Referral fee rules · District of Columbia
Referral fees in District of Columbia
D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.5(e) · Proportional work or joint responsibility
D.C. permits fee division between lawyers not in the same firm only if the division is in proportion to the services performed by each lawyer or each lawyer assumes joint responsibility for the representation. D.C. adds its own disclosure mechanics: the client must be advised in writing of the identity of the lawyers who will participate, the contemplated division of responsibility, and the effect of the association on the fee to be charged, and the client must give informed consent. The total fee must be reasonable.
What District of Columbia requires
- • Division proportional to services OR joint responsibility assumed by each lawyer
- • Client advised in writing of participating lawyers' identities, division of responsibility, and effect on the fee
- • Client gives informed consent
- • Total fee is reasonable
Source: read the rule text
Educational summary, not legal advice. Rules change and several turn on the facts of the matter. Confirm against the current rule text and your own jurisdiction's version before agreeing to divide a fee. Remember that both the referring and receiving lawyer's rules can apply.
Members can draft this in a minute
The member tool takes both lawyers' jurisdictions, checks the division against each rule, flags anything that would not hold up, and drafts the agreement and the client consent. Membership is free.
Jurisdictions with a similar rule
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