Plaintiffs law firms sued their former clients to recover attorney fees on a quantum meruit basis for their services in an estate dispute. The trial court found that plaintiffs were entitled to a reasonable fee and that the reasonable fee was established by the contingency fee agreed upon by the parties, despite the fact that the agreement did not specify how the plaintiffs would split the contingency fee in violation of Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct 15(e). The appellate court affirmed in part and reversed in part, affirming the trial court’s decision that the plaintiffs’ services conferred a benefit on defendants but reversing the trial court’s determination that the amount of the contingency fee was a reasonable fee for plaintiffs’ services. The appellate court remanded so that the trial court could determine the appropriate fee based on the reasonable value of plaintiffs’ services. (HOFFMAN and MARTIN, concurring)
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Attorney's Fees