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Fees and refund policy

Thank you for instructing Lawyers for Energy, Environment, and Development (LEED) Limited. This policy explains how our fees work and in what circumstances a payment may be refunded. Please read it together with your engagement letter, which governs the specific terms of your matter. Where the two differ, the engagement letter prevails.

How Our Fees Are Charged

Depending on the matter, we charge on one or more of the following bases, always agreed with you in advance:

  • Consultation fee — a fixed charge for an initial advisory session.
  • Fixed fee — an agreed sum for a defined piece of work, such as drafting an agreement or completing a registration.
  • Hourly rate — charged against time actually spent, billed periodically with a narrative of the work done.
  • Retainer — an advance payment held against fees and disbursements as they are incurred, or a monthly amount for ongoing advisory support.

Disbursements — court fees, stamp duty, filing and registration charges, senior counsel fees, expert and translator fees, travel and similar third-party costs — are charged in addition to our professional fees. Applicable VAT and taxes are payable as required by law.

Payment

Fees may be paid by bank transfer, cheque or mobile financial service to the account details given on your invoice. Please quote your matter reference with every payment. We do not accept cash payments except against a written receipt issued by the firm.

When a Refund Is Available

You may request a refund in the following circumstances:

  • Duplicate or erroneous payment — refunded in full once verified.
  • Consultation cancelled by you with at least 24 hours’ notice — the consultation fee is refunded in full, or held as credit toward a rescheduled appointment if you prefer.
  • Consultation cancelled by us, or where we are unable to attend — refunded in full, or rescheduled at your option.
  • Engagement declined by us — if a conflict of interest emerges, or we decide after review that we cannot act, any advance payment is refunded in full.
  • Work not commenced — if you withdraw instructions before any substantive work has been carried out, the advance is refunded in full.
  • Unused retainer balance — on conclusion or termination of the engagement, any balance remaining after fees earned and disbursements incurred have been accounted for is returned to you with a final statement.

When a Refund Is Not Available

Refunds are not available in the following circumstances:

  • Fees for work already performed. Legal work is charged for the professional time and expertise applied to it, and that cannot be returned once given.
  • Disbursements already paid to third parties, including court fees, stamp duty, registration and filing charges, senior counsel fees and expert fees. These are not recoverable from us.
  • An outcome you did not want. We do not guarantee results, and an unfavourable judgment, order or decision is not a ground for refund.
  • Consultations cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice, or appointments missed without notice.
  • Termination of the engagement because instructions were withheld, information was misrepresented, or agreed fees went unpaid.

If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received, we would rather hear about it than have you simply leave. Raise it with the lawyer handling your matter, or with [Name or Designation of the Complaints Contact], and we will review it properly.

How to Request a Refund

Send a written request to [Email Address], or deliver it to our office at [Office Address], including:

  • Your name and matter reference number.
  • The date and amount of the payment, and the payment method used.
  • The reason for the refund request.
  • The bank or MFS account to which the refund should be sent.

Refund requests should be made within 30 days of the payment or of the event giving rise to the request.

How We Process Refunds

We will acknowledge your request within 2 business days and review it against your engagement letter and the work performed on your matter. You will be notified of our decision, with reasons, within 7 business days. Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method or to the account you have nominated, normally within 7 to 10 working days of approval.

Late or Missing Refunds

If an approved refund has not reached you within 10 working days, please check your account first and then contact your bank or mobile financial service provider, as posting can take additional time at their end. If it still has not appeared, contact us at [Email Address] with your matter reference and we will trace it.

Termination of Engagement

You may end your engagement with us at any time, and we may withdraw from acting where professional rules permit or require it. In either case we will prepare a final statement of fees earned and disbursements incurred, refund any balance due to you, and return your original documents. Where we are on record before a court, withdrawal is subject to the court’s permission and to any procedural steps the court requires.

Changes to This Policy

We may amend this policy from time to time. Changes take effect when posted on our website and apply to engagements entered into after that date. The terms of your existing engagement letter are not altered by a later change to this policy.

Contact Us

For questions about fees, invoices or refunds, contact our accounts team at noman@leedllcbd.org or +8801732633417, +8801781419861, +8801925730720.