Referral fee rules · Oklahoma
Referral fees in Oklahoma
Okla. R. Prof. Conduct 1.5(e) (Okla. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 1, app. 3-A) · Proportional work or joint responsibility
Oklahoma permits fee division between lawyers not in the same firm only if the division is proportional to the services performed by each lawyer or each lawyer assumes joint responsibility for the representation. The client must agree to the arrangement and the agreement must be confirmed in writing, and the total fee must be reasonable. Unlike the current ABA Model Rule, Oklahoma's rule text does not expressly require disclosure of the share each lawyer will receive, though bar guidance recommends spelling out the split in the writing.
What Oklahoma requires
- • Division proportional to services OR each lawyer assumes joint responsibility
- • Client agrees to the arrangement
- • Agreement confirmed in writing
- • Total fee is reasonable
- • Rule text does not expressly require disclosing each lawyer's share
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.
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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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