Informal Opinion Number: 940162
Rules: 1.5(e)
Client-Lawyer Relationship
Fees
QUESTION: Attorney´s former partner is now a judge. Contingency fee cases of the partnership are still outstanding. May Attorney enter into an agreement to pay the former partner a portion of the fees received from these cases? Attorney performed all of the work on the contingency fee cases during the partnership. ANSWER: Attorney may share fees from these cases with the former partner to the extent the fees were earned during the partnership. The fees should be apportioned according to the terms of the partnership agreement. The former partner may also want to contact the Judicial Commission for an opinion.
Informal Opinions are ethics advisory opinions issued by the Office of Legal Ethics Counsel to members of the Bar about Rule 4 (Rules of Professional Conduct), Rule 5 (Complaints and Proceedings Thereon), and Rule 6 (Fees to Practice Law) pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.30(c). Written summaries of select Informal Opinions are published for informational purposes as determined by the Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri pursuant to Rule 5.30(c). Informal opinion summaries are advisory in nature and are not binding. These opinions are published as an educational service and do not constitute legal advice.
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