Accepting Cases on Contingency Fee and Hourly Fee Basis
The Rundle Law Firm represents clients on a contingency fee basis and also on a hourly fee basis. In contingency fee cases, the client pays no fees unless there is a recovery, and often litigation costs are advanced (determination is made on a case-by-case basis). Usually, legal malpractice cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, and hourly work, if any, is limited to initial case evaluation for unusually complex cases.
The percentage of the contingency fee varies depending on the nature of the case, including the strength of the claims for liability and the amount of damages, and the overall complexity. A common contingency fee arrangement is 33% of the recovery, with an increase to 40% either when a lawsuit is filed, or if the case goes to trial.
In some attorney malpractice cases, The Rundle Law Firm will advance direct costs such as court filing fees, expert witness fees, deposition reporter fees, and other costs.
If your case proceeds under an hourly fee arrangement, the following rates generally apply:
Paul R. Rundle: $425/hour
Paralegal: $125/hour
Trust account deposits (sometimes referred to as retainers) sufficient to secure payment of fees in hourly fee representation (also called "advance fee deposits"), and to secure payment of costs in either hourly fee cases or contingency fee cases, are standard, unless the fee agreement provides that this firm will advance all costs until the conclusion of the case. Sums are deposited in the firm’s attorney-client trust account, and replenished as needed to fund costs. Any funds remaining at the conclusion of the representation are returned to the client. This firm determines whether costs will be advanced on a case-by-case basis.
For contingency fee cases in which I am associating with co-counsel, an aggregate fee structure is presented, and the Rundle Law Firm shares the fee with co-counsel at rates mutually agreed upon by counsel and the client. However, the proposed fee structure is presented as the aggregate fee which the client pays out of his or her recovery in the case. It is not in addition to fees paid to co-counsel, and there is only one contingency fee.