RPC RULE 1.5
                                      FEES

  (a) A lawyer shall not make an agreement for, charge, or collect an
unreasonable fee or an unreasonable amount for expenses.  The factors to be
considered in determining the reasonableness of a fee include the following:

     (1) the time and labor required, the novelty and difficulty of the
questions involved, and the skill requisite to perform the legal service properly;

     (2) the likelihood, if apparent to the client, that the acceptance of the
particular employment will preclude other employment by the lawyer;

     (3) the fee customarily charged in the locality for similar legal services;

     (4) the amount involved and the results obtained;

     (5) the time limitations imposed by the client or by the circumstances;

     (6) the nature and length of the professional relationship with the client;

     (7) the experience, reputation, and ability of the lawyer or lawyers
performing the services;

     (8) whether the fee is fixed or contingent; and

     (9) the terms of the fee agreement between the lawyer and the client,
including whether the fee agreement or confirming writing demonstrates that the
client had received a reasonable and fair disclosure of material elements of the
fee agreement and of the lawyer's billing practices.

  (b) The scope of the representation and the basis or rate of the fee and
expenses for which the client will be responsible shall be communicated to the
client, preferably in writing, before or within a reasonable time after
commencing the representation except when the lawyer will charge a regularly
represented client on the same basis or rate.  Any changes in the basis or rate
of the fee or expenses shall also be communicated to the client.  Upon the
request of the client in any matter, the lawyer shall communicate to the client
in writing the basis or rate of the fee.

  (c) A fee may be contingent on the outcome of the matter for which the service
is rendered, except in a matter in which a contingent fee is prohibited by
paragraph (d) or other law. If a fee is contingent on the outcome of a matter, a
lawyer shall comply with the following

     (1) A contingent fee agreement shall be in a writing and signed by the client;

     (2) A contingent fee agreement shall state the method by which the fee is
to be determined, including the percentage or percentages that shall accrue to
the lawyer in the event of settlement, trial or appeal; litigation and other
expenses to be deducted from the recovery; and whether such expenses are to be
deducted before or after the contingent fee is calculated. The agreement must
clearly notify the client of any expenses for which the client will be liable,
whether or not the client is the prevailing party;

     (3) Upon conclusion of a contingent fee matter, the lawyer shall provide
the client with a written statement stating the outcome of the matter and, if
there is a recovery, showing the remittance to the client and the method of its
determination; and

     (4) A contingent fee consisting of a percentage of the monetary amount
recovered for a claimant, in which all or part of the recovery is to be paid in
the future, shall be paid only

        (i) by applying the percentage to the amounts recovered as they are
received by the client; or

        (ii) by applying the percentage to the actual cost of the settlement or
award to the defendant.

  (d) A lawyer shall not enter into an arrangement for, charge, or collect:

     (1) any fee in a domestic relations matter, the payment or amount of which
is contingent upon the securing of a dissolution or annulment of marriage or
upon the amount of maintenance or support, or property settlement in lieu
thereof; or

     (2) a contingent fee for representing a defendant in a criminal case.

  (e) A division of a fee between lawyers who are not in the same firm may be
made only if:

     (1) (i) the division is in proportion to the services provided by each
lawyer or each lawyer assumes joint responsibility for the representation;

       (ii) the client agrees to the arrangement, including the share each
lawyer will receive, and the agreement is confirmed in writing; and

       (iii) the total fee is reasonable; or

     (2) the division is between the lawyer and a duly authorized lawyer
referral service of either the Washington State Bar Association or of one of the
county bar associations of this state.

   (f)  Fees and expenses paid in advance of performance of services shall
comply with Rule 1.15A, subject to the following exceptions:

   (1)  A lawyer may charge a retainer, which is a fee that a client pays
to a lawyer to be available to the client during a specified period or on a
specified matter, in addition to and apart from any compensation for legal
services performed. A retainer must be agreed to in a writing signed by the
client.  Unless otherwise agreed, a retainer is the lawyer's property on
receipt and shall not be placed in the lawyer's trust account.

   (2)  A lawyer may charge a flat fee for specified legal services, which
constitutes complete payment for those services and is paid in whole or in
part in advance of the lawyer providing the services. If agreed to in
advance in a writing signed by the client, a flat fee is the lawyer's
property on receipt, in which case the fee shall not be deposited into a
trust account under Rule 1.15A. The written fee agreement shall, in a manner
that can easily be understood by the client, include the following: (i) the
scope of the services to be provided; (ii) the total amount of the fee and
the terms of payment; (iii) that the fee is the lawyer's property
immediately on receipt and will not be placed into a trust account; (iv)
that the fee agreement does not alter the client's right to terminate the
client-lawyer relationship; and (v) that the client may be entitled to a
refund of a portion of the fee if the agreed-upon legal services have not
been completed. A statement in substantially the following form satisfies
this requirement:


       [Lawyer/law  firm] agrees to provide, for a flat  fee of
     $__________, the following services:
     _____________________________________. The flat fee shall be paid
     as  follows:   _____________________________.  Upon [lawyer's/law
     firm's] receipt of all or any portion of the flat fee, the funds
     are the property of [lawyer/law firm] and will not be placed in a
     trust account. The fact that you have paid your fee in advance does
     not affect your right to terminate the client-lawyer relationship.
     In the event our relationship is terminated before the agreed-upon
     legal services have been completed, you may or may not have a right
     to a refund of a portion of the fee.

