	Beth Anne Gray J., LL.B. (Hons.) & Victoria Tejada LL.B. P.O. Box 832-0816 - World Trade Centre - Panama City - Republic of Panama International Legal Services

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Lawyer Fees II
Lawyers Fees III
Lawyer Fees IV
Lawyer Fees V
Lawyer Fees VI

TRANSLATION: Rate of Minimum Professional Fees for Lawyers in the Republic of Panama

Approved in the General Assembly within the framework of the Fifth Lawyers National Congress the 19th of February 2000

Published in Official Gazette Number 24,305 the 21st of May 2001

Supreme Court of Justice

Resolution No. 49 (April 24, 2001)

Whereby the Rate of Minimum Professional Fees for Lawyers of the Republic of Panama is approved

In Panama City, on the 24th of April 2001, the General Business Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice met, with the assistance of the General Secretary.

The Presiding Justice manifested that the purpose of the meeting was to consider the review and approval of the new rate of lawyers professional fees as approved by the General Assembly of Lawyers held in Panama City on the 19th of February 2001, and which was remitted to this Court, by note CNA-621-10-00 of the 24th of October 2000, for the purposes of Article 101, subsection 5 of the Judicial Code.

After being submitted for the consideration of the Justices of the Fourth Chamber of General Business of the Supreme Court of Justice, the Rate of Minimum Professional Fees for Lawyers in the Republic of Panama received the unanimous vote of the three Justices that make up the Chamber.

Consequently, the Fourth Chamber agreed to approve the Lawyers Rate, which is as follows:

Lawyer Fees II | Lawyers Fees III | Lawyer Fees IV | Lawyer Fees V | Lawyer Fees VI

Rate of Minimum Professional Fees for Lawyers in the Republic of Panama

Preliminary Provisions

Article 1. This Rate of Minimum Professional Fees contains the provisions which regulate the minimum fees for lawyers in the Republic of Panama.

This rate establishes the economic basis for charging fees, understanding that every written agreement, covenant or contract between legal professionals and their clients which establish higher fees are valid, in accordance with article 2 of this Rate, the nature, specialisation or magnitude of the transaction or matter.

In accordance with the Professional Ethics Code, it is disloyalty and a breach of professional ethics on the part of the lawyer to agree to lower fees than those established in this Rate. Proceedings of aid because of poverty are exempted. Also exempted are those persons that qualify for free legal aid.

The written contract or agreement for paid representation which fulfils the legal requirements shall have right of execution, in accordance with the provisions of the Judicial Code.

Article 2. For the estimation or establishment of Fees, different from those established in this Rate, lawyers should take into consideration:

The importance of the services;
The amount of the matter or transaction;
The economic or pecuniary result obtained and the admission of the complaint;
The novelty or difficulty of the legal problem dealt with;
The experience or specialisation in the matter;
The possibility that the lawyer may be unable to represent other matters;
The known financial situation of the client;
If the services of the lawyer are for a limited time, a specific matter or of a permanent nature;
The contingencies which may present themselves to the lawyer in the treatment of the matter;
The time required by the representation;
The participation of the lawyer in the study and planning of the matter or proceedings;
If the lawyer has preceded their effort as adviser, consultant, counsellor or attorney in fact of the client;
If the rendering of services is in or outside of the domicile of the lawyer;
The form and duration of the payment of the services rendered.

Article 3. A Minimum Legal Rate of $250.00 is established, without prejudice to that established in this Rate, in any process where there is a revocation of the Power of Attorney granted or a new Attorney is designated.

The legal fees shall be established as follows:

A 25% of that agreed to or established in this Rate, if the revocation happens after the Power is presented and the law suit has been admitted;
A 40% of that agreed to or established in this Rate, if the revocation happens after the evidentiary proceedings are completed;
An 80% of that agreed to or established in this Rate, if the revocation happens after the hearing is concluded in proceedings of where appeal is not possible, or the first hearing in proceedings where appeal is possible,
100% of that agreed to, if the revocation happens in appeals, except where the substitution of the power of attorney has been agreed to by the lawyer, and according to an agreement for payment of fees on the basis of work done.

If there is a judicial or out of court settlement or any other type of termination of proceedings, the lawyer shall be remunerated with 100% of that agreed to or as established in this Rate.

