Large companies

On a large claim a percentage fee is a large sum, and the difference between models can run into six figures on the shared example: 20% of $1,000,000 is $200,000, against a $35,000 fixed fee or a $60,000 cap. Illustrative figures. A large company also has more at stake in a review, more people whose time the claim consumes, and a procurement function that can run a fair process. The terms to settle are the fee ceiling, the scope and price of review support, the liability cap, who owns the working papers, and whether the adviser's named people will be the ones who do the work.

• How are your fees calculated?, with a cap or a fixed element
• Is review support included?, for how long, and who does it
• Do you use subcontractors?
• What qualifications does the team have?, with named people
• Can we speak to references?, including a client whose claim was reviewed

Uncapped success fees on a claim this size. Review support costs extra at hourly rates with no budget. No one speaks to your engineers, because the claim spans many teams and the adviser works from finance records. Each has a fair version, and the red flag pages say when; what a large company should not accept is not knowing.

Fixed fees and capped fees suit a large, predictable claim. Hourly fees with a budget suit defined pieces of work, such as a technical review. Hybrid fees keep some link to the outcome. A percentage with no cap can still be the right choice where the claim is uncertain and the business wants the adviser to carry the risk of a failed claim; the point is to choose it knowingly. The how to run a request for proposals guide sets out a fair process. Illustrative figures.