Court Opinion

ID: 9648544
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 14:26:01.889688+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:12:02.656452
License: Public Domain

GRAVES,' J.,
dissenting.
Appendix “A”
March 24, 1950
The State of Texas:
County of Harris:
' Ned Gill Building Corporation, the client, and Randolph & Butler, the attorneys, agree:
1. The . attorneys’ fee in the Second Count of Ned Gill Building Corporation v. Continental Oil Company et al. shall be entirely, contingent, and ho fee shall be paid unless possession of the premises now occupied by Continental Oil Company in the Oil & Gas Building is secured or unless a compromise is effected.
2. The attorneys’ fee in connection with the Second Count of the amended complaint shall be wholly contingent and shall be $35,000. If possession of the premises which Continental now occupies is secured either by final judgment or by compromise, then the sum of- $35,000 shall be paid to the attorneys. This money shall be payable as follows: First, by payment to the attorneys of one-half of the amount paid by Con-, tinental as liquidated damages for occupying the space in the Oil & Gas Building after August 1, 1949; and second, if that sum is not sufficient to jiay the said fee, then by the payment to the attorneys of oiie-haífof any rent or rents received from any tenant or tenants of albor any part or' parts of the space now occupied by Continental in the Oil & Gas Building, which are in excess of rents paid by Continental for said space or spaces at the rates in. effect before August 1, 1949.
3. If a compromise of the Second Count, is effected by which Continental continues, to occupy space in the Oil & Gas Building, then the fee shall be $35,000 if under such, compromise Continental pays an average, rate of 37½⅛ or more per square foot per month for the space it continues to occupy;, this $35,000 shall be payable out of one-half of the increase in rent, that is, out of one-half of the difference (upon a square foot basis) between the rent paid by Continental prior to August 1, 1949 and the rent paid by Continental under said compromise. But if under said compromise Continental' continues to occupy space in the building at a rate less than 37½{⅞ per square foot per month, then the fee shall be only $23,333.33, payable in the same way as the-$35,000 fee would be paid if the rate were-37½{5 or more per square foot per month.
4. The contingent fee is not payable unless money is actually received from judgment or settlement. It is, however, payable out of the first moneys received because of judgment or settlement, and such first moneys received are set aside to the attorneys for payment of said fee until the-full amount of said fee has been paid. However, in computing such fee and in making such payments, the client shall be first entitled to reimburse itself for court' costs and other expenses incurred in prosecuting this lawsuit, but such other expenses do not include time spent by any' person connected with or in the employ of the client in assisting in any way in the' prosecution of said suit.
5. All court costs shall be promptly paid by the client. Other expenditures to-be made or incurred by the attorneys in' the prosecution of the case must first be authorized by the client in writing.
6: Either party shall be privileged to terminate this contract at any time.' If' *535it is so terminated, all authorized expenses will be paid by the client. In the event of such termination, the attorneys shall receive such proportion of the contingent fee as may have been earned, such payment of contingent fee to be made only if money is thereafter collected by the client.
7. The fee for the Second Count and the fee for the First Count (as set out in contract between the client and Nowlin Randolph, dated February 16, 1949) constitute the full amount of attorneys’ fees in said case, and no additional fee is to be paid the attorneys for their services in defending the counterclaim filed by Continental; and the money set aside to the .attorneys in these two contracts shall constitute their full compensation in said case.
8. If compromise or settlement of said case is reached in some way not specifically provided for in this contract or'in the contract of February 16, 1949, then the attorneys shall be paid a reasonable fee for their services.
Signed in duplicate originals this 30th day of March, 1950.
NED GILL BUILDING CORPORATION
By: (s) Ned Gill President
Randolph & Butler
By: (s) Nowlin Randolph