What is a flat fee vs an hourly fee?

Flat fee. A fixed amount for a defined scope. The advantage is predictability — you know the cost before you commit. The limitation is scope: a flat fee for pretrial representation doesn't cover trial.

Hourly. You're billed for time at a stated rate, usually against an advance deposit that's replenished. More common in complex or lengthy matters, and in civil work.

Which is better depends on the case. For most criminal matters, flat fees make sense and are standard. For a matter with genuinely unpredictable scope, hourly may be more honest than a flat fee priced for the worst case.

What to ask either way. What's included. What's excluded. Whether costs — filing fees, deposition transcripts, expert fees, investigators — are separate. Whether unearned amounts are refundable, and on what terms.

Personal injury is different and runs on contingency, covered below.