Lawyer Fees II | Lawyers Fees III | Lawyer Fees IV | Lawyer Fees V | Lawyer Fees VI

Only Chapter

Article 4. The following Rate of Minimum Professional Fees is established as follows:

Administrative Matters

(Immigration)

Obtaining Visas and Extensions:

1.	Temporary Visitors (per person)	$500.00
	and for each extension	$300.00
2.	Special Temporary Visitors	$500.00
3.	Immigrants:
	a) Married to a Panamanian	$800.00
	b) Investor
	b.1.) first year	$1,000.00
	b.2.) second year	$800.00
4.	Naturalisation	$2,000.00
5.	Student Visa	$400.00
6.	Religious Visa	$400.00
7.	Visa for Visiting Family	$500.00
8.	Special Permissions	$1,000.00
9.	Letter of Safe Conduct	$500.00
10.	Single Entry/Exit Permit	$250.00
11.	Multiple Entry/Exit Permit	$350.00
12.	Artist Visa	$300.00
13.	Tourist Pensioner Visa	$1,500.00
14.	Rentista Visa	$1,500.00
15.	Visa for Visitor as Executive of Free Zone or Zona Franca	$750.00
16.	Visa with resolution from the Ministry of Labour	$750.00
17.	Administrative recourse
	a) reconsideration	$250.00
	b) appeal	$500.00

For each application, $200.00 shall be charged per each dependent

Ministry of Commerce

1.	Obtaining Commercial or Industrial Licenses	$400.00
2.	Modifications or Changes to Commercial or Industrial Licenses and Cancellations	$250.00
3.	Obtaining Commercial Registration	$300.00
4.	Registration in Industrial Property (Trademark for Factory, Commerce, Services or Trade Name, Use of Publicity Expressions and Others	$500.00
5.	Obtaining Commercial Licenses or Registration for Natural Persons	$250.00
6.	Authorisation to operate Finance Company	$5,000.00
7.	Authorisation to operate Leasing Company	$5,000.00
8.	Cancellations	$2,000.00
9.	External advice to Finance Companies	$750.00
10.	Administrative Processes before the Department of Finance Companies	$250.00
11.	Changes and amendments to authorisations	$500.00
12.	Obtain real estate broker license
	a) Legal Person	$750.00
	b) Natural Person	$300.00

Matters before Securities Commission

1.	License to operate before Stock Exchange		$10,000.00
2.	License to operate Stock Exchange company		$5,000.00
3.	License for Securities Broker
	a) Natural Person		$2,000.00
	b) Legal Person		$4,000.00
4.	Process for Issuances of Securities		as agreed
5.	Administrative Proceedings before the Securities Commission	hourly	$250.00
6.	Legal advice to companies that are traded on the Exchange		as agreed
7.	Advice and application for issuance of corporate bonds		$4,000.00

National Maritime Authority

1.	Flagging, which includes: Obtaining the Provisional and Definitive Patent for Navigation, including the registration of property title, provisional and definitive radio license	$1,500.00
	a) Each extension	$150.00
2.	Obtaining a Special Navigation License	$1,500.00
	b) Each extension	$150.00
3.	Registration of Ship Mortgages (Preliminary)	$300.00
4.	Registration of Ship Mortgages (Definitive)	$1,00.00
5.	Cancellation of Ship Mortgages	$500.00
6.	Change of Name	$300.00
7.	Change of Domicile	$300.00
8.	Change of Ownership (complete process of flagging)	$1,500.00
9.	Cancellation of Registration	$300.00
10.	Registered Agent (one year)	$200.00
11.	Obtaining Certificate of Good Standing	$100.00
12.	Administrative Resources
	a. Reconsideration	$250.00
	b. Appeal	$500.00

Proceedings before Jurisdiction of Administrative Review

Lawyer Fees II | Lawyers Fees III | Lawyer Fees IV | Lawyer Fees V | Lawyer Fees VI

1.	Application for Setting Aside (Revocation Action)			$2,000.00
2.	Application as Matter of Law			$5,000.00
3.	Opposition in Judicial Review Case			$2,500.00
4.	Representation of third-party in Judicial Review Case			$3,000.00
5.	Indemnification Proceedings against the State			$2,000.00 +
	35% contingency fee of that obtained or as agreed
6.	Tax Proceedings or confiscation for contributions due to public entities
	a. $10,000.00 or less	10% of the value claimed with a minimum of	$250.00
	b. more than $10,000.00	7.5% of the value claimed with a minimum of	$1,000.00
7.	Exhaustion of Judicial Review Proceedings
	a. Reconsideration			$500.00
	b. Appeal			$1,000.00

Paragraph: In proceedings before the Third Chamber, the fees shall be charged according to actions before that entity.

Other matters of Administrative Law:

1.	Permanent Advisory position to Official Entities without being a Public Servant in the Entity	Monthly	$2,000.00
2.	Advice for special cases to Public Entities		$1,500.00
3.	Administrative Contracts
	Preparation		$500.00
	Revision		$250.00
4.	Advice to natural or legal persons regarding undertaking government contracts		$500.00
5.	Advice to persons that participate in public bids and public contracts		as agreed
6.	Legal Assistance before public servants	hourly	$150.00
7.	Intellectual, Literary, Artistic and other Property Registration (Copyright)		$500.00
8.	Concession and operation contract		as agreed
9.	Process permit or license for mineral exploitation		as agreed
10.	Application for Legal Standing for Non-for-Profit Associations		$500.00
11.	Application for License to Practice for Liberal Arts Professionals		$300.00

[The rest of the Rates of Professional Fees have been published in separate pages, in order to keep the size of the document smaller and easier to download].

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