Legal information notice
This article provides general legal information only. It is not legal advice for a specific matter and does not guarantee filing, preservation, settlement, judgment, enforcement or any other result. Qualified counsel in the relevant jurisdiction must assess the complete facts, documents, current rules and receiving authority requirements.
- Do not substitute this page for matter-specific verification
- No firm quote, duration, success rate or recovery rate is invented
- Statutory deadlines and strategic suggestions must be identified separately
Direct answer: Shenzhen lawyer fees are market-regulated
This is general legal information, not a quote or matter-specific advice. Shenzhen’s current official answer states that lawyer fees are market-regulated. Do not use repealed Yue Jia [2006] No. 298 or invent a standard price; use seven service-scope boundaries. (Sources: Shenzhen Development and Reform Commission official answer: Shenzhen lawyer service fees are market-regulated (Official text: https://fgw.sz.gov.cn/hdjl/ywzsk/jgzcgl/content/post_11969354.html); Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
- Shenzhen lawyer fees are market-regulated
- Define seven service boundaries
- Separate fees from disbursements
1. Initial advice and written analysis
Define oral triage, document review, research or formal opinion, including document volume, questions, language and revisions. A first meeting does not imply due diligence, negotiation or litigation. (Sources: PRC Lawyers Law, Articles 2, 25, 28 and 38 (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=2c909fdd678bf17901678bf867e80a55); Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
- Deliverable and language
- Document-question limit
- Revision and meeting record
2. Party, asset and fact investigation
Public registry searches, investigation orders, court evidence collection and commercial due diligence have different authority. List lawful sources and never promise protected account or communication data. (Sources: PRC Lawyers Law, Articles 2, 25, 28 and 38 (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=2c909fdd678bf17901678bf867e80a55); PRC Personal Information Protection Law, Articles 6, 17, 28 and 29 (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=ff8081817b6472a3017b656cc2040044))
- Public and authorised searches
- Court-only powers
- Data minimisation
3. Negotiation, letters and mediation
Define core negotiation rounds, lawyer letters, settlement authority, online or onsite mediation and written records. Negotiation never guarantees response or payment. (Sources: PRC Lawyers Law, Articles 2, 25, 28 and 38 (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=2c909fdd678bf17901678bf867e80a55); Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
- Letters and rounds
- Settlement authority
- Venue and record
4. Filing, arbitration and hearings
Pre-action review, filing, first instance, appeal, retrial, arbitration, withdrawal and counterclaim are separate stages. Identify jurisdiction objections, evidence exchange, hearing assumptions and extra work. (Sources: PRC Civil Procedure Law, Articles 24, 35, 276 and 277 (contract and foreign-related jurisdiction) (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=ff8081818a21dc13018b425303b7086d); PRC Lawyers Law, Articles 2, 25, 28 and 38 (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=2c909fdd678bf17901678bf867e80a55))
- Stage schedule
- Forum clause review
- Extra hearing and new claim
5. Preservation, security and enforcement
Preservation, security, renewal, enforcement filing, asset leads and objections are not automatically within litigation scope. Allocate security, insurance and court fees. (Sources: PRC Civil Procedure Law, Articles 103 and 104 (in-proceeding and pre-action preservation) (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=ff8081818a21dc13018b425303b7086d); Measures for the Payment of Litigation Costs, Articles 6 and 12 (case acceptance and specified application or appraisal costs) (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=ff8080816f3e98bd016f41e1395a015f); Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
- Preservation-security split
- Judgment-enforcement split
- Asset leads and additions
6. Cross-border documents, translation and travel
Hong Kong documents may need attestation, apostille, transmission, translation, courier or attendance. Third-party and authority charges should be itemised and evidenced separately. (Sources: SPC Provisions on Evidence in Civil Proceedings, Articles 14, 16, 17 and 19 (electronic data, overseas-formed evidence and foreign-language materials) (Official text: https://www.court.gov.cn/zixun/xiangqing/212721.html); Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
- Authentication route
- Translation and courier
- Travel approval
7. Termination, handover, refund and invoice
State withdrawal, lawful termination, stage completion, unused advance, file return and invoice. The 2021 opinion governs fee discipline; the old 30% cap is not a universal current rule and prohibited contingency matters remain prohibited. (Sources: Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html); PRC Lawyers Law, Articles 2, 25, 28 and 38 (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=2c909fdd678bf17901678bf867e80a55))
- Termination and stage settlement
- Firm account and invoice
- Prohibited contingency matters
The verification pack to send counsel
Send a one-page chronology, party details, a core-document index, an amount or asset schedule, and the three questions you need answered. Add the remaining material after counsel identifies the decisive gaps.
