Services to Lawyer Clients

Michael provides the following services to lawyer clients:

• Assistance in evaluation of all attorney’s fee issues surrounding partnership split-ups; consultation and representation in any ensuing litigation.
• Assistance in the handling and negotiation of partner and associate exits from law firms,including fee and non-fee issues.
• Counseling or representation in terminated/successor lawyer disputes within contingency fee cases.
• Consultation and representation in both quantum meruit and substantial performance contexts.
• Counseling and/or representation in co-counsel fee disputes within contingency fee cases.
• Collection of attorney’s fees in hourly and contingency fee cases.
• Drafting, Assertion and Foreclosure of Attorney’s Liens.
• Defense of client lawsuits seeking to force refund or disgorgement of attorney’s fees in breach of fiduciary and “unreasonableness of the fee” contexts.
• Expert testimony in fee disputes, “reasonableness of the fee” determinations, issues involving breach of fiduciary duty in the fee or other contexts.
• Expert testimony valuing “reasonable attorney’s fees” to be awarded on a “lodestar” basis in State and Federal Courts, based on statutes like the Consumer Protection Act, various wages and hours statutes, under Olympic Steamship v. Centennial Insurance Co.
• Serving as mediator or arbitrator in fee dispute cases.
• Representation in Bar Discipline proceedings that involve attorney fee issues.

Services to Non-Lawyer Clients

Michael is available to non-lawyer clients for assistance resolving just about any problem regarding fees and billings with their counsel or former-counsel. These services include but are not limited to the following:

• Short consultations with non-lawyers concerned about excessive or unreasonable attorney’s fees or improper billing practices put upon them by retained counsel in hourly fee cases. These short consultations may lead to legal representation when appropriate or necessary.
• Counseling and/or representation of clients concerned with excessive or unreasonable fees in contingency fee cases.
• Counseling and/or representation in contingency fee cases when the client has terminated the lawyer before substantial performance has taken place.
• Defense of collection of attorney’s fees in hourly cases.
• Defense of foreclosure of attorney’s liens.(hyperlink to Lien FAQ).
  Prosecution of client lawsuits to force refund or disgorgement of attorney’s fees in breach of fiduciary and “unreasonableness of the fee” contexts.
• Expert testimony on behalf of clients in fee disputes, reasonableness determinations, issues involving breach of fiduciary duty in the fee or other contexts.
• Serving as paid mediator or arbitrator in fee dispute cases.

Services to Non-Lawyer Institutional Clients

Michael is available to non-lawyer, institutional clients (businesses, E & O Insurers, Liability insurers, etc) for the following services:

• Evaluation of billings for reasonableness and improper billing practices.
• Negotiation of settlements with law firms who have charged excessive fees.
• Litigation or arbitration of fee disputes with law firms.
• Serving as mediator or arbitrator in fee dispute cases.
• See what Michael’s clients say about his work on these and other issues.