伦理意见238

书面费用协议

*[注:参见 意见238 has been substantively affected by the amendments to the D.C. 职业行为准则 that became effective on February 1, 2007]

当需要书面收费协议时, the agreement must adequately inform the client of the basis or rate of the fee. 除了, 固定费用协议必须涵盖提供合格代理所需的所有合理可预见的服务.

适用的规则

• 规则1.1(合格代表)
• 规则1.4(a)(靠谱的滚球平台与委托人之间的沟通)
• 规则1.5(b) (Written Fee Agreement Requirement for New Clients)

调查

The inquiring attorney handles cases on what he describes as a “flat fee” basis for enumerated services. 争议中的聘用协议, 这涉及到移民代理吗, states that the client is “entitled” to one “office visit, 电话会议, 或与工作人员进行其他咨询.它进一步指出，“没有特别提到的额外办公室访问和/或电话咨询”将按指定的小时收费. 询问者和客户之间就额外咨询的适当收费产生了争议.

While the retainer agreement states that only one consultation is included in the “flat fee,询问者在给委员会的信中表示，如果“我们联系客户以执行这些服务[在聘用协议中规定]，或者当我们需要客户靠谱的滚球平台以努力执行我们被聘用的特定服务时，他将不会收取额外费用。.执行规则的第三个版本出现在询问者给卷入费用纠纷的另一位靠谱的滚球平台的信中. 这封信指出，当客户打电话从靠谱的滚球平台助理那里获得最新的状态信息时，是不收费的, nor is there a charge for a consultation when “milestones” in a case are reached.

讨论

固定费用协议的重要目的是为那些可能负担不起靠谱的滚球平台费用的人提供法律服务. 然而, 这种协议不能用来规避管理靠谱的滚球平台和客户之间关系的基本原则. This inquiry presents two issues, both of first impression. 第一个解决需求, 《靠谱的滚球平台》的新规定, 费用协议必须简化为书面形式. 第二个问题是, 当签订固定费用协议时, there are certain services which must be covered by the fixed fee and not subject to additional charges.

1. 当需要书面收费协议时, the Agreement Must Inform the Client of the Basis or Rate of the Fee
For clients “not regularly represented” by the lawyer, 规则1.5(b) requires the lawyer to communicate to them, in writing the “basis or rate of the fee.对规则1的评论.(b)解释该规定是为了建立“关于费用的谅解”而提出的,评论[1] and to reduce “the possibility of misunderstanding.评论[2]. 该规则承认，“没有必要列举构成收费基础的所有因素, but only those that are directly involved in its computation.评论[1]. The comments specifically recognize that fixed fee schedules may meet the requirement of the Rule, so long as the schedule “adequately informs the client of the charges to be imposed.评论[3].

The facts presented by this inquiry amply demonstrate the importance of this Rule. 在这种情况下, 除了收费协议中所列举的一种咨询之外，根本不可能辨别出如何评估收费. Indeed, it appears that the assessment of such fees is purely at the attorney’s discretion. This has led to a breakdown of the attorney-client relationship, the introduction of a second attorney into the dispute, 以及向本委员会发出的询问信. 虽然有书面聘用协议, it is more than apparent that such writing does not adequately explain the “basis or rate” of the fee. It is the Committee’s view that the fee agreement at issue does not comport with the requirements of 规则1.5.

2. 固定费用协议必须涵盖, 作为固定费用的一部分, Those Reasonably Foreseeable Services That Are Necessary to Provide Competent Representation

The second question involves the extent to which services covered by a fixed fee may be limited. As with the agreement that is the subject of this inquiry, 显然，固定费用协议通常包括固定费用中的某些服务，然后以额外的小时费率提供进一步的服务. 委员会认为，固定费用必须包括为提供称职的代表所必需的可合理预见的服务. 见规则1.1(a) (“A lawyer shall provide competent representation to a client. Competent representation requires the legal knowledge, 技能, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation.”)

A fixed fee agreement is attractive precisely because it offers a predictable and affordable fee, 通常是为了例行的法律事务. 如规则1的注释[3].5个州, “[s]uch services as routine real estate transactions, 无争议的离婚, 或者准备简单的遗嘱, 例如, 可能适合描述在 . . . 固定收费表.” If necessary services are billed at hourly rates in addition to the fixed fee, 客户可能负担不起此类服务，或可能选择放弃必要的法律服务以实现节省. 此外, 靠谱的滚球平台可能不会提供额外的必要服务，因为他们担心他们的客户可能无法支付他们的费用.

对规则1的注释[5].5解释说，签订收费协议是不恰当的，因为这可能导致必要的法律服务的减少. 它在有关部分指出:

不得订立协议，其条款可能导致靠谱的滚球平台不恰当地减少为客户提供的服务或以违背客户利益的方式履行服务. 例如, 当可以预见可能需要更广泛的服务时，靠谱的滚球平台不应签订一项只提供规定数额的服务的协议, unless the situation is adequately explained to the client. 否则, the client might have to bargain for further assistance in the midst of a proceeding or transaction. 然而, it is proper to define the extent of services in light of the client’s ability to pay.

不提供可预见的必要服务的固定费用协议违反了这一原则.

委员会无意通过本意见建议要求靠谱的滚球平台根据客户的意愿与客户进行磋商，或提供对于提供合格的议定代理而言并非合理必要的服务. 看到 规则1.2(c) regarding permissible limitations on the scope of representation. 然而, 靠谱的滚球平台确实有责任, 在起草固定费用协议时, 预期那些服务将是合理必要的，以胜任地执行商定的代表. Complications and unforeseeable events will occur in certain representations, and a lawyer is not precluded from making additional charges in such circumstances. The test is whether such events are reasonably foreseeable at the outset of the representation. If so, attendant legal services must be covered by the fixed fee.

我们认识到，这一意见可能导致对提供某些法律服务收取的固定费用增加. 然而, 这样的结果比用不合理的低费用计划来引诱客户，让他们在代理过程中承担意想不到的——甚至可能负担不起的法律费用要好得多.

关于悬而未决的调查, 委员会不是事实的发现者，也不能就在特定陈述过程中将委托人限制为一次咨询是否合理提出意见. 我们注意到规则1中的要求.第4(a)条规定:“靠谱的滚球平台应使委托人合理地了解某一事项的进展情况，并及时遵守有关提供信息的合理要求,” suggests that such a limitation may not be reasonable. Indeed, the lawyer’s obligation in this regard is underscored in Comment [2] to 规则1.第4条规定, “除非客户明确同意不传递某些信息，否则客户有权获得其希望获得的关于代理主题各方面的任何信息.“此外, “如果客户不这样做，靠谱的滚球平台必须启动并维持咨询和决策过程，并必须确保正在进行的过程是彻底和完整的.” Id.

当然, a lawyer is not limited to a single model for the required consultation and may, 在适当的情况下, 依靠靠谱的滚球平台助理或其他工作人员与客户沟通，而不是花费更多的靠谱的滚球平台时间. 对于那些可能是固定费用协议的主题的日常法律事项，尤其如此. 看到 对规则1的注释[4].这里涉及到许多日常事务, a system of limited or occasional reporting may be arranged with the client.”)

总而言之, 书面收费协议, 在需要时, must adequately inform the client of the basis or rate of the fee to be charged. 除了, 固定费用协议必须包括, 作为固定费用的一部分, those reasonably foreseeable services that are necessary to provide competent representation.

调查没有. 91-9-36
通过:1993年6月15日