August 2025 – From 5 July 2025, legal services provided by attorneys in the Republic of Serbia are billed in accordance with the new Tariff on Attorneys' Fees and Reimbursements. The Managing Board of the Bar Association of Serbia decided to increase the value of one tariff unit from 45 dinars to 50 dinars, and the decision was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 56/2025.
On paper, this looks like simple news: five dinars more per tariff unit. But for attorneys, the question is whether this really counts as an increase, or if it is just an illusion of growth that inflation has already swallowed.
Tariff unit: The attorney's currency
For those who do not practice law every day, it is important to clarify that legal services provided by attorneys in the Republic of Serbia are not billed arbitrarily. They are calculated according to the established Tariff on Attorneys' Fees and Reimbursements. Each action that an attorney takes - whether filing a lawsuit, representing a client at a hearing, or drafting a contract - is assigned a certain number of tariff units.
The value of each tariff unit is universal and equal for all attorneys across the country. Until 5 July 2025, one tariff unit was worth 45 dinars, and it is now worth 50 dinars. This means that except in cases of agreed hourly rates, which also must remain within legally prescribed limits - it is not the attorney who decides the price of their services. The Tariff on Attorneys' Fees and Reimbursements is set collectively by the profession itself and the state.
A closer look at the numbers
For example, a criminal case involving a criminal act punishable by three to five years in prison is valued at 750 points.
- Before the increase: 750 × 45 = 33,750 dinars
- After the increase: 750 × 50 = 37,500 dinars
The difference is 3,750 dinars. At first glance, this seems substantial. However, considering how much prices in Serbia have risen over the past years, from office rent to even basic office supplies -it is clear that attorneys have not gained more, but are roughly at the same level as before, just expressed in new numbers.
Inflation as a silent judge
Legal work is an intellectual service, and like any service of this kind, it depends on the value of time and knowledge. If inflation continuously reduces the real value of money, an attorney is essentially running on a treadmill: no matter how fast they move, they remain in the same place. Therefore, these five dinars per tariff unit do not represent a bonus, but rather an adjustment to prices that have already risen.
What this means for attorneys
Attorneys in the Republic of Serbia have long been seeking to balance their professional obligation to provide clients with quality legal service with the reality that such service must also be financially sustainable. Higher work-related costs in Serbia, such as office rent and utilities, have increased significantly. While attorneys carry responsibility for cases that can change clients' lives, and the effort, time, and expertise they invest are invaluable, their value is measured through a tariff that often lags behind reality. An attorney who feels their work is not adequately compensated risks struggling not only against the opposing party but also against their own sense of exhaustion.
Moreover, while certain costs like fuel are not billed per tariff unit, attorneys are entitled to reimbursement under the Tariff on Attorneys' Fees and Reimbursements. Unfortunately, Serbian case law has largely taken a uniform stance of not awarding attorneys fuel expenses. In this context, the increase in the tariff unit may partially offset this unfortunate case law, but it remains far from sufficient to provide any meaningful satisfaction.
Therefore, this so-called increase seems more like an attempt to keep the profession afloat than a real improvement in working conditions.
What it means for clients
While it is true that legal services in Serbia are now formally slightly more expensive for clients, it is equally true that even before this increase, attorneys were often working below the real value of their time and knowledge. For clients, the most important aspect is that pricing remains transparent and predictable, i.e., clearly specified tariff units multiplied by 50 dinars. There are no hidden fees and no guessing. Likewise, an attorney who knows that their work has at least somewhat fair compensation can provide better service, with more focus and less worry about whether handling a case is worth it financially.
Illusion of growth or real increase?
Considering inflation, it becomes clear that, in real terms, attorneys have not received a real increase. They are simply maintaining what they had before, expressed in money with reduced purchasing power. Therefore, the tariff unit increase is good news not because attorneys are now living better, but because they are not living worse. It is like running in place - enough to keep pace with the cost of living, but far from enabling a real step forward.
Conclusion: Attorneys in Wonderland
One of the most famous quotes from Alice Through the Looking
Glass perfectly describes the current situation of the legal
profession in the Republic of Serbia:
It is the same for attorneys: today's tariff unit increase allows them to stay in place and not fall behind inflation. But if the legal profession is to advance, attract young and talented people, and nurture quality and ethics, it is necessary to run twice as fast. An attorney is not just a legal representative. They are a pillar of justice, entrusted with citizens' most important life decisions. To keep this pillar strong, there must be a fair, sustainable tariff that reflects not only inflation but also the value of knowledge and dedication. Until then, attorneys in Serbia will continue to run and represent you. Because no matter how it is calculated, justice must move forward, even if it requires running twice as fast.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
