What does “No Win No Fee” mean — and are there any costs?

A No Win No Fee (conditional costs) arrangement generally means you don’t pay the firm’s professional fees if your claim is unsuccessful. It’s designed to make it possible to pursue a genuine claim without paying legal fees up front.

Importantly, it doesn’t automatically mean “no cost at all”. You may still be responsible for disbursements — out-of-pocket expenses like medical reports, court filing fees and searches — and, in some kinds of claims, for the other side’s legal costs if the claim fails. A firm that promises you’ll never pay a cent under any circumstances is over-simplifying.

Victorian law also provides statutory protections — including caps on the legal costs that can be deducted from certain injury settlements — so a fair share of your compensation reaches you. The right approach is simple: before you commit, we explain exactly how our No Win No Fee arrangement works, in a written costs agreement, so there are no surprises.

Not sure where you stand? Take our free, no-obligation Claim Check — we’ll tell you honestly whether you have a claim and how the costs would work.