Engagement Structure
The same rate discipline applies to every engagement with Magister Operis. Three tiers. Three rates. Same numbers whether you are buying a single hour from this page or retaining ongoing capacity for a transaction. Published so you can study what working together costs and looks like before either of us spends time drafting paper.
The three-tier rate card
Most professional services price by the role being performed in the moment. Magister Operis follows the same convention. Three tiers cover the work; the applicable tier is determined by the nature of the hour, not by the client, the engagement type, or the size of the matter.
| Tier | Standard Rate | Overage Rate | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 Administrative & Research |
$250 per manhour |
$300 | Document review, due-diligence research, fact-checking of SPA, IMFPA, and sub-fee agreement language, reviewing intermediary-chain documentation, drafting standard clauses. The "second set of eyes on the paperwork" tier. |
| Tier 2 Consulting & Technical |
$350 per manhour |
$425 | MERCATUS worksheet implementation walkthrough, custom variant build assistance, deal-structure coaching, broker-chain architecture review, gross/net pricing analysis on a specific deal. The "help me think through the structure" tier. |
| Tier 3 Funding & Transaction Advisory |
$550 per manhour |
$625 | Live deal advisory, host-bank introduction strategy, paymaster coordination, principal-counsel coordination, collateral sourcing approach, transaction architecture for institutional-grade deals. The "I am in the middle of an actual transaction and need senior counsel" tier. |
All three tiers are available on every engagement. The hour is billed at whichever tier matches the nature of the work in that hour. A single engagement frequently consumes hours across all three tiers as the work moves from research to structure to live transaction.
Purchase a single consultation hour
Each tier is available as a productized single-hour purchase. One-hour minimum; additional hours bill at the same tier rate. For ongoing matters, the catalog hour credits against a Working Retainer if you convert. Scheduling confirmation arrives by email within one business day of purchase.
Administrative & Research
Document review, due-diligence research, fact-checking SPA / IMFPA / sub-fee agreement language, reviewing intermediary-chain documentation, drafting standard clauses.
Scheduling confirmation by email within one business day.
Buy one hourConsulting & Technical
MERCATUS worksheet implementation walkthrough, custom variant build assistance, deal-structure coaching, broker-chain architecture review, gross/net pricing analysis on a specific deal.
Includes pre-call review of one document you share in advance.
Buy one hourFunding & Transaction Advisory
Live deal advisory, host-bank introduction strategy, paymaster coordination, principal-counsel coordination, collateral sourcing approach, transaction architecture for institutional-grade deals.
Substantive transaction matters transition to a Working Retainer.
Buy one hourA single hour purchased here, an hour worked under a Working Retainer, and an hour billed under a formal Working Agreement are all charged at the same per-hour tier rate. The administrative wrapper changes with the size of the engagement; the rate does not.
The retainer model
For engagements meaningful enough to need ongoing capacity, four cleanly separated funds carry the engagement forward. Each fund does one job. Nothing is mingled.
Mobilization Retainer
A one-time, non-refundable fee paid upfront that activates the engagement and reserves Bill's time on the calendar. Sets the priority position in the queue.
Working Retainer
A depleting dollar balance maintained by the client. Hours worked are drawn against the balance at the applicable tier rate. When the balance approaches zero, the client is notified and may replenish; if work continues unreplenished, overage rates apply.
Travel Retainer
A separate depleting deposit reserved for travel, lodging, courier, translation, filings, and subscription expenses. Held individually to keep advisory hours and travel costs visibly distinct. Replenished when the balance falls below a defined threshold.
Overage Rate
When the Working Retainer reaches zero and the engagement continues, the higher overage rate applies to additional hours. No surprise: the trigger is the depleted retainer, and the client always sees the balance.
Mingling advisory hours, travel costs, and overage exposure into one bucket is how engagements lose discipline. Four funds, four clean responsibilities, one transparent ledger.
Priority is determined by funded engagement
Clients with an active retainer receive priority over single-hour purchases and over speculative inquiries. The queue is determined by who has funded engagement active — not by who asks loudest, not by who knows whom, not by the order matters arrived.
This means a single-hour buyer's request may be scheduled after a retained client's request even if the single hour was purchased first. The single-hour buyer is welcome to convert to a retainer at any time at the same per-hour rate; the hour already paid for credits against the new retainer balance.
From single hour to formal engagement
Three administrative wrappers, one rate discipline:
Single hour
Purchase a single Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 hour through the cards above at the standard rate. Useful for discrete questions, document review, or scoping conversations before any larger commitment.
Working Retainer
For matters that will need more than a few hours, fund a Working Retainer. Hours are drawn at the same tier rates. Bill notifies you when the balance approaches depletion.
Working Agreement
For transactions or sustained engagements, a formal working agreement codifies the full structure — Mobilization Retainer, Working Retainer, Travel Retainer, and any project-specific deliverables. Same rate discipline; longer planning horizon.
The mechanics never change between steps. A single hour purchased above and an hour worked under a long-running retainer agreement are billed at the same tier rate. The wrapper changes; the rate does not.
What this rate discipline reflects
Most clients comparing professional services rates discover that the numbers vary by who is asking. Magister Operis publishes the rate card so that the answer is the same every time it is asked. The discipline is part of the offering. "Integrity as a Service" is not a tagline; it is operational rigor visible at the line-item level — in the rate card, in the four-fund retainer separation, in the priority-by-funded-engagement rule, and in the published path from single-hour purchase to formal agreement.
Engagements outside this framework are not accepted.
Ready to engage
Single-hour consultations are available above. Worksheet products (Generic and Crypto Direct, in both pricing models, individually or as bundles) are in the MERCATUS catalog. For larger engagements, transaction advisory, or ongoing retainer relationships, please use the qualification path at Begin Qualification. Magister Operis accepts engagements where the structure described on this page is understood and agreed in advance.