Legal Fees
We tell you the cost from the start.
It does not suddenly grow mid-case.
An exact quote follows a review of your case. The price you are told at the consultation is the price — it does not change at signing.
How legal fees work in Korea — and how we set them
Korean litigation fees typically have two parts. The retainer (착수금) is paid when you engage the firm and covers the work of running your case. A success fee (성공보수) is paid only if the outcome defined in your engagement letter is achieved. If you are used to US-style contingency fees, note the difference: the retainer is not contingent, and the success fee is a defined percentage or amount, not a share taken in place of other fees.
Here is how we set success fees:
- In civil, real estate, and family matters, the success fee is usually between 1% and 10% of the amount in dispute — the larger the amount, the lower the percentage.
- In criminal matters, the success fee does not exceed the retainer.
- For simple matters, we sometimes agree on no success fee at all. Where a case genuinely calls for terms outside these ranges, we tell you before you sign — not after.
- Flat-fee work carries no success fee.
Whatever the terms, they are fixed in writing before you sign, and they do not grow or appear mid-case.
One more thing we put in writing: what counts as “success.” The judgment amount, or the amount actually collected? In a criminal case, which outcome? Most disputes over success fees happen because this was never defined. Ours is defined in your engagement letter before you pay anything.
Retainer ranges
| Practice area | Retainer range | Depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal defense | ₩4,000,000 – ₩12,000,000 | stage of the case and factual complexity |
| Divorce & family | ₩4,000,000 – ₩7,000,000 | property division and custody issues |
| Inheritance renunciation and qualified acceptance are handled at a flat fee — ₩100,000 / ₩1,000,000. For unusually large estates, any adjusted fee is quoted at case review, before you commit. | ||
| Civil (loans & contract disputes) | from ₩3,000,000 | claim amount and difficulty of proof |
| Real estate & lease | from ₩3,000,000 | type of dispute and the amount in issue |
| Labor & employment | from ₩3,000,000 | the route chosen and the complexity of the dispute |
Retainer amounts are subject to VAT (10%), which is not included in the figures above. The consultation fee below includes VAT.
Where your case falls within a range depends on its stage, its complexity, and the scope of work — including work conducted in English. The exact figure is quoted in writing before you sign.
Consultation with the Attorney
60 minutes · ₩150,000 (approx. US$110), VAT included
If the consultation ends within 30 minutes, you pay only ₩100,000 (approx. US$70).
We review the facts and your documents, then tell you the legal issues and how we would approach them. The same fee whichever language you speak, Korean or English — conducted by the attorney who would actually handle your case, not by staff, and not through an interpreter.
The same fees are published on our Korean-language site.
Available in person at our Pyeongtaek office, by video (Google Meet), or by phone — same fee. Video and phone consultations are paid in advance by bank transfer; if the consultation ends within 30 minutes, ₩50,000 is refunded.
What we will tell you before you pay anything
- If we think your chances are poor, we will not recommend engaging us. That assessment is what the consultation fee buys.
- Which situations can create additional costs during a case — and which cannot — explained before you sign, not discovered after.
- Case record review and document analysis are quoted separately and agreed in advance.
Ready to book? Send a consultation request — we'll reply with available times.