Our fee arrangements are designed to provide clarity, predictability, and value while remaining aligned with your commercial objectives.

Many of our clients operate internationally and require ongoing access to practical German legal advice across a broad range of business matters. We therefore seek to structure fees in a manner that supports long-term relationships, efficient decision-making, and commercially sensible outcomes rather than creating uncertainty through open-ended billing arrangements.

We believe that sophisticated legal services should be commercially rational and aligned with the client's business objectives. While hourly billing remains appropriate in certain circumstances, we do not believe that the value of legal advice should be measured solely by the amount of time spent delivering it. Wherever appropriate, we work with clients to develop fee arrangements that reflect the nature of the engagement, the complexity of the issues involved, the objectives being pursued, and the value delivered to the client. This approach provides greater transparency, budgeting certainty, alignment of interests, and value for money.

Depending on the nature of the engagement, the firm may offer one or more of the following fee structures:

1. Fixed Fee Engagements: Defined fees for clearly scoped projects, advisory assignments, contract work, investigations, or other specific legal matters.
2. Stage-Based Engagements: Separate fee allocations for distinct phases of a transaction, dispute, investigation, or project lifecycle.
3. Retainer Arrangements: Ongoing access to legal support for clients who regularly require German legal advice and wish to maintain a long-term external counsel relationship.
4. Hourly Fee Arrangements: Traditional hourly billing where appropriate for matters whose scope cannot reasonably be predicted in advance.

Commercially Focused and Outcome-Oriented

As commercial problem-solvers, our objective is not simply to perform legal work but to help clients achieve practical business outcomes. In disputes, this may involve negotiation, mediation, settlement discussions, or other strategies designed to resolve conflicts efficiently and cost-effectively. In commercial matters, it means helping clients overcome obstacles, manage risk, and move projects, transactions, and business initiatives forward.

All new matters require an advance retainer before commencement of work. The amount will depend on the nature, complexity, urgency, and anticipated scope of the engagement.

Ressos combines the quality, international perspective, and technical sophistication expected from leading large firms with the responsiveness, flexibility, and commercial pragmatism of a specialist boutique practice. The firm builds upon the international legal experience of its founder, Dr. Alexander Ressos, who previously practised with Clifford Chance and other international firms. Clients benefit from direct access to experienced senior counsel, international best practices, and commercially focused legal advice without the layers, overhead, and institutional complexity often associated with larger firms.

For many international companies, particularly those requiring ongoing legal support in Germany, this approach offers an attractive alternative to the traditional large-firm model. Our objective is to deliver exceptional legal quality, practical business judgment, and outstanding value for money while building long-term relationships based on trust, responsiveness, and results.