Legal Question in Personal Injury in Michigan

Referral fee

I gave a personal injury case to an attorney him fully knowing that I was expecting a percentage of the settlement. The case took two years to settle and when I went to his office to collect what I thought was my check, he told me that It was illegal for him to give me anything. He said he thought all along that I was an attorney. I never told him that I was an attorney and over the two year period he never asked me if I was an attorney. I kept calling and made at lease a dozen calls to his office and talked to both him and his associates. He even told me on one occasion that he was looking forward to giving me a big check. As mentioned I followed up with both his office and the client as to the progress of the case looking for a payday. The case was settled a few weeks ago for Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars and he now after two years tells me that it is illegal for him to give me any money.

To add insult to injury I waited outside his office for an hour and a half this past Friday only to get the news.


Asked on 5/23/05, 8:24 am

3 Answers from Attorneys
Blake Lipman Law Office of Blake P. Lipman

Re: Referral fee

If you are not an attorney, his hands are tied. It is unethical and illegal for him to give a referral fee to a non-lawyer. Perhaps, he could buy you a nice gift. For more information, please contact my office at (248)851-3171.

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Answered on 5/26/05, 8:07 am
Don Darnell Darnell & Lulgjuraj, P.C.

Re: Referral fee

The attorney is correct. It is improper to give a non-lawyer a referral fee.

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Answered on 5/23/05, 3:30 pm
William Stern William Stern, P.C.

Re: Referral fee

The lawyer is legally correct. You do not have a leg to stand on. I guess you should have known him better. William S. Stern

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Answered on 5/23/05, 4:36 pm


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