     (3)  In the event of a dispute relating to a fee under paragraph (f)(1)
or (f)(2) of this Rule, the lawyer shall take reasonable and prompt action
to resolve the dispute.


Comment

Reasonableness of Fee and Expenses

  [1] Paragraph (a) requires that lawyers charge fees that are reasonable under
the circumstances. The factors specified in (1) through (9) are not exclusive.
Nor will each factor be relevant in each instance. Paragraph (a) also requires
that expenses for which the client will be charged must be reasonable. A lawyer
may seek reimbursement for the cost of services performed in-house, such as
copying, or for other expenses incurred in-house, such as telephone charges,
either by charging a reasonable amount to which the client has agreed in advance
or by charging an amount that reasonably reflects the cost incurred by the
lawyer.

See also Washington Comments [10] and [11].


Basis or Rate of Fee

  [2] When the lawyer has regularly represented a client, they ordinarily will
have evolved an understanding concerning the basis or rate of the fee and the
expenses for which the client will be responsible. In a new client-lawyer
relationship, however, an understanding as to fees and expenses must be promptly
established. Generally, it is desirable to furnish the client with at least a
simple memorandum or copy of the lawyer's customary fee arrangements that states
the general nature of the legal services to be provided, the basis, rate or
total amount of the fee and whether and to what extent the client will be
responsible for any costs, expenses or disbursements in the course of the
representation. A written statement concerning the terms of the engagement
reduces the possibility of misunderstanding.

  [3] [Reserved in part.] Contingent fees, like any other fees, are subject to
the reasonableness standard of paragraph (a) of this Rule. In determining
whether a particular contingent fee is reasonable, or whether it is reasonable
to charge any form of contingent fee, a lawyer must consider the factors that
are relevant under the circumstances.


Terms of Payment

  [4] A lawyer may require advance payment of a fee, but is obliged to return
any unearned portion. See Rule 1.16(d). A lawyer may accept property in payment
for services, such as an ownership interest in an enterprise, providing this
does not involve acquisition of a proprietary interest in the cause of action or
subject matter of the litigation contrary to Rule 1.8 (i). However, a fee paid
in property instead of money may be subject to the requirements of Rule 1.8(a)
because such fees often have the essential qualities of a business transaction
with the client.

  [5] An agreement may not be made whose terms might induce the lawyer
improperly to curtail services for the client or perform them in a way contrary
to the client's interest. For example, a lawyer should not enter into an
agreement whereby services are to be provided only up to a stated amount when it
is foreseeable that more extensive services probably will be required, unless
the situation is adequately explained to the client. Otherwise, the client might
have to bargain for further assistance in the midst of a proceeding or
transaction. However, it is proper to define the extent of services in light of
the client's ability to pay. A lawyer should not exploit a fee arrangement based
primarily on hourly charges by using wasteful procedures.


Prohibited Contingent Fees

  [6] [Washington revision] Paragraph (d) prohibits a lawyer from charging a
contingent fee in a domestic relations matter when payment is contingent upon
the securing of a dissolution or annulment of marriage or upon the amount of
maintenance or support or property settlement to be obtained. This provision
does not preclude a contract for a contingent fee for legal representation in
connection with the recovery of post-judgment balances due under support,
maintenance or other financial orders because such contracts do not implicate
the same policy concerns.


Division of Fee

  [7] A division of fee is a single billing to a client covering the fee of two
or more lawyers who are not in the same firm. A division of fee facilitates
association of more than one lawyer in a matter in which neither alone could
serve the client as well, and most often is used when the fee is contingent and
the division is between a referring lawyer and a trial specialist. Paragraph (e)
permits the lawyers to divide a fee either on the basis of the proportion of
services they render or if each lawyer assumes responsibility for the
representation as a whole. In addition, the client must agree to the
arrangement, including the share that each lawyer is to receive, and the
agreement must be confirmed in writing. Contingent fee agreements must be in a
writing signed by the client and must otherwise comply with paragraph (c) of
this Rule. Joint responsibility for the representation entails financial and
ethical responsibility for the representation as if the lawyers were associated
in a partnership. A lawyer should only refer a matter to a lawyer whom the
referring lawyer reasonably believes is competent to handle the matter. See Rule
1.1.

  [8] Paragraph (e) does not prohibit or regulate division of fees to be
received in the future for work done when lawyers were previously associated in
a law firm.


