# Ongoing Legal Support: A Company Lawyer on a Retainer — IUSTORIA > A lawyer on call for your business: a monthly retainer, fixed fees or an hourly rate. We adapt to your processes and your communication channels. Law firm in Brno. - Canonical URL: https://www.iustoria.cz/en/services/ongoing-legal-support/ - Markdown URL: https://www.iustoria.cz/en/services/ongoing-legal-support/index.md - Language: en - Content type: service ## Content I don't want to handle this alone # A lawyer who already knows your business Most legal work in a business isn't disputes. It's contracts that need signing this week, a question from the managing director that needs an answer today, and obligations nobody remembers in time. That's what ongoing support is for. How to start ## First, we look at what your business actually needs On the first call we go through the legal work your business generates in a month: how many contracts, of what kind, who reviews them now, what keeps recurring and where things are already getting stuck. That tells us whether a retainer makes sense, or fixed fees, or for now just an hourly rate. If it turns out you don't need ongoing support, we'll tell you. Book an introductory call Three ways to work with us ## Retainer, fixed fee or hourly rate 01 ### Monthly retainer (our recommendation) An agreed monthly scope of work for a fixed sum. Most businesses that work with us long term choose this: the cost is predictable, and because we know the business, we never start from scratch. What the retainer includes - a dedicated attorney who knows your contracts and your people; - guaranteed priority: work for retainer clients comes first; - a response time agreed in the contract, including same-day answers; - we're on the phone, not just on email, so a quick question doesn't need writing down; - we adapt to your internal processes: approval rounds, templates and who signs what; - we write where your team writes: email, Teams, Slack or your own system, not ours; - day-to-day work included: reviewing contracts, consultations, correspondence with the other side, questions from the managing director; - an hour worked under the retainer costs less than our standard hourly rate. 02 ### Fixed fee A fixed price agreed in advance for a defined piece of work: a contract, a court filing, an entry in the Commercial Register, a legal analysis, an escrow. You know the cost upfront, however many hours we spend on it. When it makes sense - a one-off matter with a clear brief; - you want to know the price in advance, down to the last crown; - you're trying us out before deciding on a retainer. 03 ### Hourly rate The standard arrangement when the scope can't be estimated in advance. We bill for each 15 minutes or part of it, and the statement shows who worked on the matter and at what rate. When it makes sense - the scope will only become clear as things progress, typically in a dispute or a negotiation; - you need a one-off consultation; - you want to pay only for the work actually done. FAQ ## What businesses ask us most ### How big does a business need to be for a retainer to make sense? It's not about headcount but about how much legal work the business generates each month. As a rule of thumb: if you deal with more than two contracts a month, or catch yourself signing things unchecked because it doesn't seem worth sending them to a lawyer, a retainer pays off. ### What if I don't need anything in a given month? As standard, unused scope doesn't carry over to the next month. It depends on what we agree in the contract, but the default rule is that it doesn't. That's exactly why an hour under the retainer is cheaper than an hour at the standard rate: you're paying for availability, not just for time worked. If after a few months the scope turns out to be wrong, we'll adjust it. ### How quickly will I get an answer? Within the response time agreed in the contract. If the contract doesn't specify one, the time limits in our terms and conditions apply, and they set them out precisely. Faster turnaround, including same-day answers, is possible: for one-off instructions at a surcharge under our fee schedule, and under a retainer on the terms agreed in the contract. ### Does the retainer cover litigation? As a rule, no. A dispute, a transaction or any other larger matter is handled for a fixed fee or at an hourly rate. But it's handled by the same team that knows your business, which makes a real difference compared with bringing in an outside firm. ### Is the retainer a fixed-term contract? We agree the terms individually, including the notice period. We don't want clients who stay because they can't leave. ### Can we start without a retainer? Of course. Most working relationships start with a single matter on a fixed fee or by the hour. If it turns out the work is growing, we'll suggest a retainer ourselves. Areas ## What clients come to us with here Professional Directorship Professional directorship: we act as managing directors, board members and supervisory board members for Czech and foreign-owned companies. Czech Bar Association attorneys with professional indemnity cover and a duty of confidentiality. Open Scope ## What we handle for businesses on an ongoing basis Contracts and contract reviewsCustomer and supplier contracts, general terms and conditions, NDAs, licence agreements and leases. We review what comes in from the other side as well as what you send out. EmployeesEmployment contracts and other work agreements, non-compete clauses, ending employment, internal policies. Corporate mattersGeneral meetings, amendments to the memorandum of association, Commercial Register filings, relations between shareholders, the managing director's liability. Compliance and data protectionGDPR, the AI Act, NIS2 and other obligations that don't arrive all at once but do come with deadlines. We keep track of them for you. ReceivablesLetters before action, payment reminders, acknowledgements of debt, instalment plans. Before it turns into a dispute. Questions from the managing directorQuick questions you need answered today that don't warrant opening a file. Just call; there's no need to put them in writing. The retainer doesn't usually cover a dispute, a transaction or any other larger matter; for those we agree a fixed fee or an hourly rate, and the same team does the work. How it runs ## What a year of working together looks like 01 ### Initial review We go through the legal work your business generates, what has been signed and where things are getting stuck. The result is a proposed scope and price. 02 ### Taking over the work You get a dedicated attorney and we agree how we'll communicate, adapting to whatever your business already uses rather than the other way round. We go through your existing contracts and tell you what's fine and what needs rewriting. 03 ### Day-to-day work Contracts come to us for review, questions are answered within the agreed time, and we keep track of the deadlines. You hear about what's coming up in advance. 04 ### Annual review Once a year we go through what has changed in the business and in the law, what needs updating and whether the scope of the retainer still fits. Fees ## What it costs and how quickly we respond ### Retainer: from CZK 10,000 a month We agree retainers from CZK 10,000 a month excl. VAT, usually between CZK 10,000 and CZK 15,000 depending on the scope and response time. We don't offer retainers below that level, because below it they work for neither you nor us. An hour worked under the retainer costs less than the standard hourly rate: you're paying for availability, not just for time worked. ### Fixed fee A fixed price agreed in advance for a defined service. An agreed fixed fee takes precedence over the hourly rate and any surcharges. ### Hourly rate From CZK 2,900 an hour for a trainee lawyer's work to CZK 4,900 for strategic advice; the standard rate for an attorney, partners included, is CZK 3,900. All rates excl. VAT, billed for each 15 minutes or part of it. The minimum fee for a new matter or a standalone task is CZK 5,000. ### When it's urgent Completion within 48 hours of instruction carries a 50% surcharge; within 24 hours or on the same day, a 100% surcharge, as set out in our [fee schedule](/en/fees/). Yes, we do that too. For retainers, the response time is agreed in the contract; if it isn't, the time limits in our [terms and conditions](/en/terms/) apply. Full terms, surcharges for complexity, waiting time and travel costs are in our [fee schedule](/en/fees/). We publish all of it. That isn't a given among lawyers, and we think it should be.