 Fee Disputes & Fee Arbitration FAQs
 How much can I expect to pay a lawyer?- What are costs and expenses, and how are they different from fees?
- I think my lawyer charged me too much. What can I do about it?
- My case is over, and I still owe my lawyer a lot of money. I think he did not handle my case as well as he ought to have, and I don’t want to pay. What can I do?
- What is fee arbitration?
1. How much can I expect to pay a lawyer?
The first thing to understand is that there are many different kinds of fee arrangements. The two most common are hourly fees and contingent fees. In an hourly fee arrangement, you pay for the attorney’s time based on his or her hourly rate. Depending on, among other things, the lawyer’s experience and expertise, an attorney’s hourly rate may be anywhere from $100 to more than $500. In a contingent fee arrangement, the lawyer agrees to handle a claim for a percentage of any recovery, and if nothing is recovered, then the client does not pay any fee. It is very common for plaintiffs in personal injury cases to have a contingent fee agreement with their lawyer, so that they don’t have to pay hourly charges that in some cases might be more than $100,000. Depending on a number of factors, such as the complexity of the case and the likelihood of recovery, a contingent fee can be anywhere from one-quarter to one-half of the total recovery. Other fee arrangements are also possible. The fee arrangement should be agreed upon when the representation begins.
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2. What are costs and expenses, and how are they different from fees?
Fees are paid to lawyers for their work. In addition to fees, clients are responsible for reimbursement of case expenses and costs. Expenses in a typical case can include filing fees; court reporter charges for depositions, hearings, or trials; the fees charged by expert witnesses; copying charges; travel expenses; and many other items.
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3. I think my lawyer charged me too much. What can I do about it?
If you receive a bill from your lawyer that you think is excessive, the most prudent thing is to contact the lawyer as soon as possible and explain your concerns about the bill. Doing so in writing is always a good idea, in case the dispute is not resolved to your satisfaction and you later need documentation of your concerns.
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4. My case is over, and I still owe my lawyer a lot of money. I think he did not handle my case as well as he ought to have, and I don’t want to pay. What can I do?
Although it is probably the last thing you want to do as a client, you may need help from another lawyer to work through the issues with your first lawyer. If your first lawyer’s handling of the case amounted to malpractice, then obviously it needs to be addressed and analyzed before you pay the bill. If on the other hand the lawyer did not commit malpractice, but you are still generally dissatisfied with some aspect of the representation, then it may be worthwhile to consider the fee arbitration process.
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5. What is fee arbitration?
“Arbitration” is a streamlined form of resolving a dispute; it is almost always more cost-effective and less time-consuming than a full-blown lawsuit. The State Bar of Georgia has established a program for clients and their lawyers to resolve fee disputes. View details on the program.
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