Full Contingent Fee Earned

The Nebraska Supreme Court has held that a firm firm that had promptly secured the settlement of a serious personal injury matter was entitled to enforce a 1/3 contingent fee agreement entered into by the client.The client discharged the law firm after the firm had secured the settlement offer. After an earlier remand by the court, the trial court had awarded judgment to the law firm. Here, the court affirms the judgment. The fact that the underlying case had settled promptly did not make the fee unresonable. Rather, the fact that the case was brought to a fair and just conclusion reflected favorably on the quality of the legal work. Under the circumstances, the client had failed to establish that the contractually agreed to fee was unreasonable. (Mike Frisch)