The term "fee-basis" refers to a method of payment for legal services, whereby the attorney charges an hourly rate or a flat fee for their work. This means that the client is responsible for paying the lawyer's fees regardless of whether they win or lose the case. In other words, the lawyer is not paid on a contingency basis (i.e., only if they are successful in winning the case). Instead, the attorney charges their clients based on the time and effort spent working on their behalf.