There is no fixed price, and no tariff
No statute prices a labor case, and nobody can quote a real figure before reading what you have. What drives the work is the shape of the claim: how many respondents, whether the contract and pay records are complete or must be rebuilt, whether a medical assessment is in dispute, whether the matter settles at conciliation or is fought through position papers and then on review. A quotation given before anyone has read your contract is a guess dressed as a price.
How attorney's fees are commonly handled
In this practice area, claims for money owed to an overseas worker are commonly handled on a contingency basis — professional fees tied to what is actually recovered, so that a worker with no income is not asked to fund a case out of savings that no longer exist. That is a common arrangement, not a universal one and not an entitlement. Acceptance-fee arrangements and hybrids of the two are also used, and which structure fits depends on the claim, on the evidence available at the start, and on what the worker can carry.
What matters more than the label is that the terms are written down before work begins: what triggers a fee, what is covered, what happens if the case settles early, and what happens if it does not succeed. We put that in writing at engagement. If any of it reads unclearly, that is a question to ask then rather than later.
An attorney's-fees award is a rule, not a windfall
Decisions in labor cases sometimes include an award of attorney's fees against the losing party. See that provision for what it is: a rule about what a tribunal may adjudge where the record justifies it — not money to plan around, and not a substitute for your own fee arrangement. It is granted in some cases and refused in others. In Elburg Shipmanagement Phils., Inc. v. Quiogue, Jr. (G.R. No. 211882, July 29, 2015) the seafarer succeeded on his disability claim, and the Supreme Court nonetheless affirmed the deletion of attorney's fees for want of factual basis. The same discipline applies to outcome generally: nothing here tells you what a claim is worth, how long it will take, or how likely it is to succeed, and you should be wary of anyone who does.
What is not a legal fee
Some costs are not ours and never should be. Keep them separate in your own planning, and expect them shown separately on any statement you receive:
- Official charges collected by the office handling the matter, receipted in that office's name.
- Document costs — certified copies, medical records and certificates, and replacements for papers left behind abroad.
- Consular or apostille charges where a Special Power of Attorney or a foreign document must be executed or authenticated abroad, plus international courier. See filing your claim while still overseas.
- Translation of any foreign-language document into English, where it is needed.
These are individually modest and collectively real. The cheapest thing you can do about them is to gather your documents while you still have access, rather than reconstructing them later from Manila.
Paying from abroad
Clients still overseas ordinarily settle by international transfer or by card. Amounts are quoted and paid in pesos, and we promise no particular exchange rate. Where a family member here is handling documents for you, we can bill and correspond in whatever way is least disruptive to your working hours — a point covered further on our page for international clients.
The consultation
Consultations are paid — ₱3,500, consistent with our published legal fees. You are not paying for a sales meeting. You are paying for an hour in which someone reads your contract, your payslips and your medical or repatriation papers, tells you candidly which parts of the legal framework touch your situation and which do not, and explains how fees would be structured if you go ahead. If the honest answer is that a claim is weak or a document is missing, you hear it at the first meeting rather than after paying for a case. Send your documents ahead: the completeness of that folder is the largest single factor in what a case costs to run.
Frequently asked
How are attorney's fees handled in an OFW claim?
There is no fixed price and no statutory tariff. In this practice area labor claims are commonly handled on a contingency basis, so that professional fees are tied to what is actually recovered, though acceptance-fee and hybrid arrangements also exist. Which one fits a particular case is discussed at the outset and put in writing.
Is the first consultation paid?
Yes. Consultations are paid — ₱3,500, consistent with our published legal fees. What you get for it is a reading of your actual documents, a candid view of the framework that applies, and an explanation of how fees would work, before you commit to anything.
If I win, does the other side pay my lawyer?
An award of attorney's fees is a matter for the tribunal. It is granted where the record justifies it and deleted where it does not, as the Supreme Court affirmed in Elburg Shipmanagement Phils., Inc. v. Quiogue, Jr. It is a rule about what may be adjudged, not money to count on, and it does not replace your own fee arrangement.
How do clients abroad pay?
Usually by international transfer or card. Amounts are quoted and paid in pesos and we promise no particular exchange rate. Official charges receipted in the name of the office collecting them are always shown separately from professional fees.