Lawyers on the Client’s Side
Independent. Fixed-fee. Built to protect you.
If YOU save, WE win.
If your case DRAGS, we lose.
Escrow is your safety vault - protecting you at every step.
Hover / tap to see how each layer protects you.
You always pay the fixed fee for managing your case. This covers independent oversight to make sure your lawyer’s advice and bills stay in your best interest - from checking invoices and strategy changes to making sure you can switch lawyers smoothly if needed.
That fee carries the risk we make a loss if your case drags unnecessarily.
A separate results bonus is only payable if we help you settle early and avoid most trial costs. That’s when both you and we gain.
If we allow your external lawyer to prolong your case unnecessarily, we make a loss. That’s because you pay us a fixed price - through escrow - to manage your case all the way through, including reasonable, unlimited legal advice on strategy and timing.
If we settle your case early, we earn a bonus from the costs we help you avoid. If not, you owe nothing – and your fixed fee + escrow protections still apply.
Nothing moves until you are clear and comfortable with what your external lawyer is about to do. You approve each stage by funding it through our Escrow system.
Once a stage is complete, your lawyer must issue their bill and release their file for that stage before moving on. If you're satisfied with the work done, we release the funds. If not, we step in to help you resolve it.
Your lawyer can't get paid, or continue, without your prior sign-off. That’s how escrow protects your budget, authority, and flexibility to change lawyers if you ever need to - at every step.
Independent from your courtroom lawyer — no referral fees, no shared profits — so our only financial duty is to you.
Don’t miss your statutory rights – many legal time limits expire sooner than you think.
Start safely: Map your options before hiring any lawyer — 100% private, optional, and no-obligation.
Why Hourly Billing Fails Clients – And How We Fix It
| Risk | Clean Law fix | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases that drag for years | → | Our fixed-fee model means we are aligned to help you resolve earlier, not late. |
| Extra work you’re not sure you need | → | Your fixed-fee Client's Advocate keeps costs down, while your courtroom lawyer focuses only on presenting your case in court. |
| Advice or fee-padding? You can’t tell. | → | Independent check. You sign off each step. |
| Only one quote, no way to compare | → | One brief gets you multiple stage-by-stage quotes – pick the best. |
| Stuck with the wrong lawyer | → | Escrow keeps your file portable so you can switch anytime. |
| Bills that blow out without warning | → | Funds stay in escrow; nothing moves without your OK. |
Two Lawyers, One Strategy
Think of it like driving:
Your courtroom lawyer is the accelerator for trial.
We’re the brake and the highway — keeping your case steady and safe.
With 2 independent lawyers, you gain balance:
You choose your own shortlist of courtroom lawyers.
We only help you compare their stage-by-stage proposals, so you pay once, not many times.
Your strategy stays in your hands.
Costs don’t spiral.
You never pay twice.
As your legal co-pilot, we keep costs, timing, and strategy aligned.
Our safeguards make the difference:
ACNC-registered, with extra governance and federal reporting standards most firms don’t carry.
Escrow through a Law Society-audited trust account. Funds only move when you approve.
Aligned incentives: we lose if your case drags; we may earn a bonus only if you save by settling early.
Comparing common legal cost models
Each model works differently. This table shows who controls the cost, what risks to watch for, and who each model suits best.
| Model | Who controls the cost? | Hidden risks | Who it works best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| No win, no fee | The lawyer | Extra success fees; liability for disbursements & opponent costs | Money claims with strong prospects (injury, consumer, estate, class actions) |
| Free legal help (pro bono) | The lawyer | Limited scope; may end anytime; no continuity | People with no or very few assets |
| Direct fixed-fee | The lawyer | Extra work outside scope may attract new fees; no second opinion | Routine tasks like wills or leases |
| Clean Law | You | Fixed fees held in escrow; no referral fees; independent oversight | People with something at stake — home, business, or peace of mind |
Independent consumer guides explain risks in models like ‘no win, no fee.’ You can find a selection of these on our Resources page.
3 Steps to Protection
Don’t miss your statutory rights - many legal time limits expire sooner than you think.
Start safely: map your options before hiring any lawyer - 100% private, optional, and no-obligation.
Private, fixed-fee, and no obligation to continue.
A safe way to see your options before deadlines close.
You compare stage-by-stage quotes.
Costs are locked in advance.
Everyone’s aim: a fair, fast result.
Money only moves when you say so.
We may earn a bonus only if we help you settle early and avoid most trial costs.
If not, you still keep the fixed-fee and escrow protections.
ACNC-Registered • Law Society trust account (audited each year) • Extra governance & federal reporting standards • No referral fees • 100% client-side
Packages You Control
1. Smart Legal Discovery Package
$750 +GST + Disbursements
Includes:
Document review,
Initial case brief, and
A written summary of 3 practical legal options (risks, time, costs, control).
