
Attorney Fees in North Carolina: Fact vs. Fiction
Attorney Hank Doyle addresses the issue of attorney costs and getting a quick answer on what a case may cost isn't always possible.
In my over 25 years of practice in Cary, Raleigh, Wake Forest, and across NC, one of the common things I hear has to do with attorney fees. People are frustrated as to why they can’t call a lawyer and get a quick answer as to what their case is going to cost them.
People often ask, "I have a simple case (they think) and when I call lawyers to find out what they will charge to take care of my case, I can never get a straight answer. Why do some attorneys dodge the question or give a vague answer to such a simple (again, they think) question?"

Q: "When I call lawyers to find out what they will charge for my simple case, I can never get a straight answer. Why do some attorneys dodge the question or give a vague answer?"There are several important reasons people sometimes have this experience.
1. Rules for Setting Fees
Lawyers in North Carolina are required to follow a specific set of ethical rules known as the Rules of Professional Conduct, as set forth by the North Carolina State Bar. These rules lay out the kinds of fee arrangements that can be made, how fees can be collected, what types of fees can be collected in different kinds of cases, and other restrictions. Attorneys are strictly forbidden to get together and set fees. There may be a range that certain legal services may cost in certain geographical areas, but there are no “standard” fees or “going rates” for attorney fees. The State Bar has the power to discipline lawyers who run afoul of these rules in a variety of ways, including taking away the lawyer’s license to practice law. Understandably, lawyers are very careful to avoid violating these rules.See our firm's attorney fees.