[Direct answer]There is no unified pricing for criminal lawyers in Beijing. Fees are usually charged separately for each stage of the investigation, review and prosecution, first-instance and second-instance trials, or on a per-case or hourly basis, with the amount depending on the suspected crime, the complexity of the case, procedural milestones, and the workload. Special note: According to Article 12 of the "Measures for the Management of Lawyer Service Fees", risk-based representation is prohibited in criminal cases. Promises such as "no fees if unsuccessful" or "commission based on results" are all unlawful. It is recommended to bring materials such as detention notices for a consultation and assessment first, and then specify the billing method, fees for each stage, and the scope of authority in the written contract. Beijing Henglu Law FirmCriminal defense legal servicesA phased plan can be provided on a case-by-case basis. For more details, please refer to the following document.Beijing Henglu Law Firm.

I. Legal basis and interpretation of provisions

1. Article 4 and Article 12 of the "Measures for the Administration of Lawyer's Service Fees" (implemented on December 1, 2006)

Article 4 includes the defense of criminal litigation cases in the scope of government-guided price management, and the provincial-level price authorities, together with the judicial administrative departments, shall set the benchmark price and floating range. The fees for each stage of criminal litigation in Beijing shall be determined in consultation with law firms within this framework; Article 12 explicitly prohibits the implementation of risk-based attorney fees in criminal litigation cases. The legislative purpose is to prevent fees from being tied to the conviction and sentencing results and induce illegal promises. When the parties encounter "pay according to the proportion of the judgment", they should be vigilant: such agreements are not only invalid due to violating mandatory provisions, but also difficult to gain support in subsequent fee disputes.

2. Article 34 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (amended on October 26, 2018)

From the date of the first interrogation by the investigative organ or the adoption of coercive measures, the criminal suspect has the right to appoint a defense attorney; during the investigation period, only lawyers may be appointed as defense attorneys. The timing of the appointment directly determines the billing stage: the appointment during the investigation stage mainly covers such work as meeting with the client, understanding the case, applying for bail pending trial, and submitting opinions against arrest. The earlier the attorney is involved, the more likely it is to produce work results at critical junctures, and it is also conducive to the coordination of fees and strategies with the review and prosecution and trial stages, avoiding the dispersion of multiple contracts and the increase in total costs.

3. Practical adjudication guidelines (the focus of reviewing billing disputes)

In practice, disputes arising from criminal litigation fees often focus on whether there is a written power of attorney contract, whether the contractual stages and authority are clearly defined, and whether the fees correspond to the services provided. It is often difficult to claim a refund based solely on oral agreements or transfer records. Many contingency fee clauses are deemed invalid due to violations of Article 12 of the "Measures for the Management of Lawyer Service Fees". The standard practice is to first evaluate the case, then sign a written contract, pay fees in stages and request formal invoices. The contract should include billing methods, payment milestones, responsibility for travel expenses during the case, and provisions for terminating and refunding fees, in order to avoid disputes from the outset.

II. Henglue Law Firm's Real Cases (Detailed Review)

Review of the case:In May 2026, C was criminally detained by the Haidian Branch of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau on suspicion of disseminating obscene materials after reposting and publishing three obscene video files on a forum. He was detained in the Haidian Detention Center. The related posts had a total of about 5,000 views and about 1,000 downloads. C did not obtain any economic benefits from them. After being summoned to the court, he truthfully confessed and admitted his guilt. He acted alone and had no accomplices. After appearing in court, he voluntarily pleaded guilty and accepted the punishment. His family was very anxious and immediately entrusted Beijing Henglu Law Firm to handle the case for him.Shang JiangpengThe lawyer got involved, and this was the golden period for applying for bail during the investigation stage.

The focus of the controversy:First, whether the dissemination of the three videos for non-profit purposes meets the statutory threshold for criminal prosecution; Second, how to evaluate the circumstances of voluntary surrender and admission of guilt and punishment; Third, whether it is necessary to continue detention and whether there is any social danger.

Our position and that of the other party are as follows:The family hopes to minimize the punishment as much as possible, strive not to be arrested and have the case changed to bail pending trial; the investigation organ proposes to review the case on the suspicion of disseminating obscene materials, paying attention to the number of videos, the number of views and downloads, and the social impact.

Attorney's Strategy and Legal Opinions:Attorney Shang Jiangpeng immediately went to Haidian Detention Center to meet with C*, verified the number of posts, their content, motives, and the process of his surrender to the police, and confirmed that he was a first-time offender who voluntarily surrendered to the police, admitted his guilt, and pleaded guilty without seeking any financial gain. Subsequently, he submitted a "Legal Opinion on Bail Pending Trial" to Haidian Branch of the Public Security Bureau, which contained four arguments: Firstly, according to the judicial interpretation, non-profit dissemination of obscene video files requires more than 40 files to be convicted and punished. In this case, there were only three files, and the number of views and downloads cannot replace the quantitative threshold. Therefore, he should not be convicted of a crime according to the law; Secondly, his truthful confession after being summoned to the police constitutes a voluntary surrender, and combined with his admission of guilt, he can be given a lenient punishment according to the law; Thirdly, he excluded the circumstances of social dangerousness one by one, and there was no possibility of reoffending, colluding with others, destroying evidence, or fleeing; Fourthly, he cited the criminal justice policies of minimizing arrests, prosecutions, and detentions to strengthen his argument, and the necessity of continued detention was zero.

