Eindhoven law firm Open Legal wants to end 'billing by the hour' with fixed monthly fee

Fixed fee instead of hourly rate

Law firm Open Legal, based on Beukenlaan in Eindhoven, says it distinguishes itself from traditional law firms by offering legal services for a fixed amount per month. On its own website, the firm calls itself the first law firm in the Netherlands to work this way. This claim comes from the company itself; no independent confirmation has been found that Open Legal is indeed the first to use this model.

With this formula, the firm targets SME entrepreneurs. According to Open Legal, this means companies no longer need to be startled by unexpectedly high invoices after a legal dispute, but instead know in advance what to expect.

Subscription starting at €395 per month

The core of the offering is an 'all-in subscription' that, according to the website, costs from €395 per month (excl. VAT), for a term of twelve months. This is a starting price for the entry-level subscription; the actual price depends on the business and is calculated via a six-question questionnaire on the website.

According to Open Legal, the subscription includes unlimited legal advice within certain hours, checking and drafting contracts, debt collection, a fixed point of contact, and 24/7 digital availability via a dedicated customer portal. Entrepreneurs who do not want a subscription can also opt for individual cases at a pre-agreed fixed hourly rate or total price, with the option to switch to the all-in subscription later.

Proactive approach and digital portal

Open Legal claims to work proactively: the firm says it identifies legal risks and improves processes before problems actually arise, rather than only taking action once a dispute has already occurred. After signing up, clients get access to the so-called Open Legal Portal, which offers, among other things, a chat function with the lawyer and AI support for checking documents.

According to the website, the sign-up process is fully digital and proceeds in steps: first the rate is calculated via the questionnaire, after which the entrepreneur sees the monthly fee and can sign up digitally and in a legally valid manner. The account is then activated and existing legal processes are 'upgraded', followed by ongoing support throughout the year.

The website mentions, among other areas, employment law — covering topics such as employment contracts, sick leave, reorganizations, dismissal and labor disputes — and corporate law/contracts as areas of expertise. The firm refers to seven fields of expertise in total, but which other areas these are exactly cannot be determined from the available information.

Marketing argument: one conflict can cost more than a year's subscription

On its website, Open Legal states that a single legal conflict, such as a dismissal case or unpaid invoices, can cost more than a full year of all-in support. Concrete figures to substantiate this comparison are absent from the available sources, meaning this should be regarded as a marketing claim by the company itself rather than an independently established fact.

Unconfirmed and missing information

Little is known about the history of Open Legal. Data on the number of clients, revenue, the exact founding date, and the names of founders or lawyers have not been found. Independent reviews or comparisons with competing firms that also work with fixed rates have likewise not been found. These aspects therefore remain unknown for now.

With its all-in subscription and digital portal, Open Legal presents itself as a modern alternative to traditional legal practice, aimed at providing predictable costs for entrepreneurs. Whether this concept actually delivers the increase in trust among entrepreneurs that the firm claims cannot be assessed based on the available information.