Legal Fee Arrangements

Attorneys are first and foremost professionals dedicated to serving clients. However, lawyers must receive reasonable payment for services rendered to run a viable practice. Unfortunately, many unwittingly run afoul of ethical parameters in the context of setting and collecting fees.

In this informative and relevant course, Ms. Sharp will focus on the provisions of MRPC 1.5 and case law, including recent developments. She begins this course by examining the factors to consider when determining a reasonable fee to charge a client. This is followed by an in-depth discussion about conflicts of interest and an attorney's obligation when clients use companies or brokers to finance attorneys' fees. Seasoned and novice attorneys alike will benefit from the practical guidance on protecting fees while staying within ethical boundaries.

Attendees will learn:

- Essential clauses to include in a retainer agreement

- Effective limitation of the scope of representation

- How to avoid unethical fee arrangements (MRPC 1.5)

- Elements of Reasonableness

- Ethics of Fee Splitting

- Ethically Collecting Fees