Legal opinions are delivered by the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law in return for payment.

In the terms of Art. 2 of the Federal Regulations concerning the Fees of the Institute:

"For explanations and legal opinions provided by members of the Directorate or by staff legal advisors of the Institute, the fee shall be 150 to 400 CHF per hour worked. When the client’s financial interest exceeds 250'000 CHF, this rate may be increased to an appropriate extent, but shall not exceed 700 CHF per hour worked”.

There are nevertheless some exceptions:

Article 6:

1. The services of the Institute that are rendered to federal authorities shall be accounted for in accordance with the principles which govern internal invoicing within the federal administration.
2. Where legal opinions and information (…) are provided to cantonal authorities, the relevant rates shall be reduced by half.
3. Where services rendered to federal or cantonal authorities are connected with an administrative or judicial proceeding, they are to be charged at the full rate in so far as the costs thereof are to be borne by the parties.

Article 8:
«The Institute may, by reason of the indigence of the party liable, or where it would otherwise be just to do so, reduce or, in exceptional cases, waive the charges”.