Disputes over Fees

  [9] If a procedure has been established for resolution of fee disputes, such
as an arbitration or mediation procedure established by the bar, the lawyer must
comply with the procedure when it is mandatory, and, even when it is voluntary,
the lawyer should conscientiously consider submitting to it. Law may prescribe a
procedure for determining a lawyer's fee, for example, in representation of an
executor or administrator, a class or a person entitled to a reasonable fee as
part of the measure of damages. The lawyer entitled to such a fee and a lawyer
representing another party concerned with the fee should comply with the
prescribed procedure.


Additional Washington Comments (10 - 18)

Reasonableness of Fee and Expenses

    [10] Every fee agreed to, charged, or collected, including a fee that is
a lawyer's property on receipt under paragraph (f)(1) or (f)(2), is subject
to Rule 1.5(a) and may not be unreasonable.

    [11] Under paragraph (a)(9), one factor in determining whether a fee is
reasonable is whether the fee agreement or confirming writing demonstrates
that the client received a reasonable and fair disclosure of material
elements of the fee agreement. Lawyers are encouraged to use written fee
agreements that fully and fairly disclose all material terms in a manner
easily understood by the client.


Payment of Fees in Advance of Services

    [12] In the absence of a written agreement between the lawyer and the
client to the contrary that complies with paragraph (f)(1) or (f)(2), all
advance payments are presumed to be deposits against future services or
costs and must, until the fee is earned or the cost incurred, be held in a
trust account pursuant to Rule 1.15A. See Rule 1.15A(c)(2). This fee
structure is known as an "advance fee deposit." Such a fee may only be
withdrawn when earned. See Rule 1.15A(h)(3). For example, when an advance
fee deposit is placed in trust, a lawyer may withdraw amounts based on the
actual hours worked. In the case of a flat fee that constitutes an advance
fee deposit because it does not meet the requirements of paragraph (f)(2),
the lawyer and client may mutually agree, preferably in writing, on a
reasonable basis for determining when portions of the fee have been earned,
such as specific "milestones" reached during the representation or specified
time intervals that reasonably reflect the actual performance of the legal services.

    [13] Paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) provide exceptions to the general rule
that fees received in advance must be placed in trust. Paragraph (f)(1)
describes a fee structure sometimes known as an "availability retainer,"
"engagement retainer," "true retainer," "general retainer," or "classic
retainer." Under these rules, this arrangement is called a "retainer." A
retainer secures availability alone, i.e., it presumes that the lawyer is to
be additionally compensated for any actual work performed. Therefore, a
payment purportedly made to secure a lawyer's availability, but that will be
applied to the client's account as the lawyer renders services, is not a
retainer under paragraph (f)(1). A written retainer agreement should clearly
specify the time period or purpose of the lawyer's availability, that the
client will be separately charged for any services provided, and that the
lawyer will treat the payment as the lawyer's property immediately on
receipt and will not deposit the fee into a trust account.

    [14] Paragraph (f)(2) describes a "flat fee," sometimes also known as a
"fixed fee." A flat fee constitutes complete payment for specified legal
services, and does not vary with the amount of time or effort expended by
the lawyer to perform or complete the specified services. If the
requirements of paragraph (f)(2) are not met, a flat fee received in advance
must be deposited initially in the lawyer's trust account. See Washington Comment [12].

    [15] If a lawyer and a client agree to a retainer under paragraph (f)(1)
or a flat fee under paragraph (f)(2) and the lawyer complies with the
applicable requirements, including obtaining agreement in a writing signed
by the client, the fee is considered the lawyer's property on receipt and
must not be deposited into a trust account containing client or third-party
funds. See Rule 1.15A(c) (lawyer must hold property of clients separate from
lawyer's own property). For definitions of the terms "writing" and "signed,"
see Rule 1.0(n).

    [16] In fee arrangements involving more than one type of fee, the
requirements of paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) apply only to the parts of the
arrangement that are retainers or flat fees. For example, a client might
agree to make an advance payment to a lawyer, a portion of which is a flat
fee for specified legal services with the remainder to be applied on an
hourly basis as services are rendered. The latter portion is an advance fee
deposit that must be placed in trust under Rule 1.15A(c)(2). If the
requirements of paragraph (f)(2) are met regarding the flat fee portion,
those funds are the lawyer's property on receipt and must not be kept in a
trust account. If the payment is in one check or negotiable instrument, it
must be deposited intact in the trust account, and the flat fee portion
belonging to the lawyer must be withdrawn at the earliest reasonable
time. See Rule 1.15A(h)(1)(ii) & (h)(4). See also Comment [10] to Rule 1.15A
(explaining prohibition on split deposits). Although a signed writing is
required under paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) only for the retainer or flat
fee portion of the fee (and only if the lawyer and client agree that the fee
will be the lawyer's property on receipt), the lawyer should consider
putting the entire arrangement in writing to facilitate communication with
the client and prevent future misunderstanding. See Washington Comment [11].


[Amended effective September 1, 2006, November 18, 2008.]