State Rules of Professional Conduct: State-specific rules governing attorney-client relationships, including fee arrangements and ethical obligations. Most states follow variations of ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, particularly Rule 1.5 on fees.
State Bar Requirements: Specific requirements set by state bar associations regarding contingency fee agreements, including mandatory disclosures, format specifications, and content requirements.
Ethics Rules and Opinions: State-specific ethics opinions governing contingency fees, including limitations on percentages, mandatory disclosures, and handling of costs and expenses.
Federal Laws: Federal statutes and court rules that may apply to specific types of cases (e.g., FDCPA, FLSA) and their requirements for fee arrangements in federal litigation.
Consumer Protection Laws: State-specific consumer protection regulations requiring clear disclosure of terms and conditions in fee agreements.
Scope Definition Requirements: Legal requirements for clearly defining the scope of legal representation in the engagement letter.
Fee Structure Requirements: Rules governing how contingency fees must be structured, calculated, and disclosed, including specific percentage limitations.
Cost and Expense Provisions: Requirements for disclosing how costs and expenses will be handled, including client responsibility in case of no recovery.
Termination Clauses: Legal requirements for including provisions about termination of representation and calculation of fees in case of early termination.
Cancellation Rights: Mandatory provisions regarding the client's right to cancel the agreement, including any cooling-off periods required by law.
