The Ethics of Legal Fee Applications: Ethical, Procedural, and Practical Considerations

The litigation has finally ended, and the "prevailing party" is now entitled to its reasonable legal fees.  Thus begins the journey through the fee application process. While each process can vary depending on jurisdiction, type of underlying matter, and judicial preferences, at the heart of each application lies the need for organization, clarity, consideration of the Rules of Professional Conduct, and an emphasis on a collaborative, transparent relationship between client and counsel.  This ethics course, presented by Wyatt Partners (a corporation that focuses exclusively on the subject of legal fees), will be a procedural and substantive journey through the process from the perspective of both outside and in-house counsel.

The program will specifically focus on applicable Rules of Professional Conduct and case law, as well as the wide foray of experience our speakers have gained serving as fee experts across the United States and Europe as well as advisors to corporations and law firms with respect to legal fee applications. Both law firms and corporations will benefit greatly from such insights on a timely and evolving topic that affects everyone in today's legal and business market.  

 
Learning Objectives:

1. Assess the pertinent Rules of Professional Conduct and legal criteria that must be considered in connection with the fee application process

2. Review the ethical obligations in the context of reasonable fees, as well as the ethical rules that pertain to case management and communication between client, counsel, and third-party vendors.

3. Explore the procedural timeline of a fee application and how to ethically quantify and document the fees and expenses associated with the work performed in the underlying matter

4. Maximizing the substance of your fee application through ethical best practices