Practice Operations Fee Arrangements

Fees that follow the matter. Not the other way around.

We think the right firm is chosen by results and talent, not by rate cards. Different matters call for different arrangements. We customize the structure around yours.

Discuss the Matter Find Your Fit

Our Philosophy

We compete on results and talent. Not on rates.

A rate card tells you what a firm charges. It does not tell you what the firm wins, who shows up to argue, or whether the structure is built to align incentives with outcomes. Those are the questions that matter.

That is why we offer a wide range of arrangements: full and partial contingencies, success fees and discounts, blended rates, and rate buy downs. Different matters call for different structures. We build the one that fits before the engagement letter is signed, so the economics serve the case.

Watstein Terepka LLP

Four Structures

Four ways to structure the fee.

Each arrangement carries its own risk profile, predictability curve, and incentive alignment. Most engagements use one. Some combine two. All four exist to make sophisticated counsel work for the matter at hand.

01 / CONTINGENCIES

Full & Partial Contingencies

You only pay if we prevail. The firm carries the risk.

When it fits Plaintiff-side class actions with clear damages, high-stakes commercial litigation with strong liability, and matters where the upside justifies risk sharing.

Alignment Total. Our fee depends entirely on your outcome.

Variants Partial contingency layers a reduced hourly with a contingency on recovery, giving the firm operating capital and the client risk-shared economics.

02 / SUCCESS FEES

Success Fees & Discounts

A reduced rate now. A premium when we hit defined outcomes.

When it fits Defense matters where the path to victory is definable: class certification denied, motion to dismiss granted, settlement below a number.

Alignment Engineered. The triggers are negotiated up front, so both sides know what success looks like.

Variants Success discounts reduce the standard rate in exchange for a premium on outcome. Success fees layer a bonus on top of standard billing.

03 / BLENDED RATES

Blended Rates

One rate. Every attorney. Every level.

When it fits Matters where budget predictability matters more than hourly granularity, and where the client trusts the firm to staff intelligently.

Alignment Predictable. The same rate applies to everyone working on the matter.

Variants Tiered blends apply different rates to litigation and transactional work. Capped blends layer a not-to-exceed ceiling on top of the blended structure.

04 / RATE BUY DOWNS

Rate Buy Downs

Reduced hourly rates in exchange for guaranteed volume.

When it fits Ongoing portfolio work, repeat litigation, and in-house teams seeking a primary outside firm under negotiated economics.

Alignment Long-term. The economics reward the relationship, not the single matter.

Variants Volume-based buy downs tier the rate as commitment grows. Annual buy downs lock the economics for a fixed term in exchange for a guaranteed spend.

A Quick Compass

Find the structure that fits your matter.

Three questions. A starting point, not a quote. The real conversation comes next.

Question 1 of 3

What is your role in the matter?

Question 2 of 3

What kind of matter is it?

Question 3 of 3

What matters most to your team?

A Starting Point

Based on your answers, the structure that often fits is a blended rate.

Blended Rate Often paired with: Capped Fee

A blended rate fits where budget predictability matters and the matter is well-scoped. One rate applies to everyone working on the matter.

Discuss This Matter

A Quick Map

A quick map of matter to structure.

These are the patterns we see most often. They are starting points for the conversation, not commitments. Every matter is shaped by its own facts, venue, and timing.

If your matter looks like this	A structure that often fits
Pursuing a plaintiff-side class action with strong liability and clear damages	Full Contingency
Defending an existential class action where the path to victory is definable	Success Fee or Partial Contingency
Running a budget-bound portfolio of five or more active matters	Blended Rate or Rate Buy Down
Managing a single high-stakes commercial dispute with defined scope	Blended Rate or Success Fee
Pursuing a measurable plaintiff-side recovery with strong merits	Full Contingency or Partial Contingency
Negotiating ongoing outside-counsel economics for an in-house team	Rate Buy Down or Blended Rate

The structure follows the matter.

Every engagement starts with a partner conversation. We listen first, propose a structure that fits, and put it in writing before the engagement letter is signed.

Discuss a Matter See Our Practice Areas