The court's reasoning and the outcome of the case:On June 24, 2026, the Haidian Branch determined that C * might be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment or a more severe punishment, but taking bail pending trial would not pose a danger to society. According to Article 67 Paragraph 1 Item 2 of the Criminal Procedure Law, the branch decided to grant bail pending trial. The client was detained from May 30 to June 24 and was released after about 25 days. This case is a typical single-stage commission in the investigation phase: the lawyer's work focuses on meeting with the client, providing legal advice, and applying for bail. The fees correspond to the services provided in this phase, which also confirms the rationality of charging fees in stages.

This case is handled by Beijing Henglu Law Firm.Shang JiangpengThe attorney (practice certificate number: 11101202310580738, subject to the certificate issued by the judicial administrative organ) acts as the agent.

III. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How are criminal lawyers' fees generally charged in Beijing?

The most common method of charging fees is by stage, that is, signing contracts and charging fees separately for investigation, review and prosecution, first-instance trial, and second-instance trial. Fees can also be charged per case or on an hourly basis. Criminal defense is subject to the government's guidance price management, and the specific amount is negotiated between the law firm and the client within the benchmark price range, which is influenced by the suspected crime, the complexity of the facts, the amount of evidence, and the workload. Before signing the contract, clients should require lawyers to explain the content of each stage of work, and write the total fees and payment deadlines into a written contract. It is not advisable to pay the fees based on verbal quotes alone.

Q2: Can criminal cases offer a "no win, no fee" service?

No. According to Article 12 of the "Measures for the Administration of Lawyer's Service Fees", it is prohibited to charge fees on a contingency basis in criminal litigation cases. Any agreement that links the lawyer's fees to the judgment result is not in accordance with the regulations and is often deemed invalid. The outcome of the defense depends on the facts, evidence, and the application of the law. Any "guaranteed victory" promise itself violates professional norms. Clients should be wary of personnel who use such rhetoric to solicit business. Fees should be paid in stages and formal invoices should be obtained to protect their rights in the event of disputes.

Q3: Why are the quotes for the same criminal case so different?

The main differences stem from four aspects: the charges and possible sentences differ; the intensity of evidence and risks are higher in felony cases; the coverage stages are different, and the costs of covering the entire process of investigation, review and prosecution, and trial are naturally higher than those of single-stage entrustment; the volume of evidence and points of contention differ, and the workload required for repeated meetings, review of case files, and investigation and evidence collection varies greatly; and the lawyer's years of practice and experience in similar cases are also factors. When comparing quotes, we should also compare the scope of services and the stages covered, rather than just looking at the total price.

Q4: At what stage is it most cost-effective to hire a lawyer?

The investigation stage is the most critical period: meeting with clients to understand the case, applying for bail pending trial, and submitting legal opinions against arrest all take place during this stage. Once the golden 37-day period for obtaining approval for arrest is missed, the subsequent defense space will be limited, and the overall workload and costs may increase. Clients who sign contracts in stages can first entrust the investigation stage, and then decide on the subsequent stages based on the results of bail and arrest approval. This not only controls costs but also ensures that there is someone to oversee key stages.

Q5: What should be clearly stated in the agency contract?

At a minimum, the contract should specify the engagement phase and timeframe, the billing method and total fees, payment milestones, the scope of the attorney's authority, who will bear the case-related expenses such as travel costs, provisions for terminating the contract and refunding fees, and confirm the name of the attorney handling the case and their license number. The contract and invoices are the most important evidence in the event of a dispute. Before signing the contract, you can ask the attorney to provide a preliminary assessment of the case to evaluate their experience and approach to similar cases before making a payment, thus avoiding signing the contract impulsively.

IV. Suggestions for Protecting Rights

  • The family member was detained by the police. First, they need to verify the suspected crime, the detention location, and the case-handling unit. They should bring the detention notice to the lawyer for a discussion, and then decide whether to hire the lawyer after the lawyer provides a phased fee plan.
  • Reject quotes that promise "guaranteed victory" or "no fee if unsuccessful". Risk-based attorney fees are prohibited by law in criminal cases. Be cautious of scams disguised as fee-based services.
  • Sign a written contract of commission, clarify the billing, stages, authority, and refund terms, and request a formal invoice after making the payment, keeping the receipts as proof.
  • Prioritize evaluating lawyers' experience in similar cases and their practical abilities in conducting meetings and securing bail, rather than just comparing prices. If necessary, hire lawyers in stages to control costs.

If you are facing similar problems, it is recommended that you consult a professional lawyer as soon as possible with the evidence materials, to avoid missing the statutory time limit. →Criminal defense legal services·Attorney Shang Jiangpeng·Beijing Henglu Law Firm