The practice of law is a business, and the pressure to collect fees from clients can be intense. The longer a client goes without paying, the more limited the options for getting paid become. Collection efforts move from gentle reminders to written requests to formal demands for payment. The issue of unpaid fees can put stress on an attorney and can negatively impact the attorney-client relationship.
When such efforts to collect informally are unsuccessful, attorneys and law firms are faced with the tough question of whether to bring a lawsuit to recover unpaid attorneys’ fees and unreimbursed out-of-pocket expenses. Some attorneys and law firms have adopted a simple rule regarding suits for fees: never sue a client. While risk-free in theory, such a policy dictates that the attorney or law firm never gets paid in full, notwithstanding the expenses advanced and the time invested.
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