Legal services are not exactly free. There are a few things you need to know when talking to a lawyer about their rates. You will need to discuss the different types of fees they will charge you. This will give you a better understanding of how much it is going to cost. 

Professional Costs
Professional costs are anything that pertains to time and effort of the law firm. These can be their hourly rates in the courtroom, research, time spent compiling documents, and other time spent on your case. 

Disbursements
Disbursements are costs that are outside of the law firm. These costs will include things such as expert witnesses, a doctor's report, or lodging a document with the court. 

Hourly Rates

Each lawyer will charge a different rate. A typical hourly rate can vary between $50 and $1000 an hour. There are many factors that determine a particular firm's hourly rate. Some of these factors are the attorney's experience level, the location of the practice, the specialization of their expertise, and sometimes the complexity of the case. While some lawyer's fees may be higher than another, that is not always a bad thing. Sometimes lawyers with more experience will be able to handle your case in less time, and/or have a better prediction about how many hours it will take them. 

Paralegal Rate
You should also be aware that you will often have to pay an hourly rate for paralegal's assistance. This can often be billed at $50-200 an hour. This is for time spent on legal research, document construction, and other preparations. 

Fixed Fees
Fixed fees are for matters that are pretty standard to the lawyer and they can easily predict how long it will take. Some of the items that might be charged by a flat fee are: contracts, divorces, wills, and bankruptcy filings. It is important that you are aware of exactly what the flat fee does and does not cover. Often times they will not cover filing fees. 

Contingent Fees
Contingent fees are the no win, no fee type of lawsuit. It is where the attorney will charge a certain percentage of the gains from the case. You will only have to pay for the Professional Costs of the case, however you will most likely still be responsible for the disbursements involved in the case. These fees are pretty standard in injury, medical malpractice, and accident cases. 

Retainer Fees
A retainer fee is an upfront fee that the law firm puts in a trust account to pay for your legal services. The law firm takes out their hourly rate, disbursements, paralegal rates, etc out of this account. You will receive billing statements periodically showing the balance of the retainer trust account. This retainer fee is usually non-refundable. 

Court Costs
Court costs fall under the disbursements category of attorney's fees, and you will be responsible for paying these fees. There are fees are charged by the courthouse. You will be expected to pay for filing fees, and for lodging a document with the court. 

Other Party's Costs
It is also important to ask if you are in risk of having to pay the legal fees of the other party if you lose. Also remember that the other party may be responsible for paying for your legal representation if you win. This is only for certain applicable cases though and it is always good to ask your lawyer about it before the case that way there are no surprises mid-way or at the end.