Engagement

Fees. Our policy is to calculate fees for legal services on the basis of the respective hourly billing rate for each lawyer and legal assistant engaged to provide such services, multiplied by the number of hours (or in increments of one-tenth of an hour) they spend to perform the services. In regards to trademark or patent registrations, we usually quote standard fees according to prescribed schedules.

In selecting the individuals to perform such services, we attempt to determine the level of legal knowledge and experience that is required to perform the service in a competent and yet cost-effective way. The selection of those lawyers and legal assistants who will render services will be made by the lawyer charged with the supervisory responsibility for each engagement, taking into consideration the nature of the engagement and the level of legal experience and knowledge required, and their respective hourly billing rates.

The hourly billing rate for each of our lawyers and legal assistants is determined according to that person's seniority, experiences and areas of practice. The hourly billing rates may be adjusted but no more frequently than annually.

Charges.Our fee statements to our clients are normally rendered on a monthly basis, and ordinarily include certain charges in addition to fees for legal services. These charges may include third-party expenses (such as filing fees, court reporters and travel) and internal expenses. Clients may be asked to pay larger third-party invoices directly. Other third-party expenses will be added to our bills. The Firm has elected to charge certain support activities on the basis of each client's individual use instead of covering them in the hourly rates for fee earners. Out-of-pocket expenses incurred for an engagement are billed separately at cost to the client such as travel and accommodation, courier services, etc. We will seek your approval in advance of any significant out of pocket expenses to be incurred by us for the purpose of your engagement and we may require an advance to us to cover them. Our fee statement is immediately due upon presentation. Delay interest may be applied to any account that is not settled after 30 days from the date of our fee statement.

Deposits.If we receive any advance from you, it will be placed in our account and will be returned to you at the end of the engagement after all our fees and expenses are paid. We mutually agree that we are expressly authorized to apply the deposits for the payment of any outstanding fees and expenses. You will be notified in writing of the amounts applied, and you will also be provided a statement explaining the services rendered and expenses incurred. If the fees and expenses exceed the balance on deposit, the statement will show the excess due and payable and we will require additional deposits to replenish the deposit account to its previous level prior to such withdrawal. When our services are completed, you will receive a final statement. Any remaining balance after payment of our final statement will be returned to you. However, there will be no interest accruing on such deposits.

Termination of engagement.You may terminate our engagement with or without cause at any time on written notice to us. Termination of our services will not affect your responsibility to pay for legal services rendered and all expenses and other charges incurred up to the date when we receive notice of termination, and for any other work required of us in order to facilitate an orderly turnover of matters in process at the time of termination.

We may terminate our engagement and/or our attorney-client relationship for any of the reasons permitted under applicable rules of professional conduct.

Unless our Firm is retained for a fixed period of time (e.g. per annum), our attorney-client relationship will also terminate when all matters for which you have engaged our Firm have been completed, whether or not our bill to you for services has been rendered or paid. Upon termination of our relationship, neither you nor the Firm has a duty to accept new engagements or to continue representation in any matters unless we mutually agree in writing on such new engagement.

Retention of files. Generally, we keep each client's legal files for ten years after we close the file. After ten years, we destroy those files unless the client tells us otherwise. If you want us to keep your files for a longer period of time, please tell us.