- Objective and forum connection
- Seven-scope checklist
- Fee-disbursement-travel table
- Termination, refund and handover terms
How this guide differs from related articles
This guide is about Shenzhen engagement boundaries. The Mainland litigation-fee guide maps all litigation cost baskets. Neither inserts an unauthorised Legwise quote.
- Use this page only for the first routing decision
- Recheck the forum, authority, current version and deadline before action
- Confirm scope, fee items and exclusions in writing before engagement
Legal information notice
This article provides general legal information only. It is not legal advice for a specific matter and does not guarantee filing, preservation, settlement, judgment, enforcement or any other result. Qualified counsel in the relevant jurisdiction must assess the complete facts, documents, current rules and receiving authority requirements.
- Do not substitute this page for matter-specific verification
- No firm quote, duration, success rate or recovery rate is invented
- Statutory deadlines and strategic suggestions must be identified separately
Frequently asked questions
Is there a government Shenzhen lawyer fee?
No current uniform number table; the official answer says market-regulated. (Sources: Shenzhen Development and Reform Commission official answer: Shenzhen lawyer service fees are market-regulated (Official text: https://fgw.sz.gov.cn/hdjl/ywzsk/jgzcgl/content/post_11969354.html))
Can Yue Jia [2006] No. 298 be used?
No. It is repealed and should not be presented as current. (Sources: Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html); Shenzhen Development and Reform Commission official answer: Shenzhen lawyer service fees are market-regulated (Official text: https://fgw.sz.gov.cn/hdjl/ywzsk/jgzcgl/content/post_11969354.html))
Is the old 30% cap universal?
No. Apply the 2021 opinion and matter-specific rules. (Sources: Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
Can criminal work be contingency-based?
No. (Sources: Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
Can marriage or succession work use contingency fees?
No; these are within prohibited categories. (Sources: Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
Is consultation automatically credited?
Only if the engagement says so. (Sources: Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
Does first instance include appeal?
Not automatically; stages should be separate. (Sources: PRC Lawyers Law, Articles 2, 25, 28 and 38 (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=2c909fdd678bf17901678bf867e80a55))
Are court fees lawyer fees?
No. Court acceptance and application fees are separate. (Sources: Measures for the Payment of Litigation Costs, Articles 6 and 12 (case acceptance and specified application or appraisal costs) (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=ff8080816f3e98bd016f41e1395a015f))
Is preservation security included?
Do not assume so; define work, security and payment. (Sources: PRC Civil Procedure Law, Articles 103 and 104 (in-proceeding and pre-action preservation) (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=ff8081818a21dc13018b425303b7086d))
How should travel be charged?
Define items, standard, approval and evidence. (Sources: Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
May counsel guarantee success or timing?
No. Define controllable deliverables and communication. (Sources: PRC Lawyers Law, Articles 2, 25, 28 and 38 (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=2c909fdd678bf17901678bf867e80a55))
Can every personal-data search be done?
No. It needs legal basis, authority and necessity. (Sources: PRC Personal Information Protection Law, Articles 6, 17, 28 and 29 (Official text: https://flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=ff8081817b6472a3017b656cc2040044))
How is termination settled?
Use completed stage, work, incurred disbursement and handover terms. (Sources: Opinions on Further Regulating Lawyers’ Service Fees, Sifa Tong [2021] No. 87, Items 8, 9 and 16 (Official text: https://www.moj.gov.cn/pub/sfbgwapp/zwgk/tzggApp/202203/t20220324_451433.html))
How should quotes be compared?
Compare all seven boundaries, deliverables, exclusions and third-party costs.