Rock Island Argus., 1897-09-23
ENGLISH LAWYERS.
The Small Fees That Are Received BY the
London EaTristers.

The Small Fees That Are Received by the
London Bsrristers.
A barrister's s fees are small, and they
are always paid in advance, and the
sum is recorded under the title Of the
brief. A friend who has a large practice
showed me his feebook yesterday. The
largest item was SO guineas, which is
less than $500. The average was about
$50. Fees are regulated by the benchers
of the inn according to the service per-
formed, and no contingent fees are al
lowed. A barrister may accept case
for nothing or return the fee in cases OF
charity, but he cannot without violat-
ing his oath, directly or indirectly. &C.
cept any greater compensation for
legal service than is allowed in the
regular schedule fixed by the benchers
of his inn. If he does so, he is debarred
from practice.
1t is common custom In America
for a lawyer to undertake suit for the
recovery of damages or claim Of any
kind with a contract that he shall re-
ceive certain percentage of the amount
Of money recovered. In England such
an act would be considered disreputa-
BILE, and any barrister found guilty
! would be expelled from his inn. The
fees are regulated by the amount Of
time and labor required. and not by the
! amount Of money involved. A barrister
| may receive fee Of $3.50 in a case in
volving only $500, and he may receive
! a fee Of $50 in a case involving 81, 600.
| 600.
All legal business originates with So
licitors. They bring to the barrister's e
! office case all prepared after certain
; forms and written in manuscript. The
| British courts do not permit typewrit-
ing The solicitor requests the barristel
| to undertake the case, and the fee il
marked plainly upon the brief. If the
barrister does not care to undertake the
labor for the amount of money allowed
or for any other reason, he advises the
solicitor to go elsewhere. If he accept:
the responsibility, the solicitor leave!
the amount of the fee in coin with the
brief, so that the barrister has his pay
in advance This il the almost invaria
BILE custom. The only exceptions are II
cases of close friendship between thu
! anu anu WIltTC tuSES
is q large amount of litigation il
which both are involved. Then it Il
customary for the barrister to make ul
his bill mt the end Of the month or tn,
end of the quarter, but the fee In eacl
case must nevertheless be written upol
the brief and recorded in the books o
the court.
| 1t is customary, also. for the solicito
to leave fee for the barrister's clerl
& at the same time, which must be Ger
tain percentage Of that paid to the bar
rister. When you dine at O hotel or
restaurant in England, it is customar,
to tip the waiter an amount equal to
per cent Of your bill for the same rea
son. The waiter receives no compensa
tion from his employer, nor does tn
barrister's clerk. His pay comes entire
ly from the clients, and if his princi
pal has no clients he gets 10 pay. o
the other hand. If his principal has
!, very large and profitable practice hi
. fees are enormous. They say that th
clerk Of Sin Charles Russell lives in
handsome villa down in the suburbs,
, driven to and from his office in brougl
am and hires box at the opera for tt
season.-Chicago Record.