in negotiations concerning the legal malpractice claim. After negotiations, Scott filed a petition to compromise the claim for $450,000 to the estate and to establish a quantum meruit fee for Gillis. The chancellor approved the compromise and continued the hearing on the quantum meruit issue. In a later evidentiary hearing, the chancellor awarded Gillis a quantum meruit fee of $21,210. Gillis and LLF timely filed their notice of appeal to this court, raising four issues on appeal:
I. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR COMMITTED MANIFEST ERROR AND ABUSED HIS DISCRETION IN AWARDING THE APPELLANTS A $21,210 ATTORNEYS' FEE BASED UPON THE RECOVERY OF $450,000 IN A COMPROMISE AND SETTLEMENT OF A CLAIM THAT SURVIVED THE DECEDENT WHERE THE APPELLANTS INVESTIGATED AND PROSECUTED THE CLAIM DURING THE PERIOD OCTOBER 1997 TO APRIL 1999, AND WHERE THE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE SHOWS AND THE APPELLEE AND ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ADMIT THAT THE APPELLEE DID VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE WORK NECESSARY TO OBTAIN THE RECOVERY, AND WHERE THE APPELLANTS OBTAINED A DECREE FROM THE CHANCELLOR ON DECEMBER 31, 1997 AUTHORIZING THEM TO REPRESENT THE FORMER ADMINISTRATRIX AS TORT CLAIMS COUNSEL, AND WHERE THE DECREE AUTHORIZING THE APPELLANTS TO REPRESENT THE FORMER ADMINISTATRIX APPROVED A 33 1/3 PERCENT CONTINGENCY FEE, AND WHERE THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATOR AND THE DECEDENT'S WIDOW AND THEIR LAWYERS ENTERED INTO AN EXPLICIT, WRITTEN AGREEMENT ON MARCH 29, 1999 WHEREBY NO CHALLENGE WOULD BE MADE TO THE APPELLANTS' RECOVERABLE FEES, AND WHERE THE CHANCELLOR OPTED NOT TO ENFORCE THE MARCH 29, 1999 AGREEMENT NOT TO CHALLENGE THE APPELLANTS' RECOVERABLE FEES, AND WHERE THE ULTIMATE FEE AWARDED BY THE CHANCELLOR REPRESENTED 4.7% OF THE $450,000 RECOVERY?
II. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR ERRED AND ABUSED HIS DISCRETION IN REFUSING TO AWARD LITIGATION EXPENSES AND PREJUDGMENT INTEREST?
III. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR ERRED IN IDENTIFYING THE PROCEDURAL POSTURE OF THE CASE AND THE RELIEF SOUGHT BY THE APPELLANTS, AND WHETHER THESE ERRORS RESULTED IN A JUDGMENT THAT WAS ERRONEOUS AS A MATTER OF LAW?
IV. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR ERRED IN IDENTIFYING THE "SPECIFIC ISSUE" AT THE TRIAL COURT LEVEL, AND WHETHER THIS ERROR RESULTED IN A JUDGMENT THAT WAS ERRONEOUS AS A MATTER OF LAW? ¶5. The Estate cross-appealed, raising the following issue:
V. WHETHER THE LOWER COURT ERRED BY FAILING TO REDUCE THE APPELLANTS' QUANTUM MERUIT FEE DUE TO THEIR CONFLICT OF INTEREST ARISING OUT OF THEIR DUAL REPRESENTATION OF MARIETTA AND THE ESTATE?
FACTS
¶6. On July 6, 1991, Alexander Taylor Gillies, Jr, (Gillies) was beaten by Delbert L. Brown, a pretrial detainee, while they were incarcerated at the City of Corinth jail. Gillies died on February 14, 1993, due to myocardial infarction. Before his death, Gillies hired LLMB to prosecute his claims against the persons and entities responsible for the beating and the resultant injuries. LLMB failed to file a lawsuit within the one- year statute of limitations period for assault and battery claims. LLMB also failed to file a lawsuit or settle timely Gillies's claims against the City of Corinth.
¶7. On September 9, 1993, Marietta