Follow-up consultation.
You’re free to stop or manage the matter yourself - no obligation to continue.
2. Fixed-Fee Modules
Only offered if Discovery shows real value.
Each phase has a fixed fee, escrow-funded, stage-by-stage approvals.
Bonus only applies if we help you settle early.
You can switch lawyers anytime without losing what you’ve already paid for.
When 3 Years Becomes 2 Months
A dispute headed for the Supreme Court settled in 2 months under the Clean Law model.
In 2024, one of the disputes we handled involved parties who knew that if early settlement failed, the only path forward was the Supreme Court - with trial and appeal likely to stretch over 2-3 years.
Instead, the matter was resolved in just 2 months.
Based on our cost modelling, the trial phase alone could have added $50,000–$100,000+ in legal costs. By focusing on early strategy and structured negotiation, the clients avoided those risks and the years of stress a drawn-out court fight would have brought.
Because funds were ready to sit safely in escrow - released only stage by stage with the clients’ approval - there was no risk of losing control if the matter had continued.
The clients were able to return to normal life years earlier than if the case had gone through to trial and appeal.
This example is drawn from a past matter we handled in 2024. Every case is different, and outcomes vary. We share it to illustrate how Clean Law’s client-side model can reduce the risk of delay, cost blowouts, and loss of control.
Why Client-Side Oversight Matters
Here’s one of our recent matters - followed by 3 public court decisions (we were not involved in those) that show what can go wrong without independent oversight.
When Conflicts of Interest Threaten Outcomes
Bolitho v Banksia Securities Ltd [2021] VSC 666
A litigation funder, lawyers, and barristers were found to have engaged in serious misconduct — seeking millions from a $64M class action settlement through false claims and misleading the court. Their conduct put 16,000 elderly investors at risk until the court removed them and safeguarded the settlement.
If a client group had engaged a Client-Side Lawyer like Clean Law, our independent, fixed-fee oversight could have prevented lawyers and funders from being financially entangled in the same case. With stage-by-stage escrow sign-off and independent audits, no inflated bills or hidden deductions could slip through - safeguarding the $64M fund and protecting the 16,000 investors it was meant to benefit.
Hartnett TAS Hartnett Lawyers v Bell as Executor of the Estate of Deakin-Bell [2023] NSWCA 244
In an undefended mortgage case, a lawyer charged over $288,000 to recover a $30,000 debt. The Court of Appeal found most charges excessive and ordered $251,000 repaid — but the judgment does not address the further cost and time the client faced to recover that money.
If a client had engaged a Client-Side Lawyer like Clean Law, the process could have been structured differently — with early strategy mapping, fixed fees, and escrow oversight. That structure reduces the risk of cost blowouts and gives owners clarity and control from the start.
When No Win No Fee Leaves Clients Short
Todorovska v Brydens Lawyers Pty Ltd [2022] NSWCA 47
Under a No Win No Fee arrangement, a personal injury client was awarded $100,000 in damages - but after fees and expenses of nearly $68,000, she was left with about $23,000. The Court of Appeal found the firm’s disclosure confusing, failed to explain her right to a statutory costs cap, and did not meet legal requirements. $26,200 plus interest was ordered repaid.
If a client had used a Client-Side Lawyer like Clean Law, the Smart Legal Discovery Package could have revealed the risks in other fee models before they committed. We map out practical options, highlight cost and time risks, and set stage-by-stage, fixed-fee safeguards. That way, clients know where they stand and keep control throughout the process.
Regulators and law reform bodies have also warned about these risks in traditional fee models. We’ve gathered their articles and commentary on our Resources page.
Bottom line: Without oversight, costs spiral, risks multiply, and clients lose control.
With Clean Law, escrow, independence, and aligned incentives give you a safer path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to common concerns before you decide.
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A: Escrow is run through a Law Society-audited trust account. Funds only move when you approve each phase.
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A: In the usual model, your lawyer decides when to spend. With escrow, you decide when to release your money. Two independent lawyers oversee the process, so you see costs before they creep up.
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A: Often less. With one lawyer, you pay for both trial prep and settlement. With us, you only pay for one, not both. We may earn a bonus only if we help you settle early - that’s when you save the most.
For independent perspectives on other fee models, see the Resources page. -
A: Yes - anytime. Escrow keeps your file portable so you don’t lose what you’ve already paid for.
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A: Independence is not just words. You choose your own shortlist of courtroom lawyers, and we only help you compare their proposals. One brief covers them all, so you pay once, not multiple times. Your funds sit in a regulated escrow account, audited each year by the Law Society. And we meet extra governance and federal reporting standards - safeguards most firms don’t carry.