Costs Agreement and Client Service Agreement
Between:
JB Solicitors Pty Ltd (ACN 606 795 715)
Suite 12.02, Level 12, 255 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9723 8080 · estates@jbsolicitors.com.au
("we", "us", "the firm")
and:
[Your full legal name]
of [your address]
("you", "the client")
1. What we will do for you
We will prepare the following estate planning documents based on the information you have provided through our online intake form:
- The package you select in the form
The documents will be drafted in accordance with the laws of New South Wales. A solicitor of JB Solicitors will review the documents we prepare and will witness the signing of those documents via secure audiovisual link (Microsoft Teams) in accordance with the Electronic Transactions Act 2000 (NSW).
2. What we will not do
This service is limited to the preparation, review, and witnessing of the documents listed in clause 1. It does not include:
- Legal advice on tax planning, asset protection structures, or financial planning
- Preparation of trust deeds, company documents, or binding death benefit nominations for superannuation
- Estate administration (acting for an executor after a person's death)
- Court appearances, applications, or representation
- Advice or documents in jurisdictions outside New South Wales
If you require any of these services, please contact us to discuss a separate engagement.
3. Our fees
Our fee for the work described in clause 1 is fixed:
| The package you select in the form | [as itemised at your review step] |
| Total payable | [as itemised at your review step] |
All fees are inclusive of GST. We cover the card processing fee, so the amount above is exactly what you pay. There are no additional charges, hourly rates, or disbursements for the scope of work described in clause 1.
3.1 How the fee was calculated
This is a fixed fee for the documents listed in clause 1, calculated from the package you selected, the options you indicated, and the state in which the documents take effect.
3.2 Your right to negotiate or dispute
You have the right to negotiate this costs agreement before accepting it, to request a written itemised bill at any time, and to apply to have our costs assessed by the Supreme Court of New South Wales under Part 7 of Chapter 4 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (NSW).
4. Money-back guarantee
If at any time before your documents have been formally executed (signed and witnessed) you are not satisfied with our service for any reason, you may request a full refund of all fees paid. To request a refund, contact us at estates@jbsolicitors.com.au or (02) 9723 8080. Refunds are processed within 5 business days of request via the same card used for payment.
This guarantee does not apply after your documents are executed, because at that point the documents are valid legal instruments which you have full use and benefit of.
5. How you pay us
Payment is made online by debit or credit card at the time you submit your completed intake form. We do not commence drafting your documents until payment has been received.
6. Your obligations
By accepting this agreement, you agree to provide accurate, complete, and current information in the intake form; respond promptly to any requests for clarification from your reviewing solicitor; attend the scheduled remote witnessing appointment to sign your documents; and notify us promptly if your circumstances change before execution (for example marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child).
7. Our obligations
We will treat all information you provide as strictly confidential; review the information you have provided and prepare the documents listed in clause 1; communicate with you about your matter promptly and in plain English; witness the execution of your documents in compliance with the laws of New South Wales; and store the original signed documents securely on your behalf for as long as you wish, returning them to you on request.
8. Online-specific terms
You acknowledge that the information used to prepare your documents has been provided by you directly through our online form, without a meeting or solicitor-led interview; that your reviewing solicitor will work only with the information you have disclosed and cannot identify or account for information you have not provided; and that the validity and effectiveness of your documents depends on the accuracy and completeness of the information you provided.
Some estate-planning matters are too complex for our online service. If your reviewing solicitor determines that your circumstances require a face-to-face consultation or are beyond the scope of clause 1, we will contact you to discuss, and may refund your payment in full or apply it to a meeting-based engagement.
9. Remote witnessing
Your documents will be witnessed via secure audiovisual link (Microsoft Teams) in accordance with the Electronic Transactions Act 2000 (NSW) and the Electronic Transactions Regulation 2017 (NSW), as amended. At the witnessing appointment you will need a government-issued photo ID (driver licence or passport), a private and well-lit space, a working camera and microphone, and the documents printed in front of you (we will send them to you ahead of the appointment). The witnessing solicitor will observe you signing each page in real time and will then sign the documents as witness on the same day.
10. Privacy
We handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and our Privacy Policy. The information you provide is used for preparing your estate planning documents, maintaining your client file (held for a minimum of 7 years after the matter concludes, in line with our regulatory obligations), communicating with you about your matter, and compliance with our legal and regulatory obligations. We do not sell your information or use it for marketing without your explicit consent.
11. Complaints
If you are dissatisfied with our service, please contact us at estates@jbsolicitors.com.au in the first instance. We will respond within 5 business days. If we cannot resolve your concern, you may make a complaint to the:
NSW Legal Services Commissioner
GPO Box 25, Sydney NSW 2001
1800 242 958
www.olsc.nsw.gov.au
12. Termination
Either party may terminate this agreement at any time before your documents are executed by giving written notice to the other party. If you terminate, the money-back guarantee at clause 4 applies. If we terminate (which we may do if you do not respond to our communications for more than 30 days, or if we are unable to act for you for legal or ethical reasons), we will refund any unused portion of fees paid.
13. Governing law
This agreement is governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia.
14. Acceptance
By ticking the box marked "I have read and agree to the Costs Agreement" and proceeding to payment, you agree to the terms set out in this document. Your acceptance is recorded by us with a timestamp as evidence of your agreement.