Legal Profession Commons^™

Legal Ethics, Patrick Emery Longan

Mercer Law Review

This Article covers the period from June 1, 2012 through May 31, 2013. During this period, the Georgia Supreme Court decided a number of lawyer-discipline cases and other matters related to licensure. The supreme court and the Georgia Court of Appeals decided cases involving legal malpractice, ineffective assistance of counsel, judicial ethics, and several miscellaneous matters. The supreme court also approved one significant Formal Advisory Opinion and one set of changes to the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.

Dear Lawyer: If You Decide It's Not Economical To Represent Me, You Can Fire Me As Your Contingent Fee Client, But I Agree I Will Still Owe You A Fee., David Hricik

Mercer Law Review

Contingent fees are a relatively recent development in American law. Once banned through common law doctrines, contingent fees have become a tool that allowed delivery of legal services to those who would otherwise be unable to front attorney fees in a case.

No doubt in part because of the historic prohibition against contingent fees, and also because clients in the typical personal injury case in which they were used were not sophisticated consumers of legal services, courts, legislatures, and bar associations have since the outset heavily regulated their use? Yet, the regulation has not been Draconian. Instead, courts have balanced …