As a plaintiff, the good news for you is that your attorney will not ask you for a retainer when they agree to represent you in your case. They will also not present you with a bill each month for every hour of their time. Instead, you both will sign a representation agreement that states the attorney will receive payment via a contingency agreement.
With a contingency agreement, the attorney receives a percentage of their client’s financial recovery as payment for the attorney services, should the case settle in the client’s favor. Your attorney only receives payment if you recover money. You will not be getting a bill for your attorney’s time if you do not win your case.
For purposes of paying your attorney, “winning” is settling your case or claim or prevailing in front of the jury. Most contingency agreements would give your attorney somewhere between 25 percent and 40 percent of your recovery. You and the attorney will determine the exact payment at the time when you hire them.
