法律服务协议-英文版Legal Services Agreement

LegalServiceAgreementCode:ThisLegalServiceAgreement(“thisAgreement”)isenteredintoinShanghaibyandbetween:________________________("Client"),alimitedliabilitycompanyestablishedandexistingunderthelawsof__________,andXxLawOffice上海xx律师事务所("Xx"or“LawFirm”),alawfirmestablishedandexistingunderthelawsofP.R.China(“China”).WhereasXxisalawfirmlicensedtoprovidelegalserviceofChinalawsandhaveexperienceinserviceforcorporateclients;ClienthopetoseekXxAttorney’slegalservices,bothpartiesagreedasfollows:1.Client:TheClientis________________________Co.Ltd.Totheextentethicallypermissible,itsofficers,directors,employees,and/oragentsshouldalsobetreatedasClientorrepresentativesofClient,unlessClientadvisesLawFirmotherwise.2.Attorney:AsdesignatedbyLawFirm,theAttorneyresponsibleforthematterhereunderisMr.ZhangWen,whoislicensedtopracticelawsrelevanttothismatterinthejurisdictionofmainlandofP.R.China.3.Matter&WorkScope:LawFirmshallprovideClientwiththefollowingservices:(1)DraftingorreviewofClient’sbusinesscontracts,agreementsandotherlegaldocuments;(2)AdviceandcounselinalllegalmattersinClient’sbusinessinChina;(3)AdviceandcounselonClient’semploymentissues;(4)LegalsupportandrepresentationinsettlementofdisputesthatClientisinvolvedin;and(5)OtherlegalsupportatClient’srequest.Legalsupportandadvicementionedabovewillberenderedviaemail,faxortelephone,ormeetings.AllworkwillbedeliveredineitherEnglishand/orChineseasthesituationrequires.AlltheserviceshereundershallberenderedbasedonlawsofmainlandChina.Theworkscopeinthisagreementshallnotincluderepresentationinanylitigationorarbitration,inwhicheventbothPartiesmayenterintoaseparateretainerarrangementotherthanthepresentone.4.AttorneyFee:FortheserviceswithintheworkscopehereunderClientshallpayLawFirmanannualfeeofRMB【】yuan(RMB【】)(“AnnualFee”)foreachserviceyear,whichcoversnotmorethan【】workhours(“WorkHoursBudget”).Bytheendofeachserviceyearbothpartiesmayreviewtheactualworkloadofthatyearandthepotentialscopeofworkfornextyeartodeterminetheamountoftheannualretainerforthenextyearandsoon.OftheAnnualFeeforthefirstserviceyear,【】%shallbedueandpayablewithin10workingdaysaftersignatureofthisagreement,theother【】%beforetheendofthesixthcalendarmonthofthefirstserviceyear.Ifbothpartiesrenewthetermofthisagreement,forthesecondserviceyearandafterwards,【】%oftheAnnualFeeshallbedueandpayablebeforecommencementofeachserviceyear,theother【】%beforetheendofthesixthcalendarmonthofeachserviceyear.Aserviceyearshallbeatermof365calendardays;thefirstserviceyearshallcommencethedayofbothparties’signatureofthisagreement.IrrespectiveoftheAnnualFee,ClientshallpayLawFirmfortheworkhoursinexcessiveoftheWorkHoursBudgetatthehourlyrateofRMB【】forAttorneyand/orRMB【】forassociatelevelattorneyorlegalassistsasAttorneymayassign.Tothisend,AttorneyshallsendsoutworkreportsanddebitnotesregularlyandClientshallpaythesamewithin30daysuponreceiptofthedebitnote.ClientshallbearallcostsincurredinconnectionwithallitspaymentshereundersothatLawFirmreceivespaymentsclearofanychargesordeductions.5.Out-of-pocketExpenses:IrrespectiveoftheAttorneyFee,Clientshallwithin30calendardaysofLawFirm’sdebitnotepaytoLawFirm’sortheAttorney’spersonalaccount(asthecasemaybe)theactual,reasonablecostofthefollowingexpenseitemsifincurredinrelationtothematterandpromptlyitemizedinthemonthlybill:governmentaland/orthirdpartycharges,courtfees,necessaryandreasonabletravelexpenses,longdistancetelephonecallsandotherreasonableout-of-pocketexpenses.ThefollowingexpenseswillnotbereimbursableunlessClientspecificallyagreesinadvance:personalexpenses,expensesthatbenefitedotherclients,stationeryandothersupplyexpenses,utilities,andanyotherexpensethatiseitherunreasonableorunnecessary.LawFirmshallincludecopiesofreceiptsforallexpenseswiththeitemizedmonthlybill.ClientmayrefusetopayanyexpenseitemforwhichdocumentationisnotprovidedbyLawFirm.6.MatterManagement:Attorneyisresponsibleformanagingthemattercost-effectivelyandcompetently,e.g.,byinsuringthatadditionalpersonnel(ifnecessary)arecompetent,properlysupervised,efficient,andincompliancewiththetermsofthisAgreementaswellasethicalobligations.AttorneyshouldconsultwithClientaboutallopportunitiesforClienttomakeuseofClient'sexpertisetoassistin,e.g.,collectionofinformationanddocuments,preparingforhearing,locatingexperts,andthelike.IncaseAttorneyretiredfromLawFirmtojoinanewlawfirm,thisAgreementandanyunpaidattorneyfeeunderthedebitnotesshallbeautomaticallyassignedasbetweenClientandthenewlawfirmprovidedthatAttorneyshallcausethenewlawfirmtoacceptandexecutethisAgreementinwriting.7.ResponsibilitiesofBothParties：LawFirmwillperformthelegalservicescalledforunderthisagreement,keeptheClientinformedofprogressanddevelopments,andrespondpromptlytotheClients'inquiriesandcommunications.TheClientwillbetruthfulandcooperativewithLawFirm;keepLawFirmreasonablyinformedofdevelopmentsandoftheClients'address,telephonenumbersandwhereabouts;andtimelymakeanypaymentsrequiredbythisagreement.TheClientacknowledgesthatLawFirmisbeingretainedsolelyasanattorneyandnotasanappraiser,accountant,surveyor,engineerorotherprofessionalserviceprovider.Ifanyofsuchadviceisneeded,theClientisherebyadvisedtoseekseparateprofessionaladviceforalloftheitemslistedabove.Xxshouldbeartheresponsibilityforthequalityoftheservicesrenderedhereunder,provided,however,thatthetotalamountofcompensationmadebyXxshallnotexceedthetotalamountoftheAttorneyfeethatClienthaspaidtoXxwithinrespectofthematterthatXxprovidesthelegalservicefor.8.ConflictofInterestsClientandLawFirmrecognizethattheremaybesituationsfromtimetotimewhereLawFirmmustdeclinetoacceptinstructionsfromClientorLawFirm’sotherclientsduetoapotentialoractualconflictinterests.Ifsuchsituationarisesbothpartiesshallendevourtoresolveoravoidtheconflictinaccordancewiththeirrespectiveprofessionalandethicalobligations.9.Confidentiality:Eitherpartyheretoshallnotdivulgeordisclosetoanythirdpartyanyandallinformationofconfidentialnaturerelatedtothisbusiness,transactionsorproductswhichhavecometoitsknowledgethroughtheperformanceofthisagreement,except(I)whichbecomespublicdomainthroughnofaultofeitherParty,(II)whicheitherPartyprocureslawfullyfromothersourceswithoutanyobligationofnon-disclosure,or(III)whichatthetimeofreceiptthereofarealreadyinthepossessionofsuchParty.TheobligationcontainedinthisarticleshallsurvivetheexpirationorterminationofthisAgreement.10.GoverningLaw:ThisAgreementshallbegovernedandconstruedinaccordancewiththelawsofP.R.China.AnydisputearisinginconnectionwiththisAgreementshallberesolvedinthefirstinstancethroughamicablediscussionsbetweentheparties.Incasesuchdiscussionsfailtoresolvethedispute,eitherpartymayinitiatearbitrationbyChinaInternationalEconomicandTradeArbitrationcommissioninShanghai.ThearbitrationshallbeconductedinEnglishandinaccordancewiththecommission'sarbitrationrulesineffectatthetimeofapplyingforarbitration.Thearbitralawardisfinalandbindinguponbothparties.BothpartiesshallcontinuetoperformtheirobligationsunderthisAgreementincourseofsettlementofanydisputeinrelationtothisAgreement.11.Term,Modification,EntireAgreement:Theagreementisconcludedfor【onecalendaryear】commencingfromsignatureofthisagreement.ThetermofthisagreementmaybeextendedforonecalendaryearandmaybesoextendedforindefinitetimesaftermutualwrittenagreementbybothParties.Ifsoonerterminatedbyeitherparty,LawFirmshallbepaidorreimbursedbytheClientimmediatelyforallworkhoursandreasonablyincurredout-of-pocketexpensespursuanttothisAgreement.ThisAgreementmaynotbemodifiedinanywaywithouttheexpress,writtenagreementofbothparties.ThisAgreementrepresentstheentireagreementofthePartiesandsupersedesanypreviousunderstandings,commitments,offersoragreements,oralorwritten,withrespecttothematter.ThisAgreementisexecutedbythePartiesintwo(2)originalsinEnglishandChineselanguage,eachPartykeepsone.Incaseofdifferentinterpretation,theEnglishversionwillprevail.Signature: XxLawOfficeDate:Date:3of4