Mediating Attorney Fee Disputes

When:  Sep 12, 2017 from 12:00 PM to 01:30 PM (ET)
Register: online or by mail form PDF
Registration deadline is Sept. 8, 2017

Attorney fee disputes can be challenging for mediators. When the value of an attorney’s services is questioned, things tend to get contentious. Often the mediation involves parties disputing the amount of a fee after a fee shifting statute or court rule is in effect. Other times the mediation is between an attorney and former client. On occasion, a judge may have sanctioned a party or attorney, reserving the amount for a future hearing if the parties cannot reach an agreement.

These disputes are difficult to resolve because of perceptions, personalities, pride, and sometimes downright bad behavior by one or more participants. To be effective, the mediator must have a basic understanding of attorney fees, fee agreements and related legal and equitable issues. The mediator must be able to marshal this understanding to identify the issues, build trust, build consensus where possible, and help develop workable solutions toward an agreement.

In this teleseminar, you will learn:
• How the nature of the dispute impacts the mediation
• The impact of claims of malpractice, ethical violations, and fraud on negotiations
• How to deal with attorney-client privilege claims and waivers
• Authority to settle affected by these variables
• Factors which parties need to address in fee disputes
• When attorney fees may be recovered by law or court rule and prevailing standards
• Common objections mediators are likely to encounter
• Answers to your questions about dealing with these disputes

About our Speaker
Byron P. (“Pat”) Gallagher, Jr. is a graduate of the Washington University School of Law and has practiced law in Michigan since 1989. Pat frequently serves as a mediator of attorney fee, business, real estate, and probate disputes. He is an approved facilitative mediator for the United States District Court Western District of Michigan. Pat also serves as an expert witness and consultant on attorney fee, receiver fee, estate and legal malpractice disputes. His office is in East Lansing.​​
(517) 853-1515 / bpg@thegallagherlawfirm.com

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