Ethics of Fees

This lesson reviews an attorney's responsibilities when setting, sharing and collecting fees. By the end of the lesson, students should be able to identify how much, by what method, and under what circumstances they can charge fees from clients, share fees with others, and take actions to collect fees.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. State when a written fee agreement is required.
2. List the factors relevant to determining reasonableness of a fee.
3. Explain the appropriate methods of calculating fees, including hourly, contingent and flat fee calculations.
4. List the appropriate methods of charging for expenses.
5. Explain under what circumstances attorneys may share fees.