California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from Roth v. Epps & Coulson, LLP, B285265, c/w B287982, c/w B290763 (Cal. App. 2019):
been discharged by the client," the attorney's "claim to a subsequent recovery depends on whether the attorney had 'justifiable cause so as to permit a recovery of compensation.'" (Id. at p. 672.) "[A]n attorney who withdraws without justifiable cause may not recover any attorney fees under a contingency fee agreement." (Duchrow v. Forrest (2013) 215 Cal.App.4th 1359, 1382.) "[T]he justifiability of the reason for withdrawal is dependent on the particular facts of the case." (Rus, supra, 113 Cal.App.4th at p. 672.) "The law governing an attorney's right or duty to merely withdraw from a caseand be done with it for goodis a 'different question' than an attorney's right to withdraw and then later recover." (Id. at p. 673.) "Good cause to withdraw is not necessarily good cause to recover money obtained in a settlement after withdrawal." (Ibid.)
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