Consumer Guides on ‘No Win No Fee’

General information only — not legal advice.
Published: 15 August 2025 | Reviewed: 27 November 2025
(3-minute read)

Regulators warn: “No win, no fee” does not mean “no cost.”
We gather those warnings here — so you can see independent guidance, not anyone’s marketing.

1. What you may still pay

• Expert reports

• Filing fees

• Opponent’s costs if you lose

• Disbursements unless covered

2. Success fees

Many arrangements add an uplift (up to 25%) on top of normal costs.

3. Real case example

Todorovska v Brydens (2022):
Client won $100,000 → took home about $23,000.

4. Who controls the costs?

Usually the lawyer decides:

• which experts to engage

• when work is done

• how scope expands

• how costs accumulate

Regulators stress cost visibility is essential.

Official guides you can check directly

• NSW OLSC + Law Society

• Tasmanian Legal Profession Board

• Victorian VLSB+C

• Queensland LSC

Where Clean Law fits (neutral + structural)

Clean Law does not offer no win no fee.
Our model works differently:

Escrow: your authority.
Two lanes: settlement vs trial — independent.
Aligned incentives: If YOU save, WE win; if your case DRAGS, we lose.

We help you see the risks in any model before you choose.

Explore more

→ Fee Models Explained

→ Law Reform & Policy Commentary

→ Explore Our Resources

Reference for this page and for more information:

• Legal Profession Board of Tasmania - No Win No Fee Agreements

• NSW Court of Appeal case - Todorovska v Brydens [2022]

• NSW Law Society Journal - Ethics and Standards Quarterly: costs disclosure and personal injury (1 Nov 2022)

• NSW Law Society – General information on Costs

• NSW Law Society - Costs Guidebook

• OLSC NSW – Fact Sheet 3: Types of Costs (Dec 2023)

• OLSC NSW – Fact Sheet 7: Costs Disputes (July 2025)

• OLSC NSW – Fact Sheet 8: Costs Dispute Resolution (Nov 2022)

• OLSC NSW – Making a Complaint

• Legal Profession Board of Tasmania — No Win No Fee fact sheet

• Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner — No Win No Fee costs

• VLSB+C - Get your lawyer’s costs in writing

• Queensland Legal Services Commission - No win-no fee costs agreements: Information for Consumers (Apr 2020)

By Nicky Wang
Principal Solicitor
Legal Liaison Ltd (trading as Clean Law)
Prepared in accordance with public-interest governance,
annual Law Society trust-account audits, and ACNC-reported standards.

Disclaimer: This page is intended to provide general information only and is not legal advice. The contents may not reflect the most current legal developments and do not take into account your individual circumstances. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of this information without obtaining legal advice tailored to your situation.