Opinion ID: 2634669
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The attorney fee agreement

Text: ¶ 9 In this case, Flaniken and Hepler entered into an attorney fee agreement. The pertinent provisions of that agreement, entitled Contract of Employment, read as follows: THIS CONTRACT, made this 9th day of May, 2001, by and between Peggy L. Hepler, individually and as the Personal Representative for the Estate of Dewey L. Hughes, hereinafter Client and R.S. Flaniken, P.C., attorneys at law, hereinafter Attorneys by which it is agreed as follows: ... 3. In consideration for the services performed and to be performed by Attorneys, Client agrees to pay to the Attorneys a sum of money equal to 33-1/3% of the gross amount due the Client upon the finalization of the probate of the Will. Additionally, any and all necessary costs associated with getting the probate case settled or tried which the Attorneys incur on behalf of the Client, ... [will] be deducted from the Client's future settlement and/or judgment. In the event Client fires Attorneys, all expenses and fees shall be paid by Client before Client's file and papers are released by Attorneys. In the event that there are filed, in connection with the probate of the Will, any competing beneficial inheritance claims to the assets or estate of the said Hughes, or any action filed seeking to set aside the Will, the aforesaid percentage of recovery to be paid to Attorneys shall be 40%. .... (Emphasis added.) ¶ 10 On its face, this contract authorizes Flaniken to represent Hepler in two separate capacities, as an individual and as personal representative of an estate. The contract also divides the fee arrangement for Flaniken's representation of Hepler into two separate categories: 1) his representation for which he is entitled to a percentage-based fee of 33 and 1/3% of the gross amount due Hepler upon finalization of the probate of the will; and 2) his representation for which he is entitled to a percentage-based fee of 40% of the gross amount recovered by Hepler. The enhanced fee (40%) for representing Hepler is contingent upon: 1) the filing of any competing beneficial inheritance claims to the assets or estate of the said Hughes; or 2) the filing of any action ... seeking to set aside the Will. Neither of these contingencies occurred and Flaniken has not attempted to collect the 40% enhanced or contingent fee for representing Hepler. The contract does not distinguish Flaniken's rate of compensation for representing Hepler as personal representative from that for representing her individually.