Officer who is independent of the original matter will review the file, corresponding communications, and actions taken by the firm.

• Information Request: If necessary details or documents are missing from the initial grievance, the reviewing officer will reach out to you within this 28-day window to request specific clarifications.

Stage 3: Complainant Response Period (Up to 28 Days — Optional)

• Your Opportunity to Respond: Following any request for clarification or further information made in Stage 2, you will be granted up to 28 days to submit any additional facts, evidence, or supporting documents.

• Flexibility: While optional, this stage ensures that you have ample, unhurried time to present your case fully before a final ruling is made.

Stage 4: Second Review & Final Determination (Up to 28 Days)

• Comprehensive Analysis: Once all additional information has been received (or after the Stage 3 timeline expires), the reviewing officer will undertake a thorough, objective analysis of the complete case record.

• Final Written Decision: Within 28 days of commencing Stage 4, Isaan Lawyers will deliver a written Final Determination Letter. This response will outline:

  1. A clear summary of the investigation findings.

  2. The firm’s position regarding the grievance.

  3. Any proposed remedies, solutions, or goodwill gestures, where applicable (e.g., fee adjustment, standard operating procedure revision, or formal apology).

6. KEY STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES

• Independent Evaluation: Complaints are handled by senior management to guarantee objectivity and remove conflicts of interest with the primary caseworker.

• No Financial Penalty: You will not be charged or billed for any time spent by our management team investigating or processing your complaint.

• Confidentiality: All details surrounding your grievance will be handled with strict professional discretion and shared only with personnel relevant to the investigation.