What should the client do if his or her lawyer's bill seems too high?

The petitioner is required to make a good faith effort to resolve the dispute prior to filing a petition for fee arbitration. Review your written fee agreement and itemized bills, if applicable. If you had no agreement whatsoever, the law provides that the attorney is entitled to a reasonable fee taking into consideration all factors including those previously listed. If the bill still appears to be higher than your agreement, or seems unreasonable, speak with your attorney about the fees in question. Frequently, disputes can be prevented by you and your attorney discussing your concerns. Ask your attorney to explain why the bill is higher than you expected. You may find out the case was more complicated and took more time than you realized. On the other hand, the attorney may agree that there is a billing mistake. If, after discussing the situation with your attorney, you have not come to a satisfactory solution, you may wish to file a fee arbitration petition.