Opinion ID: 1376262
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Work Performed by In-House Attorneys

Text: Our vacation of the attorney's fee award makes it unnecessary to consider Hinkle's argument on its cross-appeal that the trial court erred in denying the firm's in-house attorney's fees. Nevertheless, because the issue may arise again should Hinkle prevail on its complaint at trial, we address the issue to provide guidance to the trial court on remand. See Brown v. General Ins. Co. of Am., 70 N.M. 46, 52, 369 P.2d 968, 972 (1962) (following reversal on one ground, court considered remaining issues so that issues would not arise again as result of second trial). The trial court erred to the extent it ruled, as a matter of law, that attorneys who represent themselves cannot be awarded attorney's fees for such representation. While there may be dangers in some cases in allowing recovery of such fees, see Weaver v. Laub, 574 P.2d 609, 612 (Okla. 1977) (discussing reasons why courts have denied attorney's fees for self-representation), there are compelling reasons for awarding them in many cases. See id. at 612-13 (discussing reasons why courts have allowed attorney's fees for self-representation). It would be unjust to deny fees to an attorney or law firm for self-representation when the attorney or firm, in rendering services for itself, has potentially incurred as much pecuniary loss as if it had employed outside counsel. See id. at 613. Additionally, it should be of no significance to the party bound to pay attorney's fees whether the award of fees is to an attorney or firm representing itself or is to retained counsel. Id. Therefore, if Hinkle prevails on its complaint on remand, the trial court should permit recovery of Hinkle's in-house fees to the extent that they are reasonable in amount, necessarily incurred, and not duplicative of services rendered by Hinkle's retained counsel. Cf. id. at 613-14 (setting forth requirements for recovery of attorney's fees by attorneys who represent themselves). For the foregoing reasons, we reverse the summary judgment in favor of Hinkle on its complaint, affirm the summary judgment in favor of Hinkle on Cadle's counterclaims, vacate the award of attorney's fees, and remand this case to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. In light of Cadle's concession in this Court that it was incorrectly named in the complaint and that it was the client for whom Hinkle did the legal work involved in the lawsuit, the trial court on remand should enter an appropriate order correcting the name of the defendant. IT IS SO ORDERED. RANSOM, C.J., and FROST, J., concur.