Terms
CONFIRMATION OF ASSIGNMENT – GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS – 9/2025
1. The Assignment
These general terms and conditions apply to all engagements between the law firm Rasmussen & Broch DA (hereinafter referred to as the “Law Firm”) and you as the client (hereinafter referred to as the “Client”).
If, after reviewing these terms and conditions, the Client wishes to cancel the assignment—including if the Client does not agree with the specified terms in whole or in part—the Client must immediately notify us in writing. As a general rule, the assignment will then be canceled. In such cases, a fee will be charged for the hours worked up until the cancellation was received.
If, at a later date, it is agreed to extend or modify the assignment, the extended assignment will be carried out without further confirmation.
The law firm will strive to act in the client’s best interests. Assignments will be carried out in accordance with the Norwegian Regulations for Attorneys and the Norwegian Bar Association’s fee guidelines.
2. Defining the assignment
Before accepting an assignment, it must be determined that there is no conflict of interest or other circumstances that would prevent the firm from accepting the assignment. The same applies to an existing assignment if a new opposing party is added to the case.
If so indicated at the Client’s request, and in the absence of any indication to the contrary, the engagement may be commenced before the above has been fully ascertained. In such cases, the Law Firm will inform the Client that the absence of any conflict of interest has not yet been fully ascertained and that the Law Firm may decline to accept the engagement if such a conflict of interest is found to exist.
In connection with the establishment of the account, identity verification will also be conducted in accordance with the Norwegian Anti-Money Laundering Act.
The law firm wishes to inform you that if we suspect that transactions are linked to proceeds or dividends from a criminal act, etc., we are required to report this to the National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim), without informing the client or any third party.
3. Performance of the assignment
A lead attorney will be assigned to each and every assignment. This attorney will be responsible for all work performed under that assignment. The lead attorney will ensure that the work is performed in accordance with the terms of the assignment and, in that regard, determine whether a senior associate, associate, assistant/paralegal, or secretary should perform the assignment or parts thereof.
If the Client has specific preferences regarding which lawyer should handle the assignment, these will normally be taken into account.
For work performed by newly hired associates, where such work is also part of their training, we will determine how much of the work is of direct value to the Client, who will then be billed accordingly.
The Law Firm reserves the right to use unsecured email (unencrypted email, fax, etc.) as a means of communication in the performance of the engagement, including for information subject to professional secrecy. If the Client objects to this, the Law Firm must be specifically notified in each instance.
4. Prices
For assignments billed on a time-and-materials basis, the following rates currently apply:
Associate: NOK 2,000–2,500 + VAT
Senior associate: NOK 2,500 – 3,500 + VAT
Partner: NOK 3,500 – 5,000 + VAT
For private clients, the rates, including 25% VAT, are:
Associate: NOK 2,500 – 3,125
Senior associate: NOK 3,125 – 4,375
Partner: NOK 4,375 – 6,250
These rates are subject to change with one month’s notice. The updated rates can be obtained by contacting the law firm.
The law firm will determine its fees in accordance with the policy of the Norwegian Bar Association.
In addition to the fees incurred, the Client shall cover all of the Law Firm’s expenses, including, but not limited to, court fees and other public charges, the costs of obtaining documentation, transportation costs, and per diem expenses. The Law Firm shall provide documentation of such expenses at the Client’s request.
The law firm will normally bill for secretarial work directly related to the assignment. The current rate for such work is NOK 650 + VAT.
With regard to transportation, the lawyer may choose the mode of transportation deemed most appropriate.
The minimum hourly rate billed is 0.25 hours (15 minutes).
Please note that re-invoicing of costs usually results in the addition of VAT.
5. Invoicing and Payment
Unless otherwise agreed, the assignment will be billed by the hour, including hours spent on preparation and completion of the assignment, as well as travel expenses where applicable.
The law firm is entitled to invoice the accrued fees, plus any direct expenses, once a month. Fees for less than one hour of work will normally be included in a summary invoice on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. Expenses may also be invoiced as they are incurred.
The law firm reserves the right to bill on account, or to require payment in advance or cash settlement.
All invoices are due within 10 days. Interest will be charged on late payments in accordance with the provisions of the Norwegian Late Payment Act.
6. Free legal aid and legal expenses insurance
Under the Norwegian Legal Aid Act, the right to have legal aid covered by the State may be granted in certain cases. This is subject to the person’s income and assets falling within the limits set forth in the Legal Aid Act. The County Governor may, in certain cases, grant exceptions to these limits. Further information on free legal aid can be obtained from the County Governor or from our office.
Certain cases may be covered by legal expenses insurance, as provided for in the Client’s insurance policies. The Client must verify whether this applies and, if so, notify the insurance company as soon as possible. Unless otherwise agreed, the Client must send such notification himself.
The Client is responsible for any deductible or any difference between the law firm’s fee and the amount covered by the insurance company.
If you are eligible for free legal aid or insurance coverage, you should discuss this with the law firm and clarify the matter as soon as possible.
7. The Client
A prerequisite for the proper performance of the assignment is that the Client provides all relevant information and documentation related to the assignment.
The better the Client clarifies and prepares the case, the more effective our work will be. This, in turn, will affect the amount of the fee.
All communication to and from the opposing party must be conducted through the law firm, and the Client must notify us immediately if he receives any direct communication from the opposing party or the opposing party’s attorney. The Client will receive copies of all correspondence to and from our office, unless otherwise agreed.
The Client should save all documents received, as the costs associated with any further copying of such documents will be billed to the Client.
8. Liability for the outcome of the case – Imposed legal costs/court fees – Relationship to awarded legal costs.
Even if the law firm has provided its opinion regarding the possible outcome of the case, this does not mean that the law firm bears any legal liability for the outcome.
If a court case is lost, the Client may, in addition to his own costs, be required to pay the opposing party’s legal fees and court costs. The Client is liable for such costs.
If the Client is awarded the costs of the case by a court decision, but the amount awarded is less than the fee owed to the law firm, the Client will be liable to pay the difference.
9. Professional secrecy / the Personal Data Act
The lawyers are required to keep all information received in connection with the case confidential and secret, except as provided by law (e.g., the Norwegian Anti-Money Laundering Act). All members of the law firm’s staff have signed a confidentiality agreement.
By entering into this engagement, the Client is deemed to have agreed that the Law Firm may obtain information about the Client that is relevant to the engagement—including credit information. The Client further agrees that the Law Firm may process and record such information in accordance with the Personal Data Act of April 14, 2000, to the extent necessary to carry out the engagement. The Client may request further information regarding this from the Law Firm.
Much of the information will be of a personal nature. It will be handled in accordance with the requirements of the Personal Data Act.
10. Right to File a Complaint and Complaints/Claims
It is possible to have the fee reviewed to determine whether it complies with the rules of professional conduct for lawyers. It is also possible to file a complaint if the client is dissatisfied with the amount of the fee. As a general rule, the quality of the work cannot be assessed by the disciplinary bodies.
As a general rule, the deadline for filing complaints is six months. This period begins on the date the complainant became aware, or should have become aware, of the circumstances on which the complaint is based. The complaint will be handled by the Norwegian Bar Association’s regional Disciplinary Council for the Hordaland district as the court of first instance. The Disciplinary Council’s decision may be appealed to the Disciplinary Board.
The rules of professional conduct for lawyers and further information regarding the complaints process can be found on the Norwegian Bar Association’s website.
11. Rights and Copyright
The law firm retains copyright to all works prepared by it in connection with the assignment, regardless of form or storage medium, unless otherwise expressly agreed.
Notwithstanding the Law Firm’s copyright, the Client is free to use copies of works produced as part of the assignment.
Drafts or proposals from the law firm may not be used for purposes or in contexts other than those intended, used to support decisions or actions, or supplemented or otherwise modified, without the prior consent of the law firm.
Regardless of copyright, the law firm reserves the right to freely use any work it has produced in an anonymized form, including for internal use and for potential educational purposes.
The law firm may retain copies of the documents after the assignment is completed, within the limits set forth by law. Copies may be provided for a fee.
12. Third-party liability insurance
Please note that certain requirements apply to law firms regarding the provision of security and third-party liability insurance to cover any liability incurred in the course of practicing law. The law firm’s responsible attorneys have the required security and insurance.
Any liability for damages is limited to a maximum of five times the invoiced amount, excluding VAT, for the assignment related to the case. However, liability is further limited to the maximum coverage under the individual lawyer’s liability insurance, currently a total of NOK 2 million per assignment per injured party, and, under any circumstances, to a maximum of NOK 5 million per lawyer per year.
Under no circumstances will the law firm be liable for indirect losses.
The law firm has agreed to limit its liability in accordance with section 232, paragraph 5, of the Courts of Law Act. This means that a claim may only be brought against the attorney who performs the work or is responsible for the matter.
The Client will lose the right to bring a claim against the attorney who is performing or is responsible for the assignment if the Client fails to notify the attorney in writing, stating the nature of the claim, without undue delay once the Client discovers or should have discovered the relevant facts.
The Law Firm is not responsible for legal consultants or others to whom the Law Firm has referred the matter and to whom it has delegated parts of the assignment in accordance with the agreement with the Client.
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These terms and conditions were adopted at a meeting of the partners of the law firm Rasmussen & Broch ANS in October 2018. The terms also apply to attorneys directly affiliated with the law firm.
