These summaries were prepared by McGuireWoods LLP lawyer Thomas E. Spahn. They are based on the letter opinions issued by the Virginia State Bar. Any editorial comments reflect Mr. Spahn's current personal views, and not the opinions of the Virginia State Bar, McGuireWoods or its clients.

LEO Num	Topics	Summary
1563	8-Bills and Fees 38-Fee Splitting	A lawyer in a civil rights case has a contingent fee arrangement with the plaintiff. The lawyer may ethically include the court-awarded attorneys' fees in considering the plaintiff's award from which the lawyer calculates the contingent fees. The court-awarded attorneys' fees are not considered "fees" for purposes of the fee-splitting rules.

Copyright 2000, Thomas E. Spahn