Attorney-Client Dispute Information

If you have a dispute with an attorney over fees charged, there are several options open to you. You should know that the State Bar does not (and can not) set maximum or minimum fees for particular services, nor can it regulate the amount of fees charged by an attorney. This means that a formal grievance against an attorney must be based on whether or not he or she has violated the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, specifically the rule which states that attorneys may not bill clients for services that were clearly not rendered. This rule does not cover situations in which the attorney and client may have had a misunderstanding over fees or the agreed-upon contingency percentage. It does not cover situations in which a client feels that an attorney has "billed too much" for a particular service.

Please review the following options to see which might be the best for you:

• If you feel that you have been billed for services that were not rendered at all, you may file a written complaint to the Chief Disciplinary's office of the State Bar. You can reach their Grievance Information line by dialing (800) 932-1900. You will be given information about how to file a written complaint. An investigator will review your written complaint and will proceed with the grievance process if it is determined that it represents a violation of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. If the investigator determines that the information provided does not constitute a violation of the rules, you will be notified of this. If the Chief Disciplinary's office determines that your situation is a fee dispute (rather than a grievance issue), they will recommend that you talk to your local bar association, as below.
  
  
• Many local bar associations have fee dispute committees. The local bar will inform you about how to present the information about the dispute to their committee, and what specific procedures are followed. Generally, the process is entirely voluntary--the attorney with whom you have a dispute must agree to participate in the mediation process. Please check the list below for the nearest bar association to you.
  
  
• If there is no local bar association with a fee dispute committee near you, you may want to contact a Dispute Resolution Center. The staff at the Center will advise you of your options for having the dispute mediated. Please check the list below for the nearest Dispute Resolution Center to you.

Large Local Bar Associations with Fee Dispute Committees:

Texas Dispute Resolution Centers