Ongoing legal support for businesses

Legal work can be billed by the hour, for a fixed fee for a defined project or under a monthly retainer for ongoing support. The price depends mainly on the complexity and value of the matter, urgency, volume of documents, language requirements and whether negotiations or court proceedings are involved. I agree the billing method and scope with the client before starting substantive work.

Poland has two main regulated legal professions: “radca prawny” and “adwokat”. Both are fully qualified lawyers with professional secrecy obligations and broad rights to advise businesses and represent clients before courts and authorities; for most commercial clients, the practical difference is very limited. I practise as a “radca prawny”, which is commonly translated into English as attorney-at-law or legal counsel.

Under an employment contract, the employer pays the agreed gross salary plus employer-funded social security contributions and, where applicable, additional employment costs such as PPK; the statutory minimum monthly wage in 2026 is PLN 4,806. Under a “zlecenie” civil-law contract, social contributions depend on the contractor’s individual insurance situation, while the statutory minimum hourly rate in 2026 is PLN 31.40. With B2B cooperation the company usually pays the contractor’s invoice, but misclassification has become especially important because the powers of the State Labour Inspection were significantly expanded from 8 July 2026.

As of 17 August 2026, foreign employers operating in Poland should pay particular attention to several changes. From 8 July 2026, the State Labour Inspection has stronger powers to challenge civil-law and B2B arrangements that in practice meet the criteria of employment; from 1 May 2026, private-sector employers must also take account of new rules recognising certain periods of civil-contract work and self-employment for employee seniority. Residence applications have also largely moved to the electronic MOS system since 27 April 2026, while employers hiring or posting non-EU nationals must separately verify work, residence and posting requirements.

Possibly yes. GDPR can apply to a company established outside the EU if it offers goods or services to people in the EU or monitors their behaviour there, and in some cases the company must appoint an EU representative. Depending on your activities, the required compliance package may include privacy notices, processor agreements, records of processing, data-transfer documentation and internal data-protection procedures.

The monthly flat fee covers the scope agreed in advance for regular legal support - typically day-to-day consultations, document review, contract comments and recurring corporate or employment questions. Court proceedings, major one-off transactions, extensive negotiations, urgent projects and external expenses such as court, notarial or translation fees are normally agreed and billed separately. Before the cooperation starts, I define what is included in the retainer and which work requires a separate quotation or approval.