LEO: Legal Fees/Dividing Legal Fees With a  LE Op. 534

 

Legal Fees/Dividing Legal Fees With a Non-Lawyer.

 

December 16, 1983

 

It would be improper for an attorney in collecting delinquent county

taxes and receiving fee awards in such cases, as provided for in Va. Code

Annot. § 58-1117.5, to pay to the county any portion of such fees awarded

to him. There are instances, however, where the attorney's fees may be

remitted to the non-lawyer employer/client where the attorney's fee is "a

direct reimbursement to the [client] for the cost of the legal service

provided by employed counsel." [ DR:3-102, LE Op. 480 (formerly LE-IO

642), LE-IO 589 (withdrawn for reconsideration 9/8/83), and § 58-1117.5,

Code of Virginia]

 

Committee Opinion December 16, 1983