States can regulate and cap how much an attorney can charge on contingency. Some states may have no limits on how much a lawyer can charge but may have language attempting in rules and codes of professional conduct to discourage excessive fees by attorneys. You should become familiar with the laws of your jurisdiction and what a lawyer can and cannot charge as a contingency fee percentage in a personal injury matter. For example, in Florida, the Florida Bar labels attorney contingency fees above 33 1/3 percent for settlements and 40 percent for cases that go to trial as excessive unless a court deems otherwise. Additionally, if a claim filing is against a federal agency and brought under the Federal Tort Claims Act, federal caps on contingency fees apply. For example, for cases under the FTCA, a lawyer cannot charge more than 20 percent of compensation if the case settles outside of court or a maximum of 25 percent if the case